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Woman explains why she left Indian Air Force to start clothing brand: 'I simply wanted to pause'
The woman shared her decision in a video explaining how she went from being an Air Force officer to running a clothing store in her hometown, Dehradun.
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A former Indian Air Force officer recently opened up about her decision to leave the force and start a clothing brand, saying she wanted to spend more time with her children, ageing parents and loved ones.
The woman, who goes by @thefaujifounder on Instagram, shared her decision in a video explaining how she went from being an Air Force officer to running a clothing store in her hometown, Dehradun.
“You won’t believe what is the most asked question to me by my customers. ‘Aap yahan se yahan kaise aaye? Matlab, aap Air Force officer se boutique wali aunty kaise ban gaye?’” she said.
Explaining her transition, the woman said that leaving the Air Force was not a choice as she was a Short Service Commission officer and had to leave after 14 years. “Honestly, there is no fancy founder story here. I didn’t grow up dreaming of becoming a businesswoman. I didn’t have a childhood dream of opening a store. There was no, like, ‘I always knew fashion was my calling’ at all,” she said.
She said that her decision was driven largely by her family. “I realised I wanted to be closer to my kids. My parents were also getting older; they needed me more. I wanted to pause a little and be available for people I love,” she said.
The entrepreneur also revealed that her home is just 100 metres from her store. “So I thought, if I’m going to build something, why not build it right here?” she said. She added that she had always had a creative side and felt clothing was something she could connect with while being a relatively manageable risk.
“And that’s it. I’m just a mother who wanted to be around her kids, who just wants to slow down,” she said.
In the caption of the post video, the woman described her decision as having “absolutely no fancy reason” behind it.
“I simply wanted to pause, be present for my children, spend more time with my loved ones, and build a life in Dehradun, my hometown. Sometimes, choosing your family, your roots and yourself is the biggest career decision you can make,” she wrote.
(Also Read: Entrepreneur breaks down US-to-India relocation costs, says family of 4 may need ₹9-24 lakh)
Social media reactions
The video received several supportive reactions from Instagram users.
One user wrote, “Switching from military to enterpreneurship is not an easy task. Hat's off to ur choice ma'am.”
“The value of time spent with your beloved children and parents can never be measured in money. Only those who live away from their loved ones truly understand its worth,” commented another.
“Awsome mam. Salute to you,” wrote a third user.
