How To Turn A Simple Passion Into A Structured Business? Leaders Discuss

At the SheThePeopleDigital Women Awards & Summit 2025, leaders from various industries gathered to discuss how a simple idea can be turned into a real-world venture. The discussion featured Mythri Kumar HK, founder of Timbuckdo; Nishtha Rohatgi, founder of AI.HYR; Shreepad Shinde, Chief Marketing Officer at IDFC First Bank; and Shivani Malik, Marketing Director at Da Milano.

Titled “Rise of Innovation, Ideas and Josh,” the session captured the energy of a new generation of entrepreneurs who are blending creativity, technology, and strategic thinking to carve out their own paths in competitive markets

Drawing from their diverse journeys across education, AI-driven hiring, and luxury retail, the speakers reflected on what it takes to build sustainable ventures, innovate with purpose, and lead with resilience in fast-changing entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Together, they explored how ideas evolve into impact, and how passion remains a critical force in navigating challenges and driving growth.

The session was moderated by entrepreneur Ruchi Chopra Makkad, who steered the conversation through key themes of business and passion-led leadership.

Nishtha Rohatgi: From passion to innovation 

Entrepreneurship, for Nishtha Rohatgi, begins with intuition but succeeds through structure. She pointed out that women constantly generate ideas through observation, yet those ideas need clear frameworks to survive real-world challenges.

She stressed that passion alone isn’t enough; what turns an idea into impact is the ability to organise thinking, face practical challenges, and persist through setbacks.

For her, innovation acts as a tool that helps bring structure to intuition, enabling women to translate raw ideas into workable, scalable solutions.

"All these go hand-in-hand," Nishtha reflected. "Passion keeps you going despite any hardship, structured thinking will give you a mature framework to achieve what you want, and innovation is a tool that will help you cross any obstacle."

Mythri Kumar: Finding value in the simpler ideas

For Mythri Kumar HK, founder of Timbuckdo, innovation is most powerful when it remains simple, intentional, and rooted in real needs.

"Innovation does not have to be complicated or technical; we don't have to reinvent the wheel. It can even mean having the right set of collaborations and thought process," Mythri noted. "Innovation is anything that makes the existing process even 1% better and efficient."

Drawing from her entrepreneurial journey, she stressed that innovation comes from observing gaps, understanding people, and responding with clarity. 

Mythri also highlighted how empathy and intuition play a crucial role in shaping ideas that are both relevant and sustainable.

When combined with the courage to start and the discipline to execute, even the simplest ideas can evolve into impactful ventures.

Shreepad Shinde: Simplicity in innovation

Shreepad Shende, Chief Marketing Officer at IDFC First Bank, agreed with Mythri. According to him, innovation begins with simplicity.

"Simplicity and relevance are the foundation pillars of innovation. We don't need to complicate it. We can start small," he noted, adding how thoughtful improvements that make everyday experiences easier.

Using examples from banking, he showed how customer-first thinking designed around real behaviour and needs can transform long-standing processes.

In his view, technology is merely an enabler; true innovation lies in making solutions simple, practical, and genuinely useful.

Shivani Malik: Women-led innovation

Shivani Malik spoke about how passion and innovation are the currency in the ever-evolving business landscape. "They are what drive any idea into something impactful," she noted.

She reflected on the role of women in this ecosystem, emphasising how they are not just bystanders in innovation; they are leading, defining, and redefining it. 

"In business, ideas come from observation, empathy, and intuition. And these are things that come naturally to women," Shivani shared. "A woman leads with empathy, builds with courage, and innovates with intention."

Innovation and structure

The panel collectively reinforced that innovation and entrepreneurship are not about complexity or grand disruption, but about clarity, empathy, and execution.

Whether it was intuition shaped into structure, simplicity driving meaningful change, or relevance sustained through constant listening, the speakers underscored that impactful ideas grow from lived experiences.

Together, their insights highlighted a shared truth: when passion is guided by discipline and innovation is grounded in real needs, entrepreneurship becomes a powerful tool for creating lasting value and inclusive growth.