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 Rashmi Desai for an interview with Brilliant Read Media. To say further, Rashmi empowers young professionals to overcome inner barriers, build self-worth, and develop emotional resilience. Her students learn to stand up for themselves, choose healthier paths, set boundaries, and pursue careers aligned with their purpose. Rashmi believes that success begins with healing and that true leadership is born from self-leadership.
Her mission is to transform more than 1 million people from self-doubt into self-leadership by empowering individuals to heal their inner wounds, reclaim their self-worth, and rise into the confident, courageous, purpose-driven leaders they were always meant to be. Let’s learn more about her background, inspiring journey so far and her advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Rashmi:
Could you please talk us through your background and your journey?
I was born in Mumbai and grew up in circumstances marked by emotional and financial adversity. My childhood was shaped by instability and trauma—experiences that compelled me to develop resilience far earlier than most.
Professionally, I built my career from the ground up. After completing my BE in Production Engineering and an MBA in Operations, I began my journey in procurement and sourcing.
Over the past 15+ years, I have worked across FMCG, manufacturing, Food & Dairy, and global IT procurement. Today, I serve as an Assistant Vice President – Sourcing & Procurement in a leading multinational organization, managing high-value domestic and international sourcing projects.
Yet, my personal journey shaped my purpose far more deeply than my professional milestones. Healing from childhood trauma, self-doubt, and long-held emotional wounds awakened a deeper calling—to help others rise beyond the invisible barriers that hold them back. This transformation inspired the creation of my signature coaching program, Self-Doubt to Self-Leadership.
Designed for individuals above 30, the program empowers people to break emotional patterns, reclaim inner strength, and step into authentic leadership—both in life and within themselves. It supports individuals in reconnecting with their true potential and walking their path with clarity, courage, and purpose.
My story is one of reinvention – turning fear into strength, silence into voice, and pain into purpose.
How did you discover your passion?
My passion found me through my own healing journey.
Each time I rose after a difficult chapter—whether it was childhood trauma, being sexually abused at the age of ten, growing up in an emotionally violent and unstable environment, enduring painful relationships, or navigating years of professional stagnation while remaining in the same role for eight years—I began to understand something profound.
My resilience was not accidental. It was meant to be shared. Over time, people naturally began turning to me for guidance, clarity, mentorship, and emotional strength. In those moments, I recognised that my lived experiences were not just stories of survival—they were pathways for transformation.
That realisation gave birth to my signature coaching offering, Self-Doubt to Self-Leadership. What began as personal healing evolved into a purposeful mission.
Helping individuals reclaim their self-worth, rebuild inner safety, and step into authentic leadership is not merely my passion—it is my calling.
Despite the challenges, what keeps you going when things get tough?
My Inner Strength: I have survived experiences many never speak about—childhood trauma, financial instability, emotional breakdowns, betrayal, and heartbreak. These experiences did not break me; they forged an unshakeable resilience and a deep emotional intelligence that guides how I live, lead, and serve.
My Purpose: Every transformation within my Self-Doubt to Self-Leadership Coaching Program reinforces why I continue this work. Somewhere, someone is waiting for the courage I once had to discover within myself. Each breakthrough affirms that my journey holds meaning far beyond my own healing. My transformation becomes the permission—and the possibility—for others to rise, reclaim their self-worth, and awaken their true power.
My Vision: Generational Healing: I believe healing is never individual. When one person heals consciously, the impact ripples through families, relationships, and generations. This belief grounds my work and fuels my commitment every single day.
What are the most important lessons you’ve learned in your life?
a) Self-Worth Is Non-Negotiable: Self-worth determines the quality of your relationships, career choices, boundaries, and inner peace. When self-worth is compromised, everything else eventually follows. This belief forms the core foundation of my coaching work.
b) Your Past Does Not Define Your Future: My own journey began in trauma, poverty, shame, and deep emotional wounds. Healing showed me that history is not destiny. With awareness, courage, and conscious choice, we can rewrite the direction of our lives.
c) Leadership Begins Within: True leadership is not about titles or authority. It begins with leading yourself—regulating emotions, setting healthy boundaries, and choosing self-respect even when it feels uncomfortable. This is where authentic, sustainable leadership is born.
In your opinion, what are the keys to success?
My Five Pillars of Success –
1. Clarity of Identity and Purpose: Success begins with knowing who you are and what you stand for. When identity and purpose are clear, decisions become aligned and grounded.
2. Consistency — Even During Chaos: True growth is built through steady commitment, especially when life feels uncertain. Consistency anchors progress when motivation fluctuates.
3. Courage to Walk Away: Success requires the strength to release relationships, roles, and patterns that no longer serve your growth or self-respect.
4. Emotional Intelligence Through Healing: Emotional intelligence is not innate—it is developed through conscious healing. Learning to understand, regulate, and honour emotions creates resilience and leadership maturity.
5. Turning Pain into Purpose: When pain is integrated rather than suppressed, it becomes purpose. This transformation fuels my coaching work and enables others to rise through their own experiences.
What advice would you give students and young professionals?
a) Heal Before You Hustle – Unhealed wounds lead to chasing validation instead of growth. Sustainable success begins only when your mind and emotions are aligned with your goals.
b) Don’t Let Your Background Limit Your Ambition – Where you come from is your starting point—not your definition. It is your vision, not your circumstances, that determines how far you go.
c) Build Emotional Resilience – Life will challenge you repeatedly. Resilience is what allows you to rise stronger each time. It is the foundation that carries you through uncertainty, failure, and change.
d) Set Strong Boundaries Early – Protect your time, energy, and self-worth. Boundaries teach people how to treat you and create the space required for real growth.
e) Learn to Negotiate With Confidence – Negotiation is not just a corporate skill—it is a life skill. Whether it’s compensation, workload, or relationships, ask for what you deserve with clarity and self-respect.
f) Invest in the Right Mindset – Your mindset shapes how you think, act, and respond to opportunity. When you strengthen your inner framework, you transform your life from the inside out.
What makes your journey satisfying or exciting?
What excites me most is witnessing transformation—both within myself and in others.
I rose from a childhood shaped by fear, shame, and silence to become a woman who leads with clarity, heals with compassion, and empowers with purpose.
Each individual growing through my Self-Doubt to Self-Leadership Coaching Program becomes a living expression of that purpose.
I witness people who once questioned their worth now speak with confidence; set boundaries they were once afraid to voice; make bold, value-aligned decisions; and walk away from environments that dimmed their light.
I see them discovering the strength to stand up for themselves—often for the first time in their lives. They choose healthier relationships, pursue careers they once believed were “too big” for them, and find the courage to follow purpose instead of fear.
My journey feels deeply fulfilling because I became the woman I once needed. And now, I guide others to become who they were always meant to be—self-led, self-worthy, awakened in their power, purpose-driven, and unapologetically authentic.
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.
