Salochanee Reddy has found a business niche in burnout. A PhD holder in holistic life coaching from the University of Sedona, Arizona, in the US, she started an enterprise that helps people learn how to step away from life's demands.
As a female founder, she has had to use her womanness to navigate the complexities of leadership. In some spaces, she says, it meant working harder to be seen and heard. “In others, it offered a unique lens to lead with empathy.”
In a society that has burnout as its chief aesthetic, Reddy counsels wellness. “I set very clear boundaries, and it can come off as off-putting when I have to take my well-being into perspective—but I don’t compromise.”
What’s the one piece of advice you think more women should ignore in the workplace?
Ignore the advice that tells you to choose between being compassionate and being effective. For too long, leadership has been framed as either soft and nurturing or strong and strategic, when in reality, the most impactful leaders integrate both.
Women don’t need to suppress their emotional intelligence to succeed—we need to harness it alongside execution and decision-making to create workplaces that are both high-performing and human-centred.
How did you get into this line of work?
I saw the opportunity because millions of shillings are lost annually due to workplace stress. About 76 percent of employees are burned out. We conduct workplace stress audits and tailor recovery programmes.
Did you grow up inspired by a female mentor? Who?
I grew up in South Africa during apartheid, a time when opportunities for women—especially women of colour—were almost nonexistent.
The highest professional role I saw women hold was that of a teacher in our community and family. Formal leadership wasn’t accessible, but I witnessed a different kind of leadership—the quiet, unwavering strength of the women around me.
My mother, in particular, was a force. She didn’t just nurture; she built. She made difficult decisions, created opportunities from nothing, and shaped our future with resilience and determination. It wasn’t until my early 20s, entering the workforce, that I saw the slow integration of women into leadership roles.
It was a turning point—learning to navigate spaces where women like me had never been expected to belong. In those early years, leadership was still largely modelled after men, and the women breaking through were not brown.
The mould of leadership wasn’t made for us, yet we were expected to fit into it. I had to find the courage to claim my space, to lead in a way that felt authentic, and to challenge the idea that leadership had to look a certain way.
It was a process of trial and error—learning when to speak up, when to push back, and how to lead without losing myself in the expectations of others. There was no clear roadmap, especially for women of colour stepping into spaces where we hadn’t been seen before.
But through each challenge, I refined my voice, my actions, and my belief that leadership isn’t about fitting into a mould—it’s about creating a new one. That experience shaped my understanding of leadership—not as a title, but as action.
The women who influenced me didn’t wait for permission to lead; they led through resilience, through creating and sustaining, through impact. Today, I carry that forward by breaking outdated moulds and building spaces where leadership is defined by strength, inclusion, and purpose.
If you had to summarise your career philosophy in one sentence, what would it be?
Lead with heart, think with strategy, and execute with precision.
As a female founder, Salochanee Reddy has had to use her womanness to navigate the complexities of leadership.
Photo credit: Pool
How are you changing the culture at your workplace?
I believe culture is shaped by what we normalise—whether that’s a culture of fear and competition or one of growth and collaboration. I actively work to build environments where learning and upskilling are continuous, where performance is paired with well-being, and where leadership is not just about hierarchy but about influence.
The future of work will be shaped by those who understand that impact comes from both strategy and connection.
Has gender ever been a factor in your rise to the top? Has being a woman been a launchpad or an impediment?
Gender has shaped my journey—not as an obstacle or a launchpad, but as a reality I’ve had to navigate with intention. In some spaces, it meant working harder to be seen and heard; in others, it offered a unique lens to lead with empathy, adaptability, and collaboration.
I don’t see it as a limitation; I see it as a different dimension of leadership. Women bring the ability to empathise and strategise, to nurture and execute. These aren’t opposing forces; they are the strengths that redefine leadership itself.
The temptation when you are where you are is to either become one of the boys and fit in or risk getting ostracised. How have you managed to retain your feminine energy in a predominantly male space? Have you had to shed parts of yourself to “fit in”?
Early in my career, I felt the pressure to conform—to toughen up, to soften my voice for the boardroom, to minimise parts of myself that felt too “soft.” But real leadership isn’t about mirroring others or squeezing into a mould—it’s about authenticity. I no longer feel the need to mute my voice or dim my presence to be taken seriously. I embrace both resilience and softness, strategy and intuition—not as contradictions but as strengths. Leadership doesn’t have to look a certain way. It can be quiet, compassionate, and deeply impactful.
Women are promoted based on their achievements, but men are promoted on their potential. Has this ever occurred to you?
It’s a fine line. Yes, women need to work harder, and that was the case years ago, but now it’s also gender equality, really, we have to flip the numbers. Whether we get the right skills for the job or whether we are getting the right person in terms of demographics, it is very personal in terms of the organizational standpoint.
How do you balance ambition, career growth, and personal well-being?
I no longer see balance as a perfect equation but as a rhythm—one that shifts as we grow. My ambition is driven by purpose, and my career growth is intentional, but none of it comes at the cost of my well-being. I prioritise clarity in decision-making, set boundaries that protect my energy, and ensure that my execution is as strategic as my vision.
Success is not just about moving forward; it’s about sustaining the pace long enough to make a lasting impact. I am getting closer to 50, so a bit wiser and balance is not a perfect equation. I set very clear boundaries, and it can come off as off-putting when I have to take my well-being into perspective—I don’t compromise and I know what my triggers are and the environments that deplete my energy. I choose wisely.
Speaking of, what habit has best served you?
Walking and time in nature. That is my go-to place to get away.
How frequently?
At least three times a day I am off to Karura Forest.
Have you made a New Year’s Resolution and stuck to it?
Haha! You know that is such a dated concept [chuckles]. I work on three-month programmes and review my intentions—January to March, April to June et cetera. I do have my yearly goals, however. I am currently working on a book, and that has been part of my first three months' goal.
Do you have a special ritual you do before a major project?
I meditate daily. And I do a lot of ice baths. Even if I can’t get a full ice bath, I’ll just simply dip my face in ice, and that rejuvenates my eyes…I don’t know how you are going to put that [chuckles].
Exactly how you said it. Does the ice bath actually work?
I do it for health reasons as well, especially at this time of the year when there is a lot of body inflammation due to the heat. There is a science behind it haha!
Do you think you are a lucky person?
I think we create our luck and opportunities. I don’t believe things come to you; you create your opportunities, and that may make it seem like you are lucky. I don’t know if it is a superstitious thing to say; I haven’t given it that much thought, actually.
What is an item you’ve bought for less than Sh10,000 bob that you love and use often?
