Nina Patel

“Finding entrepreneurial success as a non-entrepreneur.”

Nina Patel embodies a challenge faced by many– that of the ‘non-entrepreneur’ in today’s entrepreneurial-mad business world. “Business Schools today have switched their curriculum from how to be top management within an organisation, to a focus on entrepreneurship - but not everyone has what it takes to be an entrepreneur,” she asserts. In her view, an entrepreneur has a very specific profile – they are risk takers with a remarkable sense of self confidence, and a strong belief in an idea or business before it has even been proven. Given that conceivably the majority will fall outside of that narrow profile, organisations today then face the task of fostering an environment which will encourage an adoption of entrepreneurial mindsets and approaches even by those non-entrepreneurs. But what would that look like?

In Nina’s view, a company can only truly embody entrepreneurship with the recognition that it is a way of thinking, an approach, and a vision from the top that should be embedded across the entire organisation. She cites traditional companies’ oft-unsuccessful attempts at ‘intrapreneurship’, that is, the attempt to inculcate organisational entrepreneurship by inserting an individual with the requisite traits into what effectively becomes a silo. On the other hand, an organisation which encourages collaboration, bringing ideas forward, and risk taking will likely be much more successful at fostering a spirit of entrepreneurship.

As Nina well knows, a willingness to take risks is often incredibly rewarding. She opted to leave a senior role at Accenture in the US and, taking a 50% pay cut, moved back to the UK for a job as Programme Manager at Net-a-Porter. Despite that, she defines that decision as a ‘safe’ one, since her job offer was firm, she was eager to work in the luxury fashion industry and gain exposure to ecommerce, and her personal life was enriched by moving back home to the UK. Nonetheless, she moved across countries, industries, and salary ranges and has since gone on to other roles by building on her ecommerce experience. Unsurprisingly then, her career advice is strongly in favour of finding fulfilment and she asserts, “Don’t keep doing something just because you’re good at it. We’re all going to be working for a very long time – you might as well do something you enjoy!”

Even when following this sage advice, Nina acknowledges that there will still be challenges aplenty. In fact, she indicated that throughout her career, her success or failure in overcoming challenges related directly to the amount (and calibre) of support that is forthcoming from her organisation. With the right support, Nina has easily overcome challenges which involve, for instance, big operational changes of complex nature and scope. However, in the absence of the requisite organisational support (including time and tools), Nina has found considerably less success and has experienced resulting hits to her confidence levels. These challenges have, on a positive note, been critical tools for Nina’s self-improvement and enhanced awareness of how she works best.

In Nina’s view, eporta’s success in embodying entrepreneurship comes from the recognition that it is a way of thinking, an approach, and a vision from the top that should be embedded across the entire organisation. She cites traditional organisations’ oft-unsuccessful attempts at ‘intrapreneurship’, that is, the attempt to inculcate organisational entrepreneurship by inserting an individual with the requisite traits into what effectively becomes a silo.  At eporta on the other hand, Nina seeks to promote an environment where entrepreneurship can thrive. “We do this by enabling individuals to take risks without fear of failure, by valuing everyone’s ideas, and by promoting an ethos of constant innovation,” she says. She is quick to remind that such an environment is balanced by pragmatism and the discipline to execute ideas effectively. 

All work and no play, as they say – but Nina nonetheless prioritises self-care. For her, that means making time for all of the things she values, including her internal drivers: spending time with friends, and travel. In terms of the outward aspects, Nina enjoys doing for herself what most women flock to salons for – i.e. doing her hair, getting her nails done, getting a facial – all things which make her feel cared for and well put together. Even in her self-care routine Nina demonstrates characteristic traits – keen organisation skills (we’re privy to her beauty routine!), and a commitment to her relationships and networks. She cites the lessons of the book “The Five Love Languages” as having been transformative in her approach to relationships – personal, professional, familial – since it provided pivotal insights into the way different people perceive and receive appreciation/love. Combined with a pre-existing interest in the application of personality profiles to professional interactions, Nina has found that the ‘love languages’ approach can be incredibly meaningful and helps to enhance her relationships in all spheres.

Coming at the end of the interview, one of our favourite exchanges with Nina centred on her nuanced take on diversity in the workplace. “Most people, when they first meet me have no idea what ethnicity I am,” she reveals, and notes that each person’s experience ultimately colours their views on the topic. Nina, never being sure what race she was being stereotyped as, personally does not see her race as an issue. She acknowledges however that sexism is certainly alive and well, and reflects that in those instances she was motivated to prove herself through her performance. Today, her views on diversity continue to evolve in line with her career. “As I take on more senior roles, and have more responsibility for people and diversity in the workplace, it is something that I think about much more,” she reflects. “Now, I view diversity as not just about gender or race, but also diversity in backgrounds, thoughts and values.”

Whatever the definitions, Nina continues to embody entrepreneurship and diversity in her career and makes it clear that individuals and organisations have much to gain from both.

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