Business Success Story: From Street Vendor to Culinary Icon, The Inspirational Journey of Patricia Narayan

Whatever happened in Patricia’s life was evidently not a planned one but was more due to the twist in circumstances that life threw before her. Instead of cribbing she successfully transformed her life into a more meaningful tale for the world to look at.

2010's FICCI Woman Entrepreneur Award winner Patricia Narayan

New Delhi: 2010's FICCI Woman Entrepreneur Award winner Patricia Narayan is the director of Sandheepa Chain of Restaurants. Her perseverance, passion, and hard work have all contributed to her success. Patricia is a successful businesswoman who inspires women everywhere after overcoming great adversity. Her success story will undoubtedly motivate other women who aspire to achieve their goals. Previously restricted to the kitchen, women are now breaking down barriers and aiming for success in traditionally male-dominated fields. Patricia Narayan is a prime example. This is her tale of success.

The Early Life Of Patricia Narayan:

Patricia was born in Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu, into a devout Christian family. Against the wishes of her family, she married the Hindu Brahmin boy Narayan when she was seventeen years old. Her husband was revealed to be an abusive drug addict after a few months of marriage. He didn't have time for either her or their kids. She made the decision to divorce her husband after a year of marriage. However, she had nowhere to go with her two kids. Fortunately, her father chose to accept them and forgive her. Patricia, though, wished to avoid becoming her parents' burden. She desired to move out and become independent as soon as possible.

Patricia has always enjoyed experimenting in the kitchen and cooking. She therefore made the decision to pursue her love of cooking as a career. She desired to take on a job to help provide for her two children and herself. She began preparing jams and pickles at home after borrowing money from her mother. Her mother's coworkers sold out of everything in a single day. Patricia felt more hopeful and confident as a result. It was finally improving in her life after all that had happened. She put all of her earnings aside to produce more pickles and jams.

Steps Towards Success:

Patricia made the decision to pull a cart to Marina Beach, one of the busiest public areas in Chennai, in an effort to boost sales and serve a bigger crowd. She hired two disabled people to assist her in selling tea, coffee, fresh juice, and snacks. Even though she only sold one cup of coffee on her first day, she remained optimistic. Her sales increased to Rs. 700 the following day. Afterwards, she added sandwiches, french fries, and ice cream to her menu. She carried on with her business and made enough money to sustain her family from 1982 to 2003.

The Slum Clearance Board Chairman was once impressed by the calibre of her food. He gave her the opportunity to oversee a canteen in his workplace. Following that, she began to open additional branches in all of Chennai's offices. She joined the Sangeetha Restaurant group as a partner in 1998. But in 2004, a car accident claimed the lives of her daughter and son-in-law, bringing her life yet another tragedy. She needed nearly two years to come to terms with her daughter's passing.

In loving remembrance of her daughter, Patricia and her son opened Sandheepha, their first restaurant, in 2006. She hasn't turned around since. Patricia was mentioned by India.com in one of their articles titled "The Story of How 12 Homemakers Became Millionaires."

Lessons We Can Earn From Patricia’s Story:

With 14 locations and more than 200 employees, the Sandeepha Chain of Restaurants operates today. Her narrative is incredibly motivating for demotivated people everywhere. She gives us courage and motivates us to never let anything or anyone prevent us from achieving our goals. Being an entrepreneur requires ambition and determination. Simply keep going forward and never lose faith in yourself. Patricia never wavered in her self-belief, path-following, adherence to her knowledge, or self-assurance. You don't need to have a high level of education to succeed as an entrepreneur, as demonstrated.