≡

Resilient in the face of adversity

Venessa Anthony

You are who you grow up with; there is no question about the fact that those who raise you, imprint on you. In Hafsa Killru’s case, constantly having two strong female presences in her life from childhood, ensured that she grew up sharing the same determination and resilience. Her desire to make a change led her to launching her own startup by the name Boss Up to empower entrepreneurship and share her drive and ambition, especially among small businesses.

Boss Up isn’t merely a brand name; to Killru, it’s a manifestation of resilience and inner power in the form of a branding and social media marketing agency. While the brand advocates for inner power, confidence and resilience – said to be the three main driving forces of ambition – the company aims to uplift entrepreneurs. Killru strongly feels the need to help people who hail from less privileged backgrounds, like those that are inundated with a lack of support, those that want to be self-sufficient, and whoever shares her passion to create a unique identity for themselves.

The rocky road to success

Sharing her story with Brunch, she told us that despite having strong female figures to look up to, her childhood was riddled with challenges – the same ones that still plague children. She was severely bullied and harassed from the tender age of 10 while schooling, which affected both her mental and physical health.

“I never fit in anywhere. I was never welcome among the cliques. But I didn’t let it affect my confidence. Keeping my circle small helped me stay focused on my studies. I’d spend this time alone in school libraries, often reading encyclopaedias,” she told us. She found that the bullying worsened in her teenage years. 

Despite being lonely, everything worked out in her favour because she was never – and still isn’t – someone who wonders “what will others say?”, which she noted, seems to be a barrier in many people’s lives when they want to go forward. In her case, the lack of friends meant she didn’t experience peer pressure, so she never had to worry about being judged or people talking behind her back, which gave way for her to be unapologetically herself.

Once she had discovered the best version of herself, she unexpectedly embarked on a career in writing at 17. She dabbled in both content writing and poetry that expresses her stance on mental health, healing, and empowerment, which she still pursues to this day. Of course, even then it was no walk in the park; Killru told us that during her higher studies, her so-called friends attempted to destroy the strong mindset she had built over the years, which eventually took a toll on her. “It was only when I was able to remove myself from this draining environment did I become more self-aware and regain my confidence, thanks to the solitude it brought into my life,” she shared.

That was just one jump amongst many hurdles; more awaited her when she reached her early 20s. In 2019, she was rejected by over 20 companies in a three-month span, which led to deep frustration and self-doubt. 

“I made do with freelancing but the lockdown took a toll on my mental health,” she informed us, but added that something then clicked into place – an idea so obvious, so big, and so right for her that Killru knew it was what all these adversities were pushing her towards. She realised the lockdown was putting undue pressure on businesses and they needed a solution. 

She observed that small businesses especially were struggling to go online and create a sustainable brand, and that too at an affordable rate. So upon questioning how they compete against larger brands with massive budgets and breakthrough technologies, she sought to give them the edge they needed, which is how Boss Up was born in October 2020.

Vision and mission

In today’s day and age, where social media can make or break a business, lack of knowledge in how the internet works will no doubt be one’s downfall. If one has failed to establish a strong social media presence or a clear brand strategy, there is little to no chance of a business taking off the ground. Killru noted that inviting change, taking charge of the situation, and choosing to do something on her own, while scary, was the most liberating decision she ever made.

“The lockdown wasn’t the time for businesses to go silent. They needed business and marketing solutions that would help them overcome the situation,” she stated, adding that Boss Up ensures equal opportunities are given to entrepreneurs from all walks of life.

Currently, Killru told us that the brand strives to treat everyone at work with compassion and empathy whilst leading with kindness, as she highlighted how detrimental the current work culture is. One and a half years into the business, Boss Up has branched out internationally, establishing a presence across countries like the UK, Canada, Dubai, Qatar, the Maldives, and Australia. Killru told us that they are backed by a strong team of young and passionate minds, and she aims to keep it growing and revolutionise how small businesses perform.