Nidhi Kush Shah is the founder and director of Alchemy Consulting. In her 2021 Spotlight Series Interview, she discusses advice to her younger self, her mantra this year, and much more.
- Tell us a bit more about yourself.
A few words that would describe me are Leadership Coach, Speaker, Entrepreneur, Poet and Mom.
As a coach and a speaker, I have been living my dream career. I am in the business of inspiring people to become their bravest and boldest selves, and I absolutely love what I do.
I help leaders amplify their personal brand, communicate with impact and lead at their highest potential. With this intention, I launched Alchemy Consulting in 2011, and the same vision drives me to do better every morning even today. Our client base includes several global multinational firms across sectors such as financial services, legal, professional services, luxury and retain, hospitality and non-profit organizations.
I care deeply about women empowerment across all levels of society. I extensively use my expertise to collaborate with and support organizations which advocate and support their growth.
I am also a writer and a poet. I currently write a weekly newsletter on LinkedIn and share poetry on my personal blog.
I am a mom of two, and along with my husband, I am trying to raise them to be bold, brave, and brilliant.
2. Tell us about a proud moment for you in your career?
In 2016, I was invited as a keynote speaker by an organization to speak about ‘Intercultural Communication’ at their Asia Pacific Conference in Thailand. The audience comprised of 250 leaders from over 80 countries. In the days leading up to the session, there were moments when I felt anxious. A bit of imposter syndrome was kicking in. Could I really address that diverse and experienced group? What did I have to say that they didn’t already know? However, there was a voice inside me which said if I could inspire just one person that day, it would be enough. With that goal in mind, I went on stage.
That day, I had the best time giving my talk to this amazing group. The audience laughed and learned with me. When the session was over, several leaders from places like South Africa, Vietnam, India, and UK, told me that I had inspired them. That day, I learned that we can feel the fear, but still overcome self doubt and achieve our goals. It was one of the proudest evenings of my career.
3. Think back to when you were starting out your career. What advice would you give your younger self?
I would tell my younger self to have faith that kindness and empathy would turn out to be my super-powers.
When I was young, I was often told that I was ‘too nice’, ‘too warm’ and ‘not strong enough’ to succeed in business. In those days, I would wonder if I needed to change that.
Fast-forward a decade of running a successful business, I can now say that I am glad I didn’t change. I have learned that confidence comes from being true to who we are, and success comes through genuinely caring for and connecting with people.
4. What will be your 2021 mantra to keep you motivated, either professional or personally?
My 2021 mantra is to “Live a life that is BOLD. BRAVE and BEAUTIFUL.”
I am going to be brave enough to work on my audacious business and professional growth projects.
I am going to be bold enough to keep learning and becoming a better coach and leader.
I am going to live a life that is beautiful and not simply busy.
5. Aside from work, what are your other passions?
I am creative at heart and I am currently writing my first poetry book. I love vegetarian cooking and experimenting with spices and flavours. I can’t think of a day which goes by without a little bit of Yoga and Meditation. In the last year, I have spent a lot of time in nature, hiking and exploring our beautiful backyards in Hong Kong.