Nitin Bajaj

Welcome to the industry show. I’m your host, Nitin Bajaj. And joining me today is Veera Mahajan. Veera, welcome on the show.

Veera Mahajan

Thank you. Thank you for inviting me.

Nitin Bajaj

Great to have you here. Let’s start with who is Veera.

Veera Mahajan

Who is Veera? Veera is, someone who keeps reinventing herself as the situation comes, so I’m not afraid of taking chances. And I am always looking for new opportunities. And if, you know, people say, don’t be a quitter. I don’t believe in that. If something doesn’t work, I think you have a right to re choose and, go to the next choice. So so far, it’s worked for me, you know, including my marriage. I stayed in it for as long as I could, as long as I needed to. It didn’t work, and I think I’m a much happier, more independent, just more empowered to do what I wanna do. Yeah.

Nitin Bajaj

Those are the right values to optimize for. So kudos and congratulations on making the right choice.

Veera Mahajan

Thank you. Thank you.

Nitin Bajaj

Tell us you know, I I tend to ask people what what they do for a living, but what just having known you and, talked about several different things, I wanna know what gets you all excited in the morning and what motivates you.

Veera Mahajan

In the morning, the first thing I do is I just look outside. Luckily, I have a beautiful view. Yes. And as you can see, I have 2 little puppies.

Nitin Bajaj

Mhmm. And,

Veera Mahajan

so they just give me such a feeling of being grateful to be alive another day, and I don’t expect a whole lot. I know the bigger universe I trust in that knows better. I was just listening to a reel. Once in a while, I go through those, Instagram reels, and, surprising enough, it was Shah Rukh Khan that not Shah Rukh Khan. Salman Khan, which nobody expects him to be so, spiritual. He said, to make plans is like making God laugh at you. Because as you’ve seen, you can make plans. You can do whatever you want. Things are gonna happen how someone else up there is planning for you, and things change in a minute, and you just have to be open. So I just get up and I’m grateful to have what I have and the opportunities that I know I have, I’m working on. Other than that, I just wanna do my best and see what happens. And it’s actually really fun way of living to surprise yourself and stay in that excitement and just be happy and looking forward instead of looking like, oh my god, all that bad stuff. I’m like, okay. What’s happening today? And my first, very honest prayer I’ve done for a while now is, I pray to, god. I don’t have one god or one religion, but I am a spiritual person. I believe in god. So I just say, help me do the best that you made me or want me to do. And, I think that also works well that it takes a lot of pressure off of me to just go out and live.

Nitin Bajaj

So you run a software company. You’re an author. You’re a speaker. You have worn and you continue wear multiple hats. You had a a very, successful magazine that was bought out. So what do you do for a living today? What’s your focus?

Veera Mahajan

Again, I have a few different irons in the fire,

Nitin Bajaj

Yes.

Veera Mahajan

And I like to keep them open, not just because of, of course, income stream is also very important, and everybody says you should have a few different income streams, and I’m working on that. And, also, it’s just exciting. And, you know, if you are working on something and saying this is all I do, you’re closing everything else out. Something else exciting comes. I’m always open to listening, And, I still don’t work. I don’t ever wanna work 24 hours. You know?

Nitin Bajaj

Mhmm.

Veera Mahajan

Well, well, you can’t work 24 hours, but even 18 hours or 16 hours. I don’t wanna kill myself working, but I wanna keep it exciting. So I keep it open. I go listen. And some places, you can just be investor. Somewhere, you can be just an adviser. Somewhere, you can be, you know, a referral and let people connect. And, so I stay open. But, overall, I am very focused on working as a speaker on women empowerment, and I want to encourage women to love themselves so much that they never allow anyone else to take control. And then you become sad and hurt and not happy inside. I don’t wanna pretend to be happy. I wanna be happy, and that’s what I want to encourage other people and especially women to learn right from start. So that’s why I work with young girls. I speak at colleges and I’m looking for more opportunities if, you know, as many colleges and young people that I can talk to to know the good relationship, what should be. If they don’t even know what a good relationship should be, they will expect accept bad behavior as a normal and then that goes from generation to generation. So I’m trying to break that cycle of abuse and encourage self love and encourage, not to stay in a victim syndrome. People love to stay in a victim syndrome. Blame somebody else for whatever is bad is happening to you. But including abuse, I think we need to take our own role. What is our role in it? So I’m trying to teach that, encourage that, and I have a book, like you said, on it. It’s called unreported. I actually have a copy. It’s called unreported because domestic abuse is unreported crime. I’m writing a screenplay. I have written a screenplay. I’m raising funds to make a film. It’s a feature film and, murder mystery with the undertone of domestic abuse. So I’m doing a lot of things like that with other little irons that I’m working on.

Nitin Bajaj

Yes.

Veera Mahajan

So

Nitin Bajaj

Usually, my follow-up question is why I do this, but you did an extremely good job putting bringing that perspective in your what is really driven by why. And, you know, you have been and you continue to be a champion to help women realize their self worth, which is extremely important. So thanks again for doing what you do. And you also have a TEDx doc that will link, you know, when we when this is released. So, again, you know, amazing work that you’re doing, so please continue to do so.

Veera Mahajan

Thank you.

Nitin Bajaj

As you as you go about doing this, you know, there’s obviously many different challenges that you and the community at large has to face. What would you say is the one big challenge that you are facing?

Veera Mahajan

I think it’s more of awareness and denial. People don’t want to know that, abuse exists even though they see it. You know? It’s like you see a tap water running and, just like, oh, the water is running, but they don’t wanna do anything about it. And, or they just deny and walk away. You know? A lot of times, you’ll see a sprinkler or something broken. Nobody does anything about it. But, yeah, people here ask me, oh, was your husband Indian? And they think that is the problem. You put the blame somewhere else, and that’s not true. Domestic abuse is a global problem. And I tell them, yes. In Indian in India, it’s not accepted or condone, but it over you know, overlooked. Or people like, they told me, Vera, you’re not the only one. We’re all living like that. We’re all in the same boat. I’m like, no. I don’t wanna be in that boat. Come to my boat. Let’s go to somewhere where we’re not being abused. You know? Why don’t we like, there’s a me too things. I don’t wanna be in a me too where, oh, I was abused and I was abused. Why don’t we all be in a me too where I’m living a happy life? I’m living in a power life. So I’m trying to encourage that, and that’s where the problem is. I go to India. Like you said, I did TED talk there. I’ve been talking to chairman of a university in Nepal, and he’s willing to give me a lecture that I can teach online, but he’s still not willing to talk about domestic abuse. He said you can bring in something else and then you can sneak this in, and he’s okay with that. But he doesn’t you know, he just feel like even women, they think they’re okay. You know? In India, I am involved in a really big organization. They gave me a title of president of women’s wings. It’s called NRI Welfare Society, and they know people all around the world. They give all kinds of awards. They’ve given me awards for my writing. That’s how, you know, I found out that I was the only person ever to have done a mainstream magazine. I mean, only ever Indian origin person to do a mainstream magazine in in the in US, and they gave me award for all that kind of stuff. But and they know my story. They applaud my story, but nobody wants to do anything about it. So that’s the that’s the challenge I’m having. How do I encourage at least the people in power, people in position to get together and make this change? Because if they are fine and they may or may not be abusers, so their family seems okay and, acceptable. And, yeah, they just oversee everything else. So I’m just that’s my biggest challenge.

Nitin Bajaj

Yeah. Creating awareness and and then, you know, with that comes the sensitivity. A lot of people are just not calibrated the right way to even be cognizant of what is abused because it’s yeah.

Veera Mahajan

And they don’t wanna see because they may not be treating their women or children as well. Because if they are the commanders of the family and the whole family accepts them as the commander. My husband actually during the divorce, he told me, my ex husband, I believe I’m a god. If you believe that, we’ll all be happy. Like, really? That’s crazy. Yeah. So that’s the thing. If they think their families are okay, it may not necessarily be true. Just because everybody’s accepting them, they’re in power. You know, like moms, they say, your dad just loves you. He’s doing this because he loves you. And everybody starts accepting, and they become dads in the next generation, and they do the same thing. Right? And that’s how the abuse is growing. And there’s so many these kind of different ways, either denial or unaware not being aware of it. So that’s why my book, first of all, is about awareness. I talk about all different kinds of abuse and then I tell them, you know, like, if you feel this, this is abuse. And then how do you get out of it? And this anyhow, like, during the divorce, I was going from lawyer to counselor counselor to lawyer. They were saying, you know, I’m not your counselor. I’m not your lawyer. I’m crying back and forth. Mhmm. And with the little book, I have brought so much information in that that, all the questions that they were not answering for me. And then eventually, I got answered. And then I got, you know, them answered and cleared by the interviews that I did. So a lot of information in that book, that’s kind of my goal right now, to at least make people aware. Show these women what looks like happy. You know? When I moved to California 3 months after my I got divorced earlier, but then I stayed in Michigan for a little while, then I moved here. And that was the big change. 3 months later, I woke up one day. I’m like, oh my god. I haven’t cried for 3 months. And that’s that’s the freedom I had never known before, and I want people to know that freedom. Unless, you know, you don’t know what you’re missing. Right?

Nitin Bajaj

True. So true. So, you know, as you talk about the big challenge of awareness, on the flip side of it comes the opportunity. So what’s the most exciting one that, you are targeting?

Veera Mahajan

I think I wanted I’m just talking when I went to, Oxford University. I talked, and all the young people, they just ran to me after that because they said I have some books I brought to, you know, giveaway.

Nitin Bajaj

Mhmm.

Veera Mahajan

And, they just wanted the books, and they just, like, they can’t believe. It’s, like, this is what a woman should be. And they, you know, right away start saying it’s the I’m their role model. My neighbor here, actually, they were she has 3 daughters and she she’s told me one that I tell them, look at Veera. She’s doing it on her own. You don’t have to be dependent on a man to have a better life. I mean, it’s it’s nice to have a companion. It’s nice to have a partner, but you shouldn’t be dependent on anything. So those are the things talking to younger people. When I see, like, oh my god. I’m gonna help her make better decisions from now on. And she’s learning or she’s starting to think about how it’s not just I have to listen to someone else’s rules. If how no matter how unfair they are, just to be able to survive. Or recently, I had a talk at Pepperdine, and this girl literally said, I’ll be the last one out in the new job. And she was afraid that she’s gonna be yelled at by a professor or the employer. I’m like, no. Is that part of your resume that I by the way, I do also accept yelling or whatever? It’s like, if it’s not, then don’t do it. Do the job that you are sending your resume for, and that’s what you’re getting paid for. So, yeah, accepting abuse is not in our resume, and we’re not gonna accept it. So these are the things that excite me, you know, to help young girls at least change this for a new generation. Because they’re gonna be new moms, and they’re gonna be new parents, and they will help, you know, produce and rare better and more empowered children. So better

Nitin Bajaj

So so important. Yes.

Veera Mahajan

Better future for all of us. Right?

Nitin Bajaj

Yes. And, Veera, as we look at the future, I wanna take a pause and look in the rear view mirror in your own journey, personal and professional. I’d love for you to highlight 2 instances. 1, that blew your own expectations, became a success beyond your imagination. And on the other end, something that did not work out as you had planned and was a failure became a lesson.

Veera Mahajan

Well, again, on personal level, marriage you know, divorce can be, and most people see it as a failure of the marriage. But when you see that I was, I lived in abuse from my childhood and then as a wife and then as a, you know, as a mom, it was horrible. But surviving all that and coming out of that and living the life I’m living right now, it is a success story of survival. You know? So I am so excited about it, and I am not afraid to talk about it. People are like, you’re gonna talk about it? Are you not afraid? I’m like, have you heard seen the title of my book, unreported? You have to talk about it. So if that helps someone else so I believe this is a success story. Right? All that was my boot camp training in any major thing that you wanna do. You have to go through so much training. So I just think of it as a training, and I am doing well. I am helping somebody else do well. And on a professional level, of course, I had a computer science degree, and I married a guy who also had computer science and engineering. So we opened a software company, and we were successful, which was, not rare. But in a way, you know, not everybody gets that kind of success that we did. Mhmm. But still, we were on the same path of what we’re doing. Right? We had computer science. We had the skills that needed to be done. And then I moved to California by myself. I did not know a single soul, and I met people. I was like, who’s gonna come see me in my apartment and find me and wanna talk to me? Nobody. So I’m gonna get out, and I’m gonna go talk to people. So I joined a wine club. I don’t even drink wine. Just hang out with people. You know? It was very close to my house, and I was I would walk, and it was very casual in Malibu. So I would just hang out, and they would pour 3 little wines. And I would just kinda sip on them and talk to people, and and, I made friends. Out of that, I made friends with this one person who had a tabloid kind of a magazine.

Nitin Bajaj

Mhmm.

Veera Mahajan

And, I told him, yeah. I’ve done some writing, and I would like to write. So he liked my style of writing. And then I met another couple who was really old, and they were artists. They had a lot of art. They wanted to put up an art show. I had nothing to do. I just moved here. So I helped them put up an art show. And now people saw my business end of it because I you know, everybody, locals, all the celebrities and people, they were all there, and it was a nice restaurant, and we did a good show. And people thought it was my show. So I got to know a lot of people. And now this magazine person, he was obviously looking for some partner, so he asked me if I would like to partner. I bought a small part in the magazine. I turned it into a, glossy, beautiful magazine that came out every month because he was a hippie kind of person. He only published whenever he wanted to publish. So now I had brought my business background to say what I wanna do and then do what I say. And because I was it was, like, very I got this freedom to write, and I was writing about, emotional stuff and physical stuff because I’m a physically very active person, a runner and jogger, and, you know, I do crazy things like jumping out of a plane. But, so I would start writing and telling people what’s gonna come next and people started expecting. And, of course, I was also meeting people. I was going to different places. And, that turned my magazine into a huge success. And from that, I met other people. They invited me to women in films, and then I wrote a screenplay. And now I have the screenplay. So a lot of, you know, my life is success. My magazine was a success. My then I oh, yeah. I started doing spiritual psychology. I finished that. In the meantime, I was doing, events at Pepperdine. I met the counselor and said, why don’t you do psychology? I’m like, I don’t really wanna be a therapist again, this and that. Yeah. I wanna be a peacemaker. And we literally walked to the dispute resolution center. I wrote my application right there. They gave me admission on the spot while we’re sitting in their office. And they said, don’t worry. The other stuff will come because the classes have already just started this week. So you start your classes. My transcripts from Michigan came later to prove that I can do it and, you know, that I have a bachelor’s degree before that. And so that went well. So everything’s been great. You know? I graduated with master’s degree in dispute resolution at Pepperdine Law School, and I did that. Now I’m, you know, speaking. And so I’m always tweaking what I’m doing, so I stay open. But, I consider this a success story. You know? Now I’m talking to you. So

Nitin Bajaj

This is amazing. Yeah. You know, I would love to change gears and, move us into my favorite part of the show, which we call the one line life lessons. I’d love for you to share a few of your life lessons with us.

Veera Mahajan

Okay. That I have to I mean, first of all, I always say, let people know how you wanna be treated.

Nitin Bajaj

Yes.

Veera Mahajan

That’s how people will treat you. Right?

Nitin Bajaj

So true.

Veera Mahajan

We don’t know how we wanna be treated and accept anything, and that’s what happens. But, there are a couple of the things, you know, I wrote just so I remember. So and, of course, that I said, love yourself enough. So you are never craving to from love from somebody else. Right? When people say you complete me, nobody completes anybody. I’m a complete person. Yes. If you wanna come to me, come as a complete person so we can enjoy life together. Right? And be grateful, as I said earlier. You know, be grateful. And if I wanna show you the view or where I am or 2 year old puppies, I am grateful every day. I’m happy. And I just had a grandbaby. I’m you know, again, even everything. Talking to you, talking to Sahara, you know, all my speak people that I’ve met, it’s all beautiful. I’m grateful for everything. And, I wanna live life on my own terms. I wanna encourage other people. I don’t wanna be controlled or told to do things that I don’t wanna do. Of course, I want guidance. Of course, I have advisers, but still on my own terms. And the lastly I always tell people is don’t be afraid of taking risk. Take a risk. You know, don’t be stupid about it, but take a risk. Do something new and enjoy life. You know? Keep life exciting.

Nitin Bajaj

Thank you, Veera. Really appreciate you sharing the life lessons and for more importantly, sharing your journey and story with us. Keep doing what you do, keeping you, empowering people all over the world as you have and and you will continue to do. Thanks again.

Veera Mahajan

Thank you so much. This was fun.

Nitin Bajaj

It indeed was. Thank you.

Veera Mahajan

Have a have a wonderful day. Thank you.

 

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Linkedin Profile: Veera Mahajan is a dynamic professional with a diverse background in business, leadership, and personal development. Veera is published author, speaker, and spiritual teacher, known for her insightful and empowering approach to personal growth. With a background in corporate leadership and entrepreneurship, Veera brings a unique perspective to her work, blending practical business strategies with spiritual wisdom. Her mission is to help women tap into their inner strength and wisdom, enabling them to live more fulfilling and purposeful lives. Veera’s passion for personal development and her commitment to empowering others make her a highly respected figure in the spiritual and self-help community.

 

Summary: In the YouTube video “The INDUStry Show with Veera Mahajan,” Veera Mahajan discusses her approach to life, emphasizing reinvention and openness to new opportunities. She expresses gratitude for each day, finding motivation in her dogs and the unpredictability of life. Mahajan is involved in software, writing, and speaking, and focuses on empowering women by advocating self-love and breaking the cycle of abuse. Her efforts include speaking engagements, writing a book on domestic abuse, working on a screenplay, and fundraising for a feature film centered around the issue. Despite receiving recognition, she highlights the challenge of raising awareness about domestic abuse, particularly in cultures where it is overlooked or denied. The speaker also shares personal experiences during divorce, underscoring the need for information on identifying and escaping abuse. Mahajan encourages independence for women, using her own life as an example, and discusses her journey from running a successful software company to becoming involved in a magazine. Overall, the video emphasizes the importance of taking risks, trying new things, and empowering people worldwide.

 

Show notes: [Opening Theme Music]

Host: Welcome to “The INDUStry Show,” where we explore the lives and journeys of influential personalities. In today’s episode, we delve into the inspiring story of Veera Mahajan, a multifaceted individual making waves in the world of software, writing, and advocacy.

[Transition Music]

Host: In this episode, Veera Mahajan shares her philosophy on life, encapsulating the essence of reinvention and the pursuit of new opportunities. She underscores the value of gratitude, drawing inspiration from the unpredictability of life and the companionship of her dogs.

[Transition Music]

Host: Mahajan’s work revolves around empowering women, promoting self-love, and breaking the cycle of abuse. Through speaking engagements, writing, and fundraising for a feature film, she aims to shed light on the often overlooked issue of domestic abuse, particularly within cultures where it is denied or ignored.

[Transition Music]

Host: Despite the recognition she has received, Mahajan highlights the uphill battle in raising awareness about domestic abuse. She candidly shares her personal experiences during divorce, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and escaping abusive situations. Her journey from running a successful software company to her involvement in a magazine serves as a testament to the power of independence and resilience.

[Transition Music]

Host: Throughout the conversation, Mahajan’s message resonates deeply, emphasizing the significance of taking risks, embracing new endeavors, and empowering individuals worldwide.

[Closing Theme Music]

Blog Post: Title: Reinvention, Empowerment, and Gratitude: Veera Mahajan’s Inspiring Journey

In a world where life often throws unexpected challenges, Veera Mahajan stands as a testament to resilience, reinvention, and the power of embracing new opportunities. In her captivating YouTube video, “The INDUStry Show with Veera Mahajan,” she shares her unique approach to life, weaving together her experiences, advocacy, and a deep sense of gratitude for each day.

Veera Mahajan’s infectious energy and unwavering positivity are evident as she delves into her multifaceted life journey. From her involvement in software, writing, and public speaking to her unwavering commitment to empowering women, Mahajan’s story is one of passion, purpose, and relentless determination.

At the core of her message is the belief in the transformative power of self-love and the urgency of breaking the cycle of abuse. Through speaking engagements, writing, and her advocacy work, Mahajan champions the cause of empowering women, aiming to raise awareness and support those affected by domestic abuse. Her efforts extend beyond words, as she works on a book about domestic abuse, a screenplay, and fundraises for a feature film centered around this critical issue.

Despite the recognition she has received, Veera Mahajan candidly highlights the uphill battle of raising awareness about domestic abuse, especially in cultures where it is often overlooked or denied. Her openness and willingness to share personal experiences, such as her journey through divorce, serve as a poignant reminder of the need for information on identifying and escaping abuse.

Mahajan’s own journey, from running a successful software company to venturing into the world of magazines, serves as a powerful example of the importance of taking risks and embracing change. Her story is a testament to the potential for reinvention and the limitless opportunities that await those who dare to venture beyond their comfort zones.

As the video unfolds, viewers are invited to witness a compelling narrative of independence, courage, and the pursuit of empowerment. Veera Mahajan’s resilience and passion for life are palpable, leaving an indelible impression on anyone who watches.

“The INDUStry Show with Veera Mahajan” is a poignant reminder of the significance of trying new things, taking risks, and empowering individuals worldwide. Through her story, Mahajan inspires others to embrace each day with gratitude, to seek reinvention, and to find strength in the face of life’s uncertainties.

To witness Veera Mahajan’s powerful journey firsthand and to be inspired to embark on your own path of reinvention and empowerment, watch the full video now. Join the movement of gratitude, empowerment, and the unwavering belief in the transformative power of embracing new opportunities.