At Brilliant Read Media, it is our constant endeavour to identify and share some of the unique and compelling stories from the startup ecosystem. As part of this, we invited Anupama Dalmia for an interview with Brilliant Read Media. To say further, Anupama is a Serial Entrepreneur, Mentor and Founder & Chief Mentor at Beyond the Box. Let’s learn more about her background, inspiring journey so far and her advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Anupama:
Could you please talk us through your background and your journey?
With an MBA in Systems and Finance and a B.E. in Computer Engineering, I began my career as a Consultant at Infosys in 2006. I thrived professionally and had the honour of representing my practice at the SAP World Tour in Melbourne, where I presented on SAP HANA.
That was a high point in my corporate journey but strangely, it was after that milestone that clarity struck. I realised that while I was doing well, I wasn’t doing what I truly loved.
The corporate life, though rewarding, left little room for my creative calling. In 2013, with unwavering support from my husband, I took the leap of resigning to build an alternate career path.
I focused on upskilling, volunteered with an NGO working in the rehabilitation of human trafficking survivors, and slowly reconnected with my creative core. I began teaching dance, and in time, started blogging, and eventually discovered the joy of working with children.
One thing led to another, and everything that I do today is an organic culmination of what I strongly believe in: stories, empathy, and the power of thinking beyond templates.
How did you discover your passion?
I often say that I didn’t discover my passions – they found me, or we met somewhere along the way. Writing was a childhood companion; I wrote poems, reflections, and stories just for myself. It was only when I penned a poem for my infant daughter and my husband saw potential in it that he nudged me toward taking it more seriously, and blogging happened.
Beyond The Box began when a close friend, who had seen me connect easily with children and admired my writing, insisted I merge the two. She said, “There are classes for everything, but not for this vital life skill”, and that pushed me into mentoring, and I cannot be more grateful for it.
Dance, on the other hand, has been in my blood, something I was born with and later trained in. What ties all these together is my openness to explore, learn, and keep evolving. Each passion has unfolded organically, one step at a time.
You juggle multiple passions, so how do you stay rooted while doing so many things?
The key is knowing why I’m doing each of them. I don’t pursue everything at once and I flow with seasons. Sometimes, I am immersed in mentoring, other times I am creating content, dancing, or working on an initiative. I don’t chase balance; I chase alignment.
And ultimately, juggling is really about prioritising, I feel; being attuned to what I truly want and sticking by those priorities even when distractions or noise show up. I am glad I have never had FOMO and the likes, and I believe that staying grounded means making intentional choices and honouring the path I have chosen in that moment.
I have also learned to pause when needed and say no without guilt. Staying rooted, for me, is about remembering that I am not here to do everything – I am here to do meaningful things, with presence and purpose.
You work closely with children, teens, and adults. What have you learned about creativity across different age groups?
Creativity shows up differently at every age, and that’s the beauty of it. Children are fearless creators as they are not bound by logic or expectations, which makes their ideas wildly original. With teens, there’s a shift. They are searching for identity, voice, and validation.
Guiding them is about helping them feel seen while encouraging authenticity. Adults often come with a backlog of “I used to be creative” or “I’m not a writer”, so the work becomes about unlearning. Across all ages, one thing is constant, though. When people feel safe, seen, and heard, their creativity flows. And watching that unfold, again and again, is both humbling and magical.
Despite the challenges, what keeps you going when things get tough?
What keeps me going is a deep sense of purpose and the belief that my work, in its own small way, is meaningful. Of course, there are challenging days when there is creative fatigue, self-doubt, or one is simply feeling overwhelmed.
But I have learned to pause and come back with renewed vigour. I remind myself why I began: to create, to connect, and to contribute.
I also draw strength from the people around me – my family, my community, the young minds I work with. A kind message from a student, an unexpected moment of impact, or even a sudden realisation during a walk can be enough to refuel me.
I believe in showing up with sincerity, and I do not quantify things much. And above all, I have learned that reinvention is always possible, so when it gets tough, I shift, reflect, and keep moving.
What are the three most important lessons you have learned in your life?
1) It’s never too late to begin again. Life isn’t linear, and neither is growth. Walking away from a stable corporate job to build something from scratch taught me that every ending can be the beginning of something far more aligned with who you are.
2) Purpose is louder than praise. While recognition is encouraging, it’s the impact that ultimately matters and keeps you grounded. The child who says, “I found my voice,” or the survivor who smiles again remind me why I do what I do.
3) Stay curious, always. Every phase of my journey, from volunteering and dance to blogging and mentoring and more, has been shaped by a willingness to learn, unlearn, and reinvent. Curiosity has kept me open, grounded, and moving forward.
In your opinion, what are the keys to success?
For me, success is the alignment of what you do, who you are, and what you stand for. I am not someone who truly propagates the idea of secrets or keys to success, but certain things are non-negotiable.
First, consistency in showing up for what matters to you, even when no one’s watching.
Second, courage – to start late, to start over, to choose the less obvious path, and to back yourself when it’s easier to blend in.
And finally, compassion, for others, yes, but also for yourself. Because growth doesn’t always look glamorous, and you have to be kind to yourself while you are becoming. I have learned that real success is in building something that speaks your truth, serves a purpose, and leaves people and yourself a little more enriched in some way than before.
What advice would you give students and young professionals who want to have a successful career?
> Don’t rush to have it all figured out. It’s okay if your path isn’t linear and exploration is not confusion. Allow yourself the space to evolve.
> Build skills, not just profiles. Focus on learning deeply, communicating clearly, and thinking independently, as these will serve you across any career.
> Stay curious and open. Some of the best opportunities in my life came from saying yes to things that weren’t part of the “plan.”
> Success is personal. Define it for yourself and don’t borrow someone else’s version if that does not speak to you.
> Be sincere, over-impressive. Authenticity builds far more meaningful connections than pretence ever will.
> Invest in your voice. Whether it’s through writing, speaking, or creating, being able to express yourself is surely a superpower.
Last but not least, what about your journey makes it satisfying/exciting?
What makes my journey truly satisfying and fun for me is that it has never been scripted. Every phase has unfolded through real human connections like someone seeing a spark, nudging me toward a new direction, or trusting me with their stories, their children, their dreams.
That trust is sacred. The excitement lies in the fact that I never know what’s next, but I do know I am growing creatively, emotionally, and as a human being. I get to wear many hats – mentor, creator, facilitator, learner, dancer, speaker – and none of them are static.
I don’t just build businesses or ventures, I build meaning. That, for me, is a thrill like no other, honestly. I feel blessed that I get to do work that feels alive, evolving, and rooted in purpose.
BrilliantRead is committed to bringing stories from the startup ecosystem, stories that reshape our perspective, add value to our community and be a constant source of motivation not just for our community but also for the whole ecosystem of entrepreneurs and aspiring individuals.
Note: If you have a similar story to share with our audience and would like to be featured on our online magazine, then please write to us at [email protected], we will review your story and extend an invitation to feature if it is worth publishing.
