At BrilliantRead Media, we always strive to bring meaningful and powerful stories from India and around the world to empower and motivate our growing community. As part of this endeavour, we invited Swati Roy for an exclusive interview with us. Swati is a Certified Growth Mindset Coach, Mindfulness, Emotional Wellbeing & Transformational Coach and Founder at Margikka. Let’s learn more about her background, journey and her advice for our community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Swati:
Your journey blends corporate leadership with mindfulness and coaching. What inspired you to create Margikka, and how did this transition unfold?
With over 20 years of corporate experience, I’ve led teams in high-performance environments that were both dynamic and demanding. While this journey was professionally fulfilling, it also gave me a close view of the stress, disconnection, and constant pressure many individuals experience.
At the same time, I had always found my grounding in yoga and mindfulness. Over the years, these practices deepened, and I felt a natural pull to take them beyond my personal space.
I began to notice a gap—while mindfulness and stillness are powerful, they often don’t translate easily into fast-paced, real-world environments. I felt a strong need to bridge this gap and make these practices practical and relevant to everyday life.
Through this journey, I realized that growth—whether personal or professional—is deeply rooted in mindset. The shifts we create internally directly shape how we perform externally. Alignment, for me, is not about doing more, but about thinking and responding differently.
This led me to formally deepen my work through coaching, breathwork, somatic practices, and cognitive approaches. I began to see a clear connection between my corporate experience and inner work—both are, in essence, about unlocking human potential.
Margikka was born at this intersection. Today, through Margikka, I work with individuals and organizations to create growth that is not just sustainable, but also aligned and meaningful.
The name “Margikka” is unique and meaningful. Could you share the philosophy behind the name and what it represents?
The name Margikka comes from two roots—“Marg,” meaning path, and “Ikka,” symbolizing oneness or a shared essence.
For me, Margikka represents the idea that while each individual walks their own unique path, there is a deeper connection that unites us all. It is about honoring individuality while staying rooted in that shared human experience.
This philosophy is reflected in the Margikka framework—MARG: Mindful Awareness, Alignment, Regulation, and Grounded Execution.
It begins with awareness—creating space to pause and understand ourselves. Alignment brings clarity to our values and direction. Regulation helps build emotional steadiness, enabling thoughtful responses rather than reactive ones. Finally, grounded execution translates inner work into consistent, practical action.
For the community, Margikka is a space where this journey unfolds naturally. It’s not about following a fixed path, but about discovering your own—with clarity, resilience, and connection.
At its core, Margikka is a return—to who you are, what truly matters, and a way of living that feels aligned and whole.
In today’s fast-paced world, what are the most common emotional challenges people face?
While many describe their experience as stress or burnout, what often lies beneath is a deeper sense of anxiousness or inner unease. Not everyone feels ready to seek therapy, but everyone needs a safe space to understand what they are feeling.
These challenges show up in very real and practical ways:
> A lack of clarity in career and leadership direction, despite external success
> Self-doubt and emotional fatigue, even among highly capable individuals
> Difficulty managing stress, leading to overwhelm and mental clutter
> A disconnect from purpose—feeling busy, but not fulfilled
> Struggles with work-life balance and sustainable routines
> Challenges in relationships, boundaries, and self-understanding
At their core, these issues are interconnected. When clarity, structure, and emotional awareness are missing, people often feel stuck or directionless.
My work focuses on helping individuals make sense of these experiences—bringing clarity to their thinking, stability to their emotions, and structure to their actions—so they can navigate life with greater ease, confidence, and intention.
How do mindfulness, somatic practices, and cognitive approaches work together in your methodology?
At Margikka, transformation is not just about insight—it’s about awareness, regulation, and intentional action.
Mindfulness builds awareness. It helps individuals slow down, observe patterns, and create space for clarity rather than operating on autopilot.
Somatic practices work with the body and nervous system. Many of our responses to stress are physiological, not just mental. By learning to regulate the body, individuals can respond with steadiness rather than react impulsively.
Cognitive approaches help reframe thinking patterns, enabling more constructive and empowering responses.
Importantly, this work is grounded in ICF-aligned coaching principles—client-led, non-judgmental, and rooted in trust. It’s not about advice or quick fixes, but about creating a structured space where individuals arrive at their own clarity.
The integration of these approaches ensures that change is not temporary, but sustainable.
What is the first step for someone who feels stuck or directionless?
The first step is not to find a solution—but to pause.
When we feel stuck, our instinct is to do more or think harder. But often, what’s needed is the opposite: space to understand what’s really happening within.
Three powerful questions to begin with:
– What am I feeling right now?
– What feels unclear?
– What is really bothering me?
These questions help move beyond surface-level thinking. Naming emotions without judgment creates awareness, and awareness brings clarity.
Once clarity emerges, we are better able to identify what we need—and from there, take meaningful action.
Initially, this process may feel uncomfortable. But over time, it builds emotional steadiness, reduces reactivity, and empowers individuals to seek the right support.
Feeling stuck is not a failure—it is often a signal to pause, realign, and move differently.
How does coaching leaders and teams differ from working with individuals?
At the core, the work is similar—both involve understanding thoughts, emotions, and decision-making patterns.
The difference lies in the context.
With individuals, the focus is on personal clarity, self-awareness, and inner alignment. With leaders and teams, this inner work translates into external impact—how they communicate, lead, and influence others.
Corporate coaching tends to be more performance-driven, while personal coaching focuses on overall well-being and direction.
However, the two are deeply connected. When individuals grow, they lead better—and when leaders are more aware, they build stronger, more aligned teams.
What role does emotional awareness and nervous system regulation play in leadership today?
Leadership today goes beyond strategy—it requires clarity, composure, and the ability to respond thoughtfully under pressure.
Emotional awareness is what enables leaders to navigate complexity with empathy and intention. It allows them to understand not just their own responses, but also the needs of their teams.
Nervous system regulation supports this by helping leaders remain calm and centered, especially in high-pressure situations. This directly impacts decision-making, communication, and team stability.
At the end of the day, leaders are people first. When they learn to regulate themselves, they naturally lead in ways that are both effective and human.
What is your vision for Margikka in the coming years?
My vision for Margikka is to make mindful living and personal growth practical, accessible, and deeply integrated into everyday life.
I see it evolving into a platform that supports individuals through one-on-one coaching, structured programs, workshops, and accessible resources. At the same time, I envision deeper corporate collaborations—working with leaders and teams to build clarity, efficiency, and aligned work cultures.
Coaching, in this context, becomes a powerful tool for helping individuals understand their patterns, gain clarity, and make confident, intentional decisions.
Ultimately, the impact I hope to create is simple yet meaningful—that people feel more connected to themselves, navigate life with greater ease, and create lasting shifts in how they live, lead, and show up every day.
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.
