“The first step is to believe in yourself and your capabilities. Be ready to expect the unexpected and follow your heart and keep moving forward.”, advises Akshay.
Akshay V Masurekar is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of SAMAKSH Holistic Wellness who defines wellness as the ‘Art of Being You’. He has over 19 years of experience in various people-centric corporate roles and has brought this expertise to SAMAKSH, where he aims to bring about a Holistic Transformation in people by liberating them from their troubles and pains.
With the mantra of “Connect, Release, Rejuvenate”; Akshay has trained and coached over 100+ people in becoming their truest selves and achieve their highest potential. Besides, Akshay envisions SAMAKSH to become one of the leading players in bringing a positive wellness revolution in the country. Know more about the key to change, some intriguing insight and much more in this interview of the visionary with Storiyaan.
Akshay V Masurekar: Are You Your Authentic Self? Find Out!
Interview
Questions and answers
Can you brief our readers about the specifics of a holistic wellness coach and when should a person seek their help?
At SAMAKSH, the specifics of a Wellness Coach include getting people to adopt and practice the 8 Dimensions of Wellness – Spiritual, Physical, Mental, Emotional, Occupational, Financial, Social and Environmental Wellness.
We believe that people need to seek help only when they are ready to bring about inner transformation. This is possible only when you are transparent with yourself, when you accept yourself and your wellbeing.
What are some of the methods that you apply to get a clearer idea of the emotional quotient of the clients?
To get a clearer idea of a client’s emotional quotient we use our Ctrl Z Factor of Wellness TM. With the help of this method, we get our clients to identify dominant emotions that may be holding them back. I intend to get them to connect to those emotions, and enable them to express and manage them appropriately.
What are some of the major improvements that are needed in the health coaching facilities available in India?
Yes, major improvements can be made in the R&D sector of the Ministry of Ayush. There needs to be a greater focus on promoting the 8 Dimensions of Wellness and Lifestyle changes should be made an integral part of their policy.
How do you deal with clients when they are unsure of the situations they might be undergoing?
We work with clients only when they are ready and willing to work on themselves. Once they are ready, we co-create the journey with them. It is fine to feel lost and confused but the deep desire to move forward in life is a must.
When did you first decide to lay the foundations for SAMAKSH and what were some of the promotional strategies adopted by you?
A health scare in Jan 2020 landed me in the ICU and got me thinking about my health and the people around me. This resulted in the foundation of SAMAKSH Holistic Wellness on Jan 1, 2021, and there has been no looking back ever since.
All our promotions happened over social media. In addition, a few friends, and my ex-company were kind enough to send us some work regularly.
Can you tell us about some of the initial challenges that came your way when you first began your company?
Apart from fighting my inner demons, one of the biggest challenges we faced (and are still facing) is the perception and understanding of Wellness. Wellness goes beyond losing weight, looking good or taking care of your mental health. Thus, the lack of awareness amongst everyone is the biggest challenge.
What are the steps that you take if your patient feels demotivated to adhere to your plan?
Our focus is on helping people become a better version of themselves. Thus, assist them in being Transparent, Accept themselves and Own their well-being. Therefore, when they feel demotivated, I remind myself about these 3 Principles of TAO and give them the space they need.
What is your coaching philosophy when it comes to patients who resist the lifestyle changes you make to their routine?
My coaching philosophy is to provide clients with the option of working on all dimensions or focus only on the ones they feel are the most relevant to their needs. Moreover, you can’t change someone if they are not willing, so their desire to change is incremental.
Health coaches are often believed to be an expensive service in the country. Why do you think that is so and can you tell us a bit about the packages and services offered by you?
It depends on what we want in life. Health & Wellness coaches will focus on pushing you to go outside your comfort zone to lead a holistically healthy life and if you don’t want to pursue change, you may find the fees to be expensive otherwise not.
We have Group as well as 1:1 intervention. Group Interventions are for corporate only which includes three different types of sessions. On the other hand, the 1:1 sessions on Emotional Wellness Coaching, Heart-to-Heart Conversations and a Lifestyle Reversal Package.
Tell us about your most memorable clientele experience and the impact it had on your professional perspective.
One memorable clientele experience will be the session with my first client. Although she decided against pursuing change beyond the initial session, to my surprise, I heard from her a few weeks ago and she thanked me for the session. I was elated to read this and it gave me a completely new perspective about the human mind.
Quick 5
1. One piece of advice for newbies in the field – Believe in yourself and your capabilities.
2. One must-read recommendation – Wellbeing at Work (from Gallup) by Jim Clifton and Jim Harter.
3. A decision that changed your life – Starting SAMAKSH.
4. Your biggest rookie mistake – Signing up a Social Media Agency during my initial days.
5. The biggest misconception about your job – that people would easily sign up for my programs.