Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to SHIVALI MEHRA. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi SHIVALI, thanks for joining us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

Being one of four children, my parents had the chance to test out different parenting styles with each of us. Though they claim, “We raised all our children the same,” I would like to differ. I am a self-proclaimed “Meldest” child. My older sister is 9 years older than me, and then I have two younger siblings, each a few years apart. So, even though I was a middle child, I was raised as such to be the role model to the younger two. Now before I get to where they differed in raising me, I want to address the values they taught all of us children. The importance of family and family quality time was always emphasized. Both had their own businesses and worked every day for long hours, but when they were home, all of us were required to be in the living room together. Treating everyone with respect, remaining humble, and remaining competitive were the other main values. Those values have set a foundation for all of us in both our lives and careers. However, the main thing I credit my parents for is raising me with an earning culture. Be it with grades or helping out at my mom’s store on the weekends, I had to hit a certain goal if I wanted a reward. I will not lie, as a child, it was a lot of pressure, but that mentality has shaped my work ethic and discipline in my life and career. It also prepared me for the “real” world. You want something, you have to work hard to get it. It has shaped me to be a go-getter and always strive to be the best.

SHIVALI, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Shivali Mehra, a multi-unit operator of KFC and Taco Bell in Houston, has 6 years of experience in the Restaurant Service Industry. After graduating with her Undergraduate Degree in Finance from the Honors College at the University of Houston in 2016, she was given the opportunity to oversee multiple Nestle Toll House Café and Cinnabon Bakeries in the Houston Galleria Mall and Willowbrook Mall. After 2.5 years in field operations, she transitioned to the corporate office to take the role of Loss Prevention Director while simultaneously pursuing her MBA at Jones School of Business at Rice University. Along with loss prevention, she was also a member of the development team and assisted in accounting tasks as well. After completing her MBA in May 2020, she transitioned back to restaurant operations. Recently, she changed companies in the same industry to become the Finance Director for Spark. For 7 years, she has curated her career plan to achieve her goal of becoming a successful Franchise Operator. She is very passionate about empowering women and minorities to achieve their career and personal goals. She is currently working on a personal project, We ConqHer, in which she wants to create a community/blog to advocate diverse leaders and educate and empower potential leaders on how to overcome obstacles throughout their own journey.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I have always been a high-achiever and did not see many failures in my life. This gave me a misconception that I would always be successful even if I put little effort. The first time I applied to MBA programs, I applied with no experience, barely studied for my GMAT, and turned in my drafts for my essays. I was invincible, and how could I not get in? Well, I did not. I got rejected by every program, and that was my first ever failure. It was truly heartbreaking for me. As shocking as it was to fail for me, I also realized my greatest fear. I took it pretty hard. I thought my life was over. I bit dramatic, but it is true. I locked myself in my room and cried non-stop all day. However, after I stopped crying, I realized that I deserved to get rejected. I stacked myself against the odds without even preparing. Also, I was so sure I was going to get in, I rejected all the job offers I had gotten. Left with nothing, I had a blank slate and a fresh start. It was not easy to switch gears, but from that failure I learned that one truly fails when you give up, and I was not ready to give up. Due to that rejection, I was able to find a job and my current field that I absolutely love. That would never have happened if I did not get rejected from the programs initially. After gaining the adequate professional experience needed to apply to and MBA program, studying for my GMAT while operating multiple restaurants, and writing 8 drafts of essays, I got into my and my parents dream school. That one event and rejection shaped my career and life. Now, I am thankful for that failure and look forward to many more and bouncing back stronger.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

I have managed teams in very uncertain and high-stress environments. I truly believe the key to managing a team and maintaining high morale is to put your team first. Firstly, you have to appreciate and celebrate them. Focus on the improvements and the wins as much or even more than the opportunities. Create a respectful and empowering environment. Always give respect to everyone on your team. At the end of the day, everyone is working hard to make a living. Empower your team to make decisions and continue to grow and realize their potential. Create a sense of ownership within your and team focus on their growth. Learn their goals and help them achieve them.