Voices

In her long career, the 42-year-old mother has had to quit a number of jobs here and abroad due to personal reasons. She decided to become an agent for ICICI Prudential Insurance as it gave her the flexibility of working from home. As she puts it, "I have got used to working at my own pace, there’s no boss to answer to, no deadlines to meet..."

The 25-year-old team leader at iSeva Systems has a Rs 2.4 lakh annual package (excluding perks) and chooses the grind of the graveyard shift. Her logic: it allows her to crash out at 4.30 am, get up by 12.30 pm and still have a part of the day to herself before reporting for duty at 6.30 pm. "My family feels I spend less time with them, but it’s OK since I’m not married," she explains.

The daughter-in-law, mother-in-law pair run a South Indian food joint called Dosas & More in a middle-class neighbourhood in the capital. They chose dosas because it’s popular with all age-groups. With an initial investment of Rs 15 lakh, it made an operating profit in the first month itself. "We already have offers to franchise the restaurant," says Rina, all smiles.