The people’s person
CHENNAI: Restriction is the only challenge for any girl. Otherwise, all of us would have started to push beyond the boundaries and achieve in our own areas of strength,” says Lisha Pushpachandran, founder of CirKle PR & Events. The 28-year-old is the only entrepreneur in her family. Choosing the field of public relations was a tough yet self-made decision in her life. She talks to City Express about her multi-faceted personality, the challenges she overcame in her career and personal growth. Her journey is one of overcoming unexpected obstacles in her PR journey.
Was Public Relations your first choice?
I was pursuing my bachelors in BCom but couldn’t complete it since my father passed away. As a child, I wanted to become an air hostess. Even while travelling with my father in flights, I would adore the way they greet people. So I went on to pursue a course in Frankfinn Institute of Air Hostess Training for one and a half years. After three months of training, I left the job and entered the PR industry with a company. In 2014, I started my own firm called the CirKle PR & Events. It’s been ten years in the industry now.
Lisha at home versus work?
Work is home and home is work, it’s the same for me. I live alone and my mother lives in Kerala. When she comes here for a vacation it actually feels like home. Otherwise, it is mandatory for me to sit in my balcony for a few minutes and refresh myself.
How do you unwind?
I’ve been playing badminton every morning. I am a professional dancer. So dancing to the beats of music is my everyday stress-buster.
One healthy habit you follow since childhood?
My father was in the defence so we travelled to different parts of the country. We had a huge campus and many neighbours. As a kid, I was taught to interact and socialise with everyone and never really got a chance to watch television. That quality helps a lot in my profession when I have to interact with clients that follow diverse cultures and speak different languages. When you connect with people, your tendency to help automatically grows. I am always thankful to my parents for teaching me good values.
What do you think are the challenges in your profession?
Irrespective of the nature of the job, my dedication has brought me this far in life. Public relations is a very competitive field. It takes a lot of effort and patience to strike a balance between media and the client. But you get to meet numerous personalities and learn from them by establishing contacts. So far I’ve never promoted my company and it has only been through word of mouth. My clients trust me and that keeps me going. If you see your peers as friends and not competitors then you can actually perform better. This is my
success mantra.
Who inspires you?
I’ve been an inspiration to myself. As the breadwinner of the family, I had to make important life-changing decisions. Never did I lose interest when so many people questioned what I was going to do to earn money. But actor Vijay Sethupathi has been a huge mentor to me. He always says, “Never forget the place you started from. Even now if you push me to the lowest point I can survive.” As I grew I inspired my sister and even my mother. Every profession grooms you in a
certain way.
What are your future projects?
I would grab every opportunity that comes along my way. Recently we started doing our own concert in Sri Lanka with Sid Sriram and there’s another one down the line. I might consider doing a web series. I’m just going with the flow.