Shikha Nag
Founder & Director
Today, Glossophobia (the fear of public speaking) is deep rooted among majority of people and thereby needs to be eliminated at the earliest. There is no denial that public speaking is one of the most vital skills for any person to succeed in life. Realizing this, Shikha started sharing her ideologies on public speaking among people through TEDx talks, corporate coaching, motivational speeches, personality & image development and later on unveiled Indian Academy of Public Speaking. Learn more about Shikha's inspirational journey by perusing through the following excerpts of an exclusive conversation between her and CEO Insights.
Learn more about Shikha’s inspirational journey by perusing through the following excerpts of an exclusive conversation between her and CEO Insights.
What kindled you to plunge into the world of public speaking?
I was a very shy girl during my childhood who couldn’t even say yes or no, but eventually became the head girl of the school, a TEDx speaker and bagged numerous awards & recognition. All thanks to my strong public speaking skills stage became my first love. I believe every individual with Glossophobia needs to be counseled in a customized manner. I started off with children (aged six-16) because teaching public speaking at a young age can infuse confidence in them both across personal and
professional lives. Today, I work closely with CEOs, MDs, VPs, Directors and politicians too. I take care of end-to-end activities at our academy right from the point of developing customized curriculums to creating and delivering diverse platforms for debate speech competitions, stage shows and others. Our expert coaches not only train our children on public speaking, but also enable them to practice and enhance this art through these platforms. What began with two branches in Bangalore has now become 20 branches across Bangalore and Mumbai, and will soon reach Tier- II & III towns as well.
Cast some light on your background.
Since my ninth grade in school, pursuing MBA (Sales & Marketing) was my dream. Well, it came true! I started my career with Interads and later TAJ Group of Hotels, but then had a career break because I had to move to London and also was pregnant. During this break, I constantly upscaled and upskilled myself by enrolling for different courses, read subject oriented books and became a trained trainer. But at some point of time, I realized I was missing work and later moved back to India and worked for different companies across sales, marketing and training domains. I also deeplyadmired the beautiful transformation my life had since childhood through public speaking and thus, forayed into entrepreneurship across this space.
What were the major challenges that you faced as an entrepreneur?
Convincing people to take-up public speaking, garnering funds at times of scaling the business and finding the right talents across a volatile and competitive market!
How do you hone your skills in accordance with the unfolding trends in the education & training industry?
I attend conferences focused on IT, digital marketing and other streams. I believe staying abreast is the need of the hour even if you have an
I take care of end-to-end activities at our academy right from the point of developing customized curriculums to creating and delivering diverse platforms
Cast some light on your background.
Since my ninth grade in school, pursuing MBA (Sales & Marketing) was my dream. Well, it came true! I started my career with Interads and later TAJ Group of Hotels, but then had a career break because I had to move to London and also was pregnant. During this break, I constantly upscaled and upskilled myself by enrolling for different courses, read subject oriented books and became a trained trainer. But at some point of time, I realized I was missing work and later moved back to India and worked for different companies across sales, marketing and training domains. I also deeplyadmired the beautiful transformation my life had since childhood through public speaking and thus, forayed into entrepreneurship across this space.
What were the major challenges that you faced as an entrepreneur?
Convincing people to take-up public speaking, garnering funds at times of scaling the business and finding the right talents across a volatile and competitive market!
How do you hone your skills in accordance with the unfolding trends in the education & training industry?
I attend conferences focused on IT, digital marketing and other streams. I believe staying abreast is the need of the hour even if you have an
outsourced service provider to accomplish your business goals. I also personally strive to learn a great deal from these service providers and make them my mentors. I will also be taking up a digital marketing course very soon.
Has your family supported you in your career so far?
Absolutely! My family’s support be it my parent’s, husband’s or kid’s, was immense. Despite having doubts initially whether my ideas would work,they gradually appreciated it post witnessing positive feedback from diverse parents, phenomenal changes in students’ lives and amazing testimonials from politicians, MDs & CEOs. My husband once beautifully articulated “You are not just enhancing the skills of people, but have also found a purpose in your life”. In a nutshell, I have a great family and I wish every woman out there had a similar one.
Do you have anything to share with the budding women leaders?
I believe every woman who is married needs not just permission, but extreme support from her spouse in managing both personal and professional lives. In fact, I mostly prefer hiring women who are on sabbatical or on a career break trying to come back to work. Also, learn the beautiful art of delegation and trust others with few of your works so that you can find time to pursue your real goals. Do not try to do everything by yourself.
Shikha Nag, Founder & Director, Indian Academy of Public Speaking
Holding extensive corporate work experiences, Shikha currently oversees end-to-end market development and public speaking activities at Indian Academy of Public Speaking.
Quicks Facts
Achievements:
•TEDx Speaker
•Author of the Book:‘Tear the Fear 3D Approach to Public Speaking’
•Ex-President Bangalore Chapter Image Management Professional Association(IMPA)
•Certified Soft Skills Trainer by Scottish Qualification Authority(SQA)
•Train the Trainer Certification from National Accreditation Board for Education and Training (NABET)
•Internationally Certified Image Consultant from ICBI & Conselle Institute of Image Management USA
•Mrs. India World 2016, 2nd Runner up
•TIMES Power Women Award 2019 for Excellence in Public Speaking and Training
Has your family supported you in your career so far?
Absolutely! My family’s support be it my parent’s, husband’s or kid’s, was immense. Despite having doubts initially whether my ideas would work,they gradually appreciated it post witnessing positive feedback from diverse parents, phenomenal changes in students’ lives and amazing testimonials from politicians, MDs & CEOs. My husband once beautifully articulated “You are not just enhancing the skills of people, but have also found a purpose in your life”. In a nutshell, I have a great family and I wish every woman out there had a similar one.
Do you have anything to share with the budding women leaders?
I believe every woman who is married needs not just permission, but extreme support from her spouse in managing both personal and professional lives. In fact, I mostly prefer hiring women who are on sabbatical or on a career break trying to come back to work. Also, learn the beautiful art of delegation and trust others with few of your works so that you can find time to pursue your real goals. Do not try to do everything by yourself.
Shikha Nag, Founder & Director, Indian Academy of Public Speaking
Holding extensive corporate work experiences, Shikha currently oversees end-to-end market development and public speaking activities at Indian Academy of Public Speaking.
Quicks Facts
Achievements:
•TEDx Speaker
•Author of the Book:‘Tear the Fear 3D Approach to Public Speaking’
•Ex-President Bangalore Chapter Image Management Professional Association(IMPA)
•Certified Soft Skills Trainer by Scottish Qualification Authority(SQA)
•Train the Trainer Certification from National Accreditation Board for Education and Training (NABET)
•Internationally Certified Image Consultant from ICBI & Conselle Institute of Image Management USA
•Mrs. India World 2016, 2nd Runner up
•TIMES Power Women Award 2019 for Excellence in Public Speaking and Training