We had the good fortune of connecting with Natasha Mahtani and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Natasha, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?

Hi, thanks for having me. I’m a single solo parent to a 10 year old boy (my ex-husband chose not to be in our lives) and it was really important to me to be present for my son. I tried a few different things (whilst staying in the workplace) that I thought would allow me to still have the holidays with him or get some time in the evenings but unfortunately that wasn’t the case. Most jobs aren’t set up to allow single parents to thrive.

Coaching is something I’ve done part time for a long time and so I decided to explore it further and set up my own business. From a community point of view, it was really important to me to hold space for women, especially women of colour, who have been culturally conditioned to accept less than they deserve within relationships. I’d come across so many women who were in desperately unhappy marriages but wouldn’t leave due to the shame and stigma attached to Divorce within their communities. I made it my mission to de-stigmatise divorce and now I work with women (sometimes men) to help future proof their relationships.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

When I first left my marriage, I didn’t find the support I needed. Sure, Divorce Coaches existed but they were predominantly caucasian and didn’t understand the cultural nuances that come with being of South Asian descent. I wanted to create a business that understood the cultural conditioning we often experience and hold space for those who felt those same feelings of shame and a sense of failure that I felt.

I started as a certified life coach, then qualified as an accredited divorce coach before doing further study to be a relationship coach because the more clients I saw, the more I realised that marriages and relationships could be salvaged if couples engaged with a relationship coach.

I was born in Liberia, West Africa, to Indian parents and have lived in Monrovia, London, Lagos, Mumbai, Dublin, Hong Kong and Taipei. With my diverse upbringing, I understand cultural nuances within relationships and more specifically, the limiting narratives and beliefs that come with relationships across many cultures.

Many South Asians view divorce as a ‘dirty’ word. In the early days I was often challenged to explain what I did as many of the elder generation believed I was advocating for divorce. That couldn’t be further from the truth – my role as a relationship coach is to ‘future proof’ relationships. However, should a woman choose to get divorced, then I want to ensure she thrives!

The most rewarding part of my job is seeing the transformation women go through when they peel back the layers of cultural conditioning and step in to their light and all that they deserve, knowing they are worth it all.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We’d start by grabbing coffee and walking along the Venice canals, followed by an afternoon at Venice Beach, soaking up the LA sunshine. Because I love being a tourist, we’d spend a day discovering the magic of the Hollywood Hills and maybe take a picture or two with the famous sign. We’d lunch at the Ivy in Beverley Hills and end our day with drinks at Skybar at the Mondrian.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My first shoutout is to my family who have truly held and supported me for the last 9 years as I’ve raised my son. I got really lucky with them.

Secondly, a huge shoutout to Glennon Doyle for writing the book ‘Untamed’. It’s one I recommend to every female client as she so beautifully articulates what it means to be a woman and how to step in to our power.

Website: www.natashamahtani.com

Instagram: @natashacoaches

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-mahtani-37474a88/

Twitter: @natashacoaches

Image Credits
Mary Sullivan Photography

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.