Mumbai: In this week’s edition of informal Q&As with industry executives through our Weekend Unwind series, we have Wiggles founder and CEO Anushka Iyer opening her heart and mind to us by sharing her nuggets on life and mantras to deal with the curveballs that life throws.
As the founder & CEO of D2C pet care brand, Wiggles, Anushka confesses to having always been a pet lover, adding that it is her empathy towards the four-legged creatures that enables her to really make a difference. She has built Wiggles to be India’s first petcare brand to be certified by the IBPSA, USA, and to receive the first veterinary licence for cannabis-infused oil for pets in India. An International Management graduate from the Rennes School of Business, a Grande Ecole in France, and Canine Care at BCCS, she has been featured in Forbes 30 under 30 Asia, Class of 2021, and has been named as one of Silicon Asia's 30 Best Business Leaders.
So without further ado here goes...
Your mantra for life
Mindset is everything. The correct mind frame and perspective can make the dullest day, a brighter one.
A book you are currently reading/plan to read
I’m enjoying reading “Loonshots: How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas That Win Wars,” “Cure Diseases,” and “Transform Industries by Safi Bahcall” at the moment.
Your fitness mantra, especially during the pandemic
Go easy but do it, what matters is the right mindset and maximising your full potential.
Your comfort food
My hands always reach for dal chawal or curd rice.
When the chips are down a quote/philosophy that keeps you going
My pets keep me going, no quote required. The fact that I come back home to six fur babies who continue to be by my side and love me unconditionally, is more than enough to give me all the energy I need.
Your guilty pleasure
I love trying out all new brands and products because I believe people are doing some really exciting innovations but my real guilty pleasure is endlessly scrolling dog and cat videos!
When was the last time you tried something new?
I tried vegetarian sushi two days ago and I have my doubts about trying that again!
A life lesson you learned the hard way
Good things don’t come easy but they do come.
What gets you excited about life?
My purpose is to build an equitable world for all animals.
What’s on top of your bucket list?
A trip to Turkey. I want to try the hot air balloon experience and buy some rugs.
If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?
Let go just a little bit, allowing things to happen in their own course. As Bruce Lee says, be like water. Be flexible in both mind and body.
One thing you would most like to change about the world
Compassion and understanding towards all beings and life. We saw a lot of pet adoptions during the pandemic and also a lot of abandonment as soon as offices opened. I hope the world is more caring and kinder towards animals who can’t advocate for themselves.
An activity that keeps you motivated/charged during tough times
Spending time at Petsville, our boarding and day care facility, reminds me to keep going forward in the right direction and not look back. Just seeing dogs happy in a pet-curated adventure land brings me immense fulfilment.
What lifts your spirits when life gets you down?
My family, friends, fur babies and loved ones. Always.
Your go-to stress buster
My three-year-old Lhasa Apso Wiggles. He’s the apple of my eye and the inspiration behind the brand and all that we do. Would you believe there was a time people thought they had to take Wiggles paw-prints to sign cheques? That was hilarious!
