In celebration of Women’s Day Month, we’re thrilled to share a conversation with Samyukta Iyer, Founder and CEO of The Simple Thing. Leading innovative marketing strategies to navigate corporate leadership challenges, she offers valuable insights on resilience, personal growth, and empowering women in business. Her focus on self-belief, mentorship, and fostering inclusive environments provides essential lessons for thriving in today’s dynamic business world.
What’s one thing you’ve always wanted to learn or try but haven’t had the chance to yet?
I am a trained Carnatic classical vocalist with over 15 years of experience in music. I’ve won more than 75 music competitions at school and intercollegiate levels across classical, semi-classical, folk, and western genres. However, I have an innate, unfulfilled desire to truly understand and learn the intricacies of Western classical music—the techniques, etc.
What’s a defining career moment that shaped your perspective and the professional you are today?
In my first job as Area Sales Manager at Asian Paints, I was posted to one of the 350+ warehouses to run my area, or depot, as it’s called. However, there was one missing piece – the women’s restroom. The depot had never had a woman in charge before. I reached out to the top brass of the organization to help me budget and build the restroom. Before I knew it, they had mandated women toilets across the length and breadth of the organisation’s depots pan India This was a truly defining moment in my career – one where I learned early on the power of the principle: “Ask, and you shall receive.” It’s almost biblical, but so wise. If you don’t articulate or state what’s on your mind, no one in the corporate world has the time or bandwidth to second-guess what’s going on. One must learn to simply “ask.” My second takeaway was about being a changemaker – an individual, regardless of position, can drive significant organizational impact. This instilled in me the courage to face the ever-changing corporate dynamics with confidence and faith.
If you weren’t in this industry, what would you be doing?
Executive coaching, for sure! And that’s exactly what I’m doing now, along with being a brand consultant. After an award-winning, nearly two-decade-long corporate career—having led brand teams as CMO for Sephora, Kaya, and Baskin Robbins, and earned accolades such as 3X Young Cannes Lions Winner, 40U40, Best Marketing Head, and Superwoman Leader—I am now a solopreneur. I am the Founder and CEO of The Simple Thing. The philosophy of The Simple Thing is straightforward – In this complex world, whether it’s your brand or yourself, we help you find ‘your simple.’ Our methodology combines brand consulting tools and executive coaching frameworks.
How do you stay motivated during tough or challenging times?
Change is the only constant. Nothing lasts forever. Impermanence is the only permanence. So, I keep knocking until I can break through, knowing that this too shall pass.
How can companies foster a more inclusive and supportive environment for women leaders?
Coaching. Coaching. Coaching. How?
Coaching can help women realize that “I am enough.”
Coaching can empower women leaders to understand the importance of promoting their own community.
Coaching can guide management and male leaders to foster a culture where men and women are authentically treated alike—not only DEI initiatives and lip service, but also truly from within—addressing and checking all the biases ingrained since childhood.
Only then can a 180-degree shift drive the impact of authentic inclusivity.
In your opinion, what is the most essential skill for women to develop in today’s fast-changing business world?
The inner voice needs to be re-engineered. It must confidently declare, “I am enough.” At every step, there is someone—consciously or subconsciously—trying to pull women down, and their inner voice kicks in, telling them they are lacking somehow. This happens even to the best of women, to the top leaders. And it is this voice that holds her back from achieving her highest potential which is infinite! ‘I am enough’ must be the inner voice’s mantra.
