TheGlitz ‘Super Woman Pratibha Batra is an ace designer and the Founder of Maison Interiors. The age-old adage, ‘fortune favours the brave’ perfectly defines the inspirational journey of this young entrepreneur who earned her MBA degree from IMT Ghaziabad but crafted her career in interiors and decor to materialise her creative thoughts. Fuelled with ingenious ideas, an innovative work approach, and 15 years of vast experience, Pratibha nurtured her brainchild, Maison Interiors, as a holistic brand to transform clients’ expectations into sheer reality. Right from its inception, Maison has become a brand synonymous with luxury, opulence, and splendour. And being the ace designer of Maison, she continuously empowers this brand with unique yet functional ideas which infuse glamour and elegance into residential as well as commercial spaces. As part of her experience, she has got the opportunity to work with industrialists like Jindal Steel Director’s Residence and furniture for the residence of the promoters of Dainik Jagran and Cricketer Umesh Yadav‘s residence. So put your hands together for the remarkable TheGlitz ‘Super Woman’ Pratibha Batra.

Your journey has had many momentous milestones. Could you tell us about your life-changing journey that has moulded you to be what you are today?
My journey as a young entrepreneur has been full of excitement and challenges. I earned my MBA degree from IMT Ghaziabad. But because I’ve always been interested in design, I was eager to discover and examine the specifics of the furniture and antiques around me; I later decided to build a career in interior design and decorating. Then I attended South Delhi Polytechnic for Women to pursue professional education in “Art & Design”. After completing my course, I started contributing to the field of interior design. After serving the industry as a senior designer for almost a decade, I started my own brand, “Maison Interiors” to create the finest furniture that exudes luxury, style and splendour. From its inception, my team and I followed a customer-centric approach to offer excellence, enabling Maison to deliver interior designs of the highest quality and standard.

 Could you list 3 of your major achievements?
Some of my professional accomplishments include visiting the Vodafone VP’s home, where I got to know Mr. Kapil Dev and his friends. In addition, I had the fantastic opportunity to work directly with Mr. Umesh Yadav and his family to design their home, which is one of India’s well-known cricketers. Also, it is a great honour to have been asked to speak at JIIMS Interior Institute as a guest speaker.

What are the setbacks you have faced? How did you tackle these setbacks or challenges? And what lesson have you learned from it?
Due to the workload, there were certain times when we could not meet the deadline, which created little tension between our clients and us. But, slowly and gradually, as we grew, we identified ways to avoid this challenge and started balancing the work more strategically. Furthermore, it is also undeniable that there is still a significant gap in addressing gender equality in not only the design industry but in other industries too. However, over the past few years, there has been an increase in the number of female entrepreneurs joining the décor sector and creating a name for themselves with unique and practical design features.

But I decided to battle all the problems and obstacles. Regardless of their gender, I always view everyone working with me in the industry as my competition and never consider myself to be less than anyone. Everyone should be treated equally and no job should be gender-specific. This strong belief has really helped me throughout the journey.

When you look back, what are the three qualities in you that have helped you become what you are today?
My never-give-up attitude, problem-solving skills, and effective team management skills are the three qualities that have shaped who I am today.

Who are the people who have been the wind behind your wings? 
My mother and my solid team have been the wind behind my wings. I am grateful to them for being my strength and having been with me through thick and thin.

Lastly, if there was a quote to define you, what would it be?
A person who believes in staying motivated, setting goals and pursuing them in an unstoppable manner.