Ladies Who Lead recently hosted a mentor session with Aparna Saxena, Founder and CEO of Antinorm, alongside investor and consumer brand advisor Aniket Dey. The evening brought members together for a candid conversation on building consumer brands, making the leap from investor to founder and navigating entrepreneurship in India today.
Aparna’s path into entrepreneurship began after several years in venture capital across Silicon Valley and India. Through her work advising early-stage consumer brands, she spent years analysing what helps businesses scale and what causes them to stall.
Listening Before Building
An insight that stood out during the conversation was how closely Antinorm stays connected to its customers.
Rather than relying only on internal assumptions, the team regularly speaks directly with users to understand how products are performing and what problems still remain unsolved. These conversations often guide the direction of future product development.
Aparna emphasised that strong consumer brands grow by staying close to the people they serve. Real insight comes not only from data but from ongoing dialogue with the community itself.
From Investor to Founder
Moving from advising founders to becoming one required a different mindset.
In venture capital, Aparna spent years evaluating businesses and supporting entrepreneurs from the outside. Building Antinorm meant stepping into the uncertainty herself and making decisions with far fewer guarantees.
What emerged from that experience was a simple lesson. Growth rarely arrives after complete certainty. Often it comes from taking action before everything feels fully figured out.
Her background in venture capital provided a strong strategic lens, but building a company required learning through execution, adaptability and trusting instinct when the path ahead felt unclear.
Wearing Two Hats: Founder and Face of the Brand
During the Q&A, members asked Aparna about something many modern founders are navigating today: being both the builder of the business and the public face of the brand.
Her response was refreshingly honest.
Building Antinorm already demanded the full intensity of running a startup. Adding content creation and brand storytelling to the mix meant constantly showing up online while also managing the realities of scaling a company.
It was demanding, she admitted, but also an important part of building trust and relatability with consumers in today’s founder-led brands.
Technology, Community and Consumer Brands
Investor and advisor Aniket Dey added another dimension to the discussion by sharing patterns he has observed while working with several prominent consumer and consumer-tech businesses.
One theme that emerged was the growing role of technology and AI in shaping how companies operate. Rather than avoiding new tools, he encouraged founders and professionals to learn how to use them effectively.
At the same time, he highlighted that technology alone does not build enduring brands. The companies that succeed remain deeply connected to their communities and the people they serve.
Consumer understanding, cultural context and human insight continue to shape the decisions that make brands resonate.
The Role of Mentorship
The conversation also touched on the importance of mentorship and professional networks.
Aparna reflected on how mentors and peers throughout her career helped shape key decisions along the way. These relationships provided perspective at moments when the path forward was uncertain.
For many members in the room, this resonated strongly. Career shifts, leadership growth and entrepreneurship are rarely navigated alone.
Trusted advisors and supportive communities often play an important role in helping leaders move forward with confidence.
Closing Thoughts
The session was lively, interactive and filled with thoughtful questions from members.
Through Aparna Saxena’s journey, the conversation highlighted what it means to challenge established norms and build solutions that reflect real lives.
From simplifying beauty routines to designing products for Indian consumers, her story offered a clear reminder that meaningful innovation often begins with paying close attention to everyday problems.
For the women leaders in the room, the takeaway was simple. Sometimes progress begins with the willingness to take a step forward even before the entire path is visible.