CEO

I was born on 20 September 1976 in Manchester, England. From a very young age, my parents instilled strong values in me such as ethics, integrity and hard work. My mother instilled a fearless drive and unwavering ambition in me. She gave me the confidence to dream big, saying “dreams aren’t those you see when you sleep, but what you ponder over when you’re awake”. My father, a self-made businessman, mentored me to adopt his humility and sincerity, the bedrock of my achievements today. He is the most disciplined person I’ve ever met; he gave me a right and fearless attitude to pursue my dreams. They were both well-educated from Delhi University and had moved to the UK in the early 1970s. They sure had a strong business sense; after some initial ups and downs, they set up their own business in the UK.

At school, I was incredibly inquisitive, always asking “why?” to everything. I studied hard enough to be academically successful, however, I believe my teachers would probably describe me as an ‘awkward’ student as I always wanted to know the reason behind.

I started working for Dad’s company when I was 11. By the time I was 17, I wanted to open my own business. I had my first shop, Miss Attitude, up and running in 1995, before I left school; it sold fashion accessories – hair scrunchies, clips, scarves, jewellery, bags and sunglasses. The idea for this particular business had struck me when I was still in school. I invested all my savings on it. By 1999, Miss Attitude had a chain of stores throughout the UK.

Taking a cue from Dad, I wanted to make it on my own initiative. I believe now that while growing up, I did not have a silver spoon but a silver net to fall back on, it is this privilege that I want to extend to those who have less than myself. This is why I want to give back to the community with my scholarship and mentorship programmes. I today support the Prince’s Trust to guide and promote young entrepreneurs. In 2015, we had launched the Reuben Singh Scholarship to support higher education and help kids work on their business ideas.

I will always recognise my parents as a huge influence in my life. My late mother is still my guide to this day, her business acumen is a doctrine that I will forever follow and emulate. I believe that my three identities are what keep me inspired; a modern interpretation of my Sikh religion combined with my strong ties to my Indian heritage, as well as my patriotism to Britain.

After Mom, my wife, Baani, assumed the role of preserving the ambition that she had instilled in me. Baani always tries her best to keep me humble and grateful too.