Episode show notes
For some, retirement is not the end of a career, rather a new beginning with limitless potential. That much is certain for Shashi Aggarwal…
Founding the now-global business Spice Kitchen from the humble beginnings of an eBay listing, on the suggestion of her son & Co-Founder Sanjay, it’s just one of many ventures for this indomitable force of a woman.
Learn how the pair balance their roles, remain opportunistic, serve the community proudly, and use the freedom of retirement to fulfil their ultimate potential.
This episode covers:
- How Spice Kitchen grew from a Christmas Day idea into the huge business it is today
- Shashi’s ability to commit to so many ventures at a time
- Milestone moments and taking fantastic opportunities as they arise
- The business’ wonderful work for the community
Episode highlights
“We were sitting together at Christmas and I happened to mention that I wanted something like a hobby to keep me occupied for a little while. Sanjay came with the idea: Why not put your spice tin online? That’s where he took the pictures straight away on Christmas day, and put it on eBay.” – 3:20 – Shashi Aggarwal
“When you have something that you’re so passionate about, and you want it to be a success, you’ve got to go with your gut feeling and go for it. Start small, then just see where things go. Don’t invest too much initially, and if the idea works, it works. There’s nothing for you to lose, there’s something to gain at the end of the day.” – 6:50 – Shashi Aggarwal
“The start of Covid, mum furloughed herself from the business in order to make scrubs for the NHS, and connected with a lot more seamstresses who were also volunteering to do that. Then we started making other bits and bobs like masks, just as mum started another business two years ago.” – 10:25 – Sanjay Aggarwal
“I can do whatever I want, whenever I want, and take a timeout whenever I want to take time out. Once you retire, you can do whatever you want, when you want, which is a big, big plus point.” – 14:05 – Shashi Aggarwal
“We’ve got quite clear rules of engagement, and it’s important that you’ve got to both have an emergency button where, if it’s not working, you’ll both walk away and not fall out. We’re very careful about involving other people. There’s a time and a place for it, but it’s got to be well thought out.” – 28:40 – Sanjay Aggarwal
“When you start a business, the reason I say to go slowly is you’ll make a lot of little mistakes. As you go along, you learn from your mistakes, and then go forward. If you make a big jump, then you sometimes are stuck. Progress slowly and learn from your mistakes as you go along.” – 41:50 – Shashi Aggarwal