We're all a work in progress, find out why Rohaan Sajnani launched we, the pROcess and how he aims to empower others' growth.
We love entrepreneurs and small business owners at Honeycombers, which is why we’ve created Launchpad, a comprehensive digital networking platform (with IRL benefits, too) that encourages connection, business support and community. It is a privilege and pleasure to learn from so many talented and inspiring folks, so we’ve decided to share the love by interviewing some of the lovely Launchpad members. Looking for inspiration? Check out how Rohaan Sajnani, founder of we, the pROcess, gets it done like a boss.
How I get it done: Rohaan Sajnani
How and why did you decide to launch your business?
I have struggled with anxiety from early adolescence into my early adulthood. I had this deeper curiosity inside of me that I wasn’t quite sure how to fulfil. I feared a lot, and I often felt as though the world was moving forward but I was staying somewhat standstill. Journaling helped me as an outlet for greater discovery; I often had so much within my head (thoughts, fears, ideas and expressions) that it felt like it was going to burst some day. My habit was to journal in the evenings first and I was pretty meticulous with keeping entries organised on a daily basis. From there it became a natural flow to journal at different points throughout the day wherever I could carve out some time, mostly at few minute bursts. Conversing with the self more naturally and in a more aware manner has been greatly impactful on my growth.
I continuously pursued research and a few different frameworks to try and log progress, alongside sharing this with people. They asked questions like: “So what do you write about? or “What about the days you’re feeling you have nothing to say?”, and also “How do you make this a routine, I’ve struggled to stick with it..?!” quite frequently.
What’s the secret to your success?
I’m still learning, but I’d say setting up effective systems for myself, and for those I work or spend time with. I see positive results when it’s given attention. We’re creatures of habit, so I’ve created a habit—or a routine—for how I approach challenges and opportunities: learn, master, automate. This process, or mental framework, is useful in many different parts of my life, personally and professionally.
What’s been the biggest challenge on your journey so far?
Tuning out unnecessary external noises more and focusing inward. I hope to build on alignment to the present. It’s a work in progress!
What does the Launchpad community mean to you?
The name in itself is pretty aligned – Launchpad. In order to go far in whatever it is you do, you need to have a good support system to lean on, share with, and learn from. The Masterclasses and workshops are opportunities to ask questions and increase your knowledge base. What they don’t tell you is that entrepreneurship can often be quite lonely, so it’s important to have people alongside you in your journey and in your community.
What’s the one thing you cannot live without?
A quality journal and the most comfortable Uniball AIR pen! (To list one of many).
How I get it done: Lightning round
On a typical morning: Most mornings (with a few exceptions) I begin with some breath work, journaling and a cold shower – I’ve named it my morning cocktail. The utility of this is to do a check in and some grounding, as opposed to literally rushing off into the day and its demands and plans ahead. The difference between the days when I do this and don’t are immense! Some of my other morning routines include taking a set of capsules I’ve recently discovered; three organic mushrooms that enhance mental clarity, immune function, natural energy, alongside a large Americano. On the days I can hack it, I squeeze in an early workout for mind and body alignment.
On dealing with self-doubt and criticism: I have to admit, despite all the content I consume around personal development, I am vulnerable to self doubt and criticism. I try learn to incorporate rationality into the actual situation; what are the facts, and what might be assumptions. My journal is crucial in this process. By just carving a bit of time out to sit and journal at times like these, I’ve noticed a trend – it often starts with a verbal vomit of what might be racing around my head. A lot of the time kicking off with a negative, but the idea of jotting it down allows for clarity, peace and an ability to see through fog. It’s quite cool to see constant progression in my writing, and in dealing with negatives that pop up, including doubt and criticism. If nothing else, you at least purposely slow the pace of your thoughts and feelings so that you’re not so tough on yourself.
On the hardest part about the job: Starting! Simply getting started is often the hardest, and this doesn’t apply solely to the job or task at hand. For example, getting up in the morning at a time you’ve set, if there’s tiredness or anxiousness looming, can be very difficult. For those that know me well, I’ve worked on some issues with focus and attention deficit so this is also something I’ve been working on. I used to find every excuse in the book as to why I would not, or had not yet, started a task; having an orderly plan that allows things to be broken down and tackled in sub-sections, or even individually, definitely helps.
On keeping stress levels low: Incorporating forms of meditation throughout the day is definitely a must. Paying attention to some purposeful breathing and mindfulness in the mornings make it easier for my breath to be more of an accessible resource throughout the day or when I’m feeling overwhelmed. A few years ago when I first started incorporating this into my routine, I would say, “It’s like the head doesn’t get enough oxygen (because we forget to breathe); almost as if you’re under water and need to actively break the surface to refill your lungs.” I also really enjoy long walks with fellow curious minds, or by myself where I can use the time for visualisation.
On winding down in the evening: This is an important one, and something that continues to trouble me the next day when it goes poorly. A cool, dim room to slow down both the mind and body is key for me. I’m also quite sensitive to external noise so I’ve been playing around with a white noise machine – just a small speaker device specialised for playing different white noise sounds that you can choose from. It helps me drown out other external noises and get a good, uninterrupted night of sleep. My room basically sounds like a very peaceful airplane most nights.
On the advice you’d give your younger self: Two things come to mind: do the ground work and stay strong—the rough things usually get better. I am at times not quite patient and I want things to take effect quickly, such as mastering a new skill or even something more meaningful like wanting situations to just change overnight. I have this analogy that every skyscraper first needs a strong, solid foundation to maintain its structure, and that foundation takes a fair amount of time to plan and then build. Learn the fundamentals, and make sure to invest the time to do it well so that you can build upward from there.
Catch Rohaan Sajnani at our panel discussion!
Want to learn more about building a sustainable and ethical brand that does good in the world? Join the Launchpad panel discussion on 9 February where Rohaan Sajnani will be sharing more about his entrepreneurial journey, along with Julia Washbourne, Sarah Garner, and Anushka Purohit. And we’ve got a special deal for Honeycombers’ readers! Although it normally costs $580 to register to attend a Launchpad event for non-members, the first 30 Honeycombers readers can join the panel discussion for FREE with the discount code readytolaunch. Register now!
Find out more about Rohaan’s we, the pROcess.
Launchpad is a comprehensive digital networking platform (with IRL benefits, too) that encourages connection, business support and community. It is designed to make the entrepreneurial journey not only easier, and more successful, but also a whole lot more fun. The platform offers almost daily activities for members to connect, along with regular masterclasses, member networking roulette, small-business mentoring and media profiles on Honeycombers.
