The Tale Of Two Women Entrepreneurs Connecting People With Opportunities And Making A Meaningful Impact
The perception of women in the workforce has significantly evolved; however, there is still a wide gap to be filled. On top of that, we rarely see a well-organised, women-led workforce that has stood the test of time. Nonetheless, there have also been many stories of hope floating around. One such example is Stellaspire, an innovative digital-first recruitment consultancy, led by two inspiring women leaders, Chhavi Chadha and Nikita Agrawal! Their mission is to empower women and transform workplaces. Chhavi and Nikita are fabulous women entrepreneurs steering their firms fiercely through a dynamic recruitment industry. They lead by example, driving growth and creating a significant impact.
THE KEY INSPIRATION BEHIND THIS REMARKABLE JOURNEY
Over the past five years, Nikita has worked closely with more than 500 clients in the recruitment industry and noticed a significant gap in the services offered by even the most prominent MNCs. Clients were looking for more than just placements—they wanted quality service, a focused approach to talent acquisition, diversity, equity, and inclusion hiring strategies, and solutions such as policy-making, upskilling programs for women, and unlocking untapped talent pools. Meanwhile, Chhavi, worked with top financial global firms and followed her passion in counselling students aspiring for India’s top 1% MBA colleges, with guidance and mentorship to realize their full potential.
Nikita and Chhavi’s shared vision of creating meaningful careers and delivering personalised, top-notch services became the foundation of Stellaspire. Above all, they were driven by a desire to make an impact—particularly in empowering women and transforming workplaces. With over 10 years of rich corporate experience, they had first-hand insight into the challenges women go through in their professional journey while also balancing their personal lives.
“ We both wanted to empower women, and we chose Stellaspire to do that ” asserts Nikita.
THE REMARKABLE EVOLUTION IN THE VISION
When Chhavi and Nikita began their journey last year, they started with recruitment services to gain a foothold in the industry. Through multiple conversations with clients, they discovered that their needs extended far beyond traditional recruitment. Today, their vision has expanded significantly. They have established specialised wings for diversity hiring, leadership hiring, and policy consulting for DE&I and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). Additionally, they have introduced leadership workshops aimed at helping organizations cultivate inclusive and future-ready leaders.
In addition to its current initiatives, the company has shifted its focus to collaborating with more startups this year, partnering with them on their journey from ideas to execution. They aim to assist startups in hiring the right candidates, building robust teams, executing people-first policies and growing business globally.
“Beyond recruitment, our mission is to contribute to societal change by advocating for equal opportunities and challenging stereotypes” adds Nikita.
Their close observation of the candidate’s journey has highlighted the need for personalised support. As a result, the firm now offers interview preparation sessions and resume enhancement services, conducted by subject matter experts at nominal charges, ensuring that candidates are well-equipped for success. This evolution reflects the team’s commitment to creating a more impactful and holistic experience for both clients and candidates while staying true to their mission of empowering individuals and transforming workplaces.
DISTINCTIVE STRATEGIES BEHIND STELLASPIRE’S SUCCESS
One strategy that has empowered Stellaspire to stand out is the training program designed for women returning from break. This initiative not only empowers women to re-enter the workforce with confidence but also provides the clients with access to highly skilled talent, giving them a competitive advantage. Additionally, they have implemented several innovative approaches that cater to diverse talent needs. For example, one of Stellaspire’s specialized divisions focuses on building a strong network of professionals across niche industries such as Web3, manufacturing, finance, and leadership roles.
As a global organisation, the team spends considerable time understanding different markets – such as talent pool, industry segments, and market growth before developing their niche to provide the best services to the clients in each location. This strategic focus ensures they deliver targeted talent solutions that align with the client’s specific business goals.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF R&D IN EMPOWERING GROWTH
Stellaspire aims to stay ahead of industry trends and continuously enhances its efforts to create lasting impact. Currently, the company is investing in the development of a community platform designed to bridge the gap between industry leaders and candidates. This platform will facilitate meaningful connections, mentorship opportunities, and knowledge sharing, all at nominal charges. With the larger goal of promoting inclusive workplaces, the team is focused on investing in research and development to provide specialised services tailored to a larger group of candidates. This effort emphasises DE&I, organisational policies, team structuring and more.
DISTINCTIVE APPROACH TO ALIGN EMPLOYEES WITH COMPANY’S VISION
A key strategy employed by the team is ensuring that every employee interacts directly with at least 20 candidates from diverse backgrounds. This practice helps them develop a deeper understanding of individual journeys, challenges, and aspirations. By hearing firsthand about candidates’ experiences, the team gains valuable insights into the unique perspectives and needs of the talent they serve. Conducting workshops to sensitise employees about the nuances of preliminary calls with members of the LGBTQ community or persons with disabilities (PWD).
These discussions emphasise the importance of using gender-neutral language and acquiring in-depth knowledge of the necessary infrastructure facilities required and a deeper understanding of emotional and physical challenges. Stellaspire’s hiring approach is focused on building a diverse workforce so they continuously work towards sensitizing each other and gaining first-hand experience to drive the business in the right direction. “Each team member is given specific objectives that contribute to our broader DE&I vision, such as sourcing candidates from untapped talent pools or improving placement rates for women returning to the workforce” highlights Chhavi.
INTEGRATING CORE VALUES AND ETHICS IN THE LEADERSHIP APPROACH
“For sustainable success, building a passionate, reliable, and values-driven team is paramount” quotes Nikita. Stellaspire prioritises hiring smart, driven individuals who align with its vision and values. Once they are on board, the leadership team gives them the autonomy to take ownership of their work, encouraging experimentation and creative problemsolving. This empowers team members to excel and contribute meaningfully to the company’s success. Chhavi and Nikita invest in the team’s growth by providing learning opportunities, mentorship, and exposure to diverse experiences. This empowers them to excel and contribute meaningfully to the company’s success.
THE FUTURE OUTLOOK
Stellaspire envisions being a transformative force in the workplace over the next decade, with a special focus on empowering women and promoting inclusive environments. It aims to uplift and empower over 10,000 women by providing leadership workshops, mentoring programs, and upskilling opportunities. Stellaspire also plans to collaborate with organisations worldwide to implement inclusive workplace policies. They plan to launch a community platform that connects candidates, industry leaders, and organisations to facilitate their vision. This platform will serve as a hub for mentorship, career guidance, and job opportunities, creating a seamless and accessible ecosystem for professional growth.
“Having built our business from scratch, we realise the hurdles a new startup has to go through in scaling, with employees being a very important aspect of their continued growth and success” says Chhavi.
PEARL OF WISDOM
If you believe in a vision that has the potential to create a significant impact on people, society, or the planet, know that your journey will inevitably come with challenges. Building something meaningful— something that truly makes a difference—requires resilience, courage, and unwavering determination.
