We had the good fortune of connecting with Supriya Sharma and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Supriya, we’d love to hear about a book that’s had an impact on you.
‘Managing on the Edge’ by Richard Tanner Pascale is a management primer and a startling book that never ceases to uplift my perspective on what it takes for the companies to strategise innovation and ace competition. Having been the only and the youngest female in a boardroom full of business veterans at the age of 21, I found myself juggling a number of balls with an either/or mindset, till I stumbled on this real tour de force which evangelizes cultivating and harnessing tension as the key to effective management. If I put in simple terms, it’s about burgeoning an ‘and’ disposition. Contention and contradiction aren’t to be felt uneasy with, in fact, conflict is a brilliant resource for creative tension that can be mobilised to stay ahead in the game.
Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am a business alchemist who’s credited with constructively contributing to the quadruple bottomline of organisations of varied sizes and sectors for a decade, as a consulting partner for their management teams.
In my journey of transition from a C-suite leader to an award winning entrepreneur, I ventured deeper into the corporate world on one axis and elevated on the spiritual level on another axis; their point of intersection is where I met my vision of ”illuminating the world with magical experiences”. Then was born a niche brand ‘CX…Oh!’ with the motto – ”experience the magic of service”. Our forte lies in strategizing to enrich the service excellence journeys of companies, with a resourceful alloy of culture transformation, design thinking, principles of aerospace engineering, and enterprising mindset. With a humble beginning in the vibrant city of Lagos in West Africa, we expanded globally and companioned clients in success across Africa, Asia, Europe and North America, ranging from government offices, not-for-profit businesses, small and medium startups to million-dollar multinationals. The beauty of a magical experience is that it gels well into our personal and social lives too, not just at workplace; now everyone can capitalise on the experience economy. Exciting, isn’t it?
The most riveting share of my lessons learnt is – believe in yourself, it doesn’t matter if nobody else does but you must. Start small, start where you are, go with what you have, you might find yourself trekking the path to the top alone, keep in mind you are your biggest strength. As a woman entrepreneur in a patriarchal society, I still face my set of challenges, they don’t deter me or encourage me to quit; they only reinforce my pride in being a ‘wholesome woman’ and letting the world know that I’m here to stay and influence.
What matters in the human race is how we sprinkle stardust to create memorable experiences for ourselves and those we come across in this lifetime, that’s exactly the message emanating from ‘CX…Oh!’. Feel the magic!
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Day 1 – Brunch at Sheraton hotel near Miami airport before we hit the Dolphin Mall. Towards late afternoon, visit to the Bayside marketplace for an open air shopping experience, flaunting salsa moves on the live music and gobbling up avocado-topped tapas.
Day 2 – Start the day with a sunrise walk on the exquisite white sands of Miami beach, ride the Metrorail, be amazed by the wonders of space science at planetarium, feeling ocean breeze smooching the face as we sail across the bay and catch a glimpse of celebrity homes on Star island.
Day 3 – Immerse in the pastel-colored buildings of ArtDeco district, click lots of pictures there (and photobomb Instagram later ;)), check out art galleries, boutiques, and cafés after some swimming and getting a dose of vitamin D on South beach soaked up in Latin American influences, sip some Cuban coffee, and go clubbing and dance our way into the night.
Day 4 – A drive to the Everglades National Park to witness the largest subtropical wilderness area in the USA and catch a sight of the Floridian panther if it chooses to meet us 😉
Day 5,6,7 – Yeah, not to forget – 3 days of ebullient partying sun kissed on a cruise to the Bahamas!
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
To my family for their consistent support and global exposure, and to each and every person who I met on my journey of life to having added to the magic.
Instagram: instagram.com/all_supz
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/supriyasharma16
Twitter: instagram.com/sss_mach7
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/supriya.sharma.5249349/
Other: Link to the podcastI host: https://anchor.fm/cxoh