BY NEHA NEGANDHI*
The path of an entrepreneur is marked by overcoming obstacles and taking on enormous risks to reap subsequent benefits. In 2018, when Anusmita Bardhan galvanized plans to create a unique fashion boutique, it halted her rewarding teaching and growing IT career.
Pushing forward, she wholly stepped into the dynamic, frenetic fashion world, making a solemn pledge to herself: “There is no zero-risk opportunity. Be all in today because there’s no promise of tomorrow.”
Her all-in approach has yielded tremendous success, but not without bouncing back from challenges. Throughout it all, she has found strength in a reliable network of services and people.
Growing up in Calcutta, Anusmita describes herself as a “sweet but tough tomboy” who danced to the beat of her own drum. Her expressively stylish mother and sister had a deep impact on her as she leaned into her feminine side, eventually opening Oitijhyo – The Tradition fashion boutique.
Her connection to fashion was forged through self-learning and moving to the USA just 25 days after marriage. At age 21, she was in Houston, faced with the daunting reality of building a new life from scratch. Adapting quickly to change, Anusmita discovered a love for teaching at Montessori schools.
One day, finding a quiet moment, she stepped into a boisterous classroom. Seeing how the kids played, fell down, and got right up as if nothing ever happened taught her one of the biggest future entrepreneur lessons: the power of resilience. Understanding how every setback can ultimately lead to a leap forward has been a foundation of her journey.
She carried this lesson forward when she, her husband, and their young son moved to Atlanta in 2011. Transitioning into an IT corporate role, her resilient work ethic helped her scale into leading a new team. Things evolved quickly as responsibilities grew, especially after the birth of their second child. Balancing work and family brought on hard-pressed lessons that weren’t easy. “I squeezed every ounce from the day, easing stress by making small, achievable goals,” Anusmita explained.
Anusmita understood company efficiencies but wanted more than cut-throat, profit-hungry corporate business processes. Withdrawing from the corporate churn, she rediscovered her love for fashion. Through friends and her own style experimentation, she figured out that apparel has everything to do with empowerment.
Anusmita opened Oitijhyo – The Tradition to elevate a person’s sense of self through their style. It’s a connection to Indian cultural roots with a focus on self-expression without a heavy price tag.
Beginning in a family-style setting, friends would come to her home boutique where she’d focus on styling, not just selling. She created new designs and gave back to her hometown by using their custom tailoring. Custom-designed sari blouses began selling like hotcakes. With continued momentum, she created a philanthropic arm to her business, Mission Possible.
Volunteers utilize donated Indian clothing to create houseware products, and all proceeds are dedicated to supporting various causes. Proceeds benefit nonprofits like Access Life America and New Heights Academy.
Though Anusmita’s designs were catching on, it was hard to get a foothold in the highly competitive fashion market. Her big break came in 2019 when, on a “complete whim,” she entered and won the Mrs. Bharat GA beauty pageant competition. Anusmita laughingly said, “Being a beauty pageant contestant was the furthest thing from my mind. I mean, for someone like me who doesn’t even know how to walk in a straight line? The idea was ludicrous!”
After her win, she went on to Mrs. Bharat USA and won first runner-up. It catapulted her to a much bigger platform, increasing her social media following from the hundreds to over 50k. Aside from a burgeoning boutique, she mentors younger pageant contestants and influences the next generations through social media live sessions. “It’s full circle to help aspiring contestants. I love watching them gain confidence and grow into young adults.”
She and her business partners started the annual Oitijhyo WE2 USA beauty pageant. It celebrates not only beauty but also the power of advocacy and philanthropy, emphasizing the organizers’ dedication to making the world a better place.
Time is now for contestants to sign up. Find out more info here.
Neha Negandhi is a Mental Health Strategist, Certified Life Coach, TEDx speaker and Talk Show host. Visit her website for upcoming mental wellbeing events and more NehaNegandhi.com
