Some of the most inspiring women are amongst the fabric of our society. They are not celebrities or have a public profile but are regular women who run their own businesses, bring up their children and still have the time to input into their communities.
This Hall of Fame interview is with Kirti Bharadia, owner of b2Lateral Ltd, an IT systems and services provider. (www.b2lateral.net)
Kirti set up the company with her husband in 1996. The business has grown from their spare bedroom in Ruislip to a multi million pound business boasting clients such as SONY PE, the NHS, and Radley. Her typical day involves the day to day running of the business, parenting and managing two teenage children and supporting the local community school as a Governor.
Interview with Kirti Bharadia
What’s the most recent film you have seen and did you enjoy it? Recently I watched Public Enemies with Johnny Depp, it is a gripping film, based on a true story, set in the 1930’s Depression about John Dillinger, a notorious gangster, who was hunted down by J Edgar Hoover, I was hooked from the word go! They have depicted the era particularly well, would highly recommend it to any JD fan!
What are your daily challenges? I just throw everything into the air and the challenge is to catch everything in the right order this has applied all through my life and as I have got older I have realised that you cannot catch everything and sometimes things get broken.
What’s your favourite restaurant and why? I don’t really have a favourite restaurant – I enjoy eating at most places as for me the restaurant experience is spending time with special people be it family or friends – so wherever they are will be a good place to be. Having said that there is this one place in Dublin called Fallon & Bryne I could live there!
What keeps you awake at night or are you a peaceful sleeper? The sound of my own heart beating, and every thought in between each beat.
How do you like to relax? Reading helps me relax, as it takes the focus off me and puts it into the book/characters and storylines. I also love watching period costume dramas they are very therapeutic and relaxing, it is nice to see how we managed in a world without even the simplest of technologies.
What would you like to do that you haven’t already done? Spend a serious amount of time in India to learn how to cook, and I would like to write a book too – not quite sure what about yet but I have many ideas mulling around inside my head.
What has been your greatest achievement? My children no doubt about it, and the 12,000 ft parachute jump I did for charity two years ago.
What was the last book you read? Harry Potter …again – I can read them over and over and still find something I missed before or something that clarifies things that happen later.
I normally read about 3 books at the same time – one in bed, one on the train, one at other times – hence I am also half way through Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert, this is the follow up to Eat, Pray, Love it is rather a special book as it is about love and marriage and what it means to different people around the world – it is rather insightful, and The Dead Days by John Rios
What mantra do you live by? Treat others how you would like to be treated, always have a list and a smile!
Who would be present at your fantasy dinner party? (5 guests plus you) Dawn French (inspiring and funny), Stephen Fry (witty, intelligent and gay), Gerard Butler (eye candy), Graham Norton (witty, very funny and gay), Princess Diana (inspiring, relatable and very interesting).
Quote of the day… Walk through life with purpose and poise.