My heritage, my business: Monica’s story
Written by Monica Ghai – legal director, Shakespeare Martineau LLP and ABCC vice president
I am a proud Hindu Punjabi, born and raised in South Yorkshire.
I grew up in the 90s in a predominantly white area where there wasn’t a great deal of diversity at all.
Being completely honest, throughout my childhood and teenage years I used to feel very embarrassed and almost apologetic about my South Asian background.
My family is your typical South Asian family business owners.
From my grandparents on both sides to my siblings today, all of my family members are in some form of business both in the UK and in India.
My parents started out as market traders selling women and children’s clothes but went on to own cafés, post office and a car parts business.
My weekends were usually spent working in the markets (I remember black bags full of stock being all over of house!) or in the cash and carry to stock up on supplies for the café for the week ahead.
I didn’t appreciate it at the time, but these experiences have completely shaped who I am today and my approach to my professional life.
My family have really instilled in me not only the power of hard work but also the need for adaptability and planning for the future.
In business there are always unexpected curveballs, and I have learnt that you have to embrace change and sometimes pivot to remain successful.
It is the South Asian entrepreneurial spirit that has really influenced me. South Asians are bold, brave, visionary and not afraid to start over and try something new. And of course, they put a Desi twist on everything that they do!
Today, I could not be prouder of my roots and I am immensely grateful to lead a life that is enriched by a blend of both British and South Asian culture and values.
I have visited my family’s hometown in India several times now and I am always incredibly humbled to observe my family’s modest roots and how the next generation are fearlessly building upon the legacies created to date.
The future is about taking the best of both worlds, east and west, and of the old generation and the new.
My message to the next generation is to lean into whatever makes you different, whether that be your culture or background, and see it as a strength that you can anchor from rather than a weakness holding you down.