“Try-Try but don’t cry”

Hello friends! I am Tanuja Sinha, a practicing Chartered Accountant with more than two decades of experience, having worked with leading MNC’s like Shaw Wallace and Henkel & Spic India Ltd., and start-up KPO. I have also occupied important positions in the big four consulting firms like Ernst & Young and PwC.

Currently, I am the proprietor of a CA Firm named Tanuja Sinha & Associates, specializing in Individual Tax Practice & laying emphasis on Non-Resident Indians, HNI’s, HUF, and Partnerships, and specialized services for senior citizens.

I initially wanted to work in the industry but owing to personal and family limitations, I was unable to relocate to a different city each time I got promoted. Working well professionally has always been my goal. Hence, I joined the big four consulting firms to gain professional experience, learn best practices, and develop ways to practice in the most organized manner. 

For a woman, trying to balance office and family is quite challenging. Handling the demanding needs of my family, along with the professional requirements of my work, was the toughest part of my journey.

The most challenging part was managing the studies, projects, and extra-curricular activities of my children, where the involvement, engagement, and contribution of a mother are of paramount importance in our country. My children have grown now. Hopefully, the most difficult days are past, but the guilt of being a working mother and not available at all times to my children is something that I have learned to live with. However, with maturity and experience, I suppose I have been able to become much calmer than I was before.

Goals along with my circumstances were the main driver of my decisions. Work-life balance was important for me, and I came to a point where the only way this balance could be achieved was through my venture. To learn (in my jobs) and apply (in offering services) were the simple rules that I adopted. In starting my venture, I have achieved another goal of working with freedom and being able to maintain a work-life balance which is otherwise extremely challenging when you are working for someone else.

I enjoy working and hence spent a few months looking for a segment where there was a demand in the market. The NRI segment was one such opportunity that was yet to be tapped by small players. I decided to take up servicing this segment and ensured that my firm should be able to resolve all tax, compliance, and regulatory issues of NRI Individuals. In my endeavour, I collaborated with lawyers, banks, and property consultants, etc to ensure that I could guarantee a seamless and efficient process for my clients.

I measure my success by the success of my children and the satisfaction and smile of my clients. Every such instance is a moment of pride for me. I find happiness in such small moments.

I feel that mindset is a function of circumstances also. Hence, in dealing with situations one has to change mindsets too. Change in mindset defines the success of handling situations. One may take help from others (fellow CA, spouse, parents, etc.) but the initial mindset does need changes. 

I am just another person who takes life as it comes. It comes with surprising difficulties, at times, but accept situations as they are, and move on from there. One has to enjoy work to do better work. Hence, one has to be sure to choose the right work to do better work.

Women have to focus on their strengths, though many are not aware of them. Hence, women have to be aware, and only then they can use their strengths to overcome obstacles, which are not generic. Each woman has to battle her difficulties and find her unique solution to them.

Women have to work harder to achieve any goal because of multiple responsibilities, but they are better equipped to multi-tasking. It’s this ability that makes them successful. 

Self-confidence, ethical behaviour, and placing the client’s interest supreme, are a few important characteristics of successful women.

Irrespective of what life gives you, continue working in any area that you think you can, and would like to. Something will work out definitely. I believe working and learning is a continuous process. Stick to your goals. Modify, if need be, the path to achieve the goals, according to prevailing situations. Be open to changes, and be the first to change, and not wait for situations to change. Situations will change only when you change.

I believe that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things. Anyone is capable of doing extraordinary things if they try.  

Resilience is a great virtue. A woman is born to be resilient. Demonstrate it.