BENGALURU: There’s much anticipation around this time of year when there’s a change of guard in the FICCI FLO leadership. But along with excitement, this year also brings challenges for Jyotika Kapoor, who took over on May 10. The new chairperson of the Bengaluru chapter of FICCI FLO took over from Shruti Mittal and is up for the re-inventions that the year demands. Incidentally, Kapoor was the founding member of the Bengaluru chapter in 2012, but never wanted to chair the women’s body owing to her multiple interests.

An artist for over 30 years, filmmaker who has made short films for New York Film Academy, who was in the midst of writing a women-oriented Bollywood script, a pilates’ trainer, in addition to pursuing a host of creative pursuits – Kapoor’s plate was full. “I am now giving 200 per cent even if that means waking up at 5.30 am, back-to-back meetings, and webinars,” says Kapoor, whose other interests are on the back burner.

The issue, she points out, is women being hesitant to put themselves out there. On the contrary, a man attends a party, nonchalantly pulls out his business card, and looks at it as a networking opportunity. “Women have been brought up to not blow their own trumpet,” she says.

Firm that they are not a “kitty party”, Kapoor says the aim of the commerce body is bringing businesses forward and keeping people positive in these unprecedented times. While large events like in the past may not be possible, Kapoor is looking at this as a chance that will allow the 750 members of the city’s chapter to participate in initiatives by the 17 other chapters, a possibility that did not exist previously.

“We have been working on member engagement programmes, including an interaction between entrepreneur Abdul Sait, me and lead of Mentorship and Entrepreneurship vertical Shalini Manglani, who will discuss ‘Entrepreneurship during COVID times’.

All of this to increase networking opportunities. For instance, actor Kareena Kapoor Khan addressed us recently to help members realise that COVID-19 has affected everybody but we must look at re-inventing ourselves from our living rooms,” Kapoor says. Sponsors were never a concern in the pre-corona era. But now, Kapoor admits that the lack of sponsors with companies bleeding in these times is something she did worry about initially.

Even as she is taking things one day at a time, June will see online workshops on branding, art of expression, skills upgradation programmes and pitching and presenting ideas successfully. “I’ve told the members that this is not the year to make money, instead it is one where they should simply work on their skills, sustain and pray,” she says. Kapoor believes that at the end of the year if she has turned even one homemaker to give entrepreneurship a try, she would have been successful in her endeavour and motto of ‘ordinary to extraordinary’.