Patricia Narayan felt isolated and lost in many phases of her life. Marrying her lover with the disapproval of her father, made her lose the close bond with her father. Her husband was far from idealistic; soon after her marriage, she became a victim of domestic violence. 

Things were too depressing to handle and she feared she had lost all hope of recovery. She had two children and needed to raise them well but her drug-addicted husband made simple survival unbearable for the whole family. She took up a job as a street-side vendor and could only earn Rs 50. Let’s read about her story of her reaching the heights of success. 

Who is Patricia Narayan

Patricia Narayan lives in Chennai and runs a chain of restaurants called ‘Sandeepa’. Her first job did not earn her much money but her never-say-never attitude helped her climb the stairs of success. Currently, she operates 14 outlets in different places and has given employment to over 200 people.

The painful beginnings

Patricia’s father did not support her decision of marrying the man she had chosen for herself. In some ways, he was proven right, as, after the marriage, all hell broke loose. She was 17, naïve and did not know any better. Her drug-addicted husband did not only disrespect her, but he tortured her physically for so many years and made Patricia constantly doubt her capabilities. 

Patricia decided to separate from her husband to raise her children in a life of peace and comfort. Her family had broken off their connections with her and after separation, she had no one by her side to back her up. She left the house with her children and searched for work. 

Working on the streets

In her search for work, Patricia borrowed a handcart and started selling coffee at Chennai’s Marina Beach. At first, she could only earn Rs. 50 but was not discouraged. With her constant dedication, she went from earning Rs 50 a day to earning Rs 25 thousand a month just under the span of a few weeks. 

Path to becoming a businesswoman

After her street-side venture, Patricia started running a small canteen in a training school, with the funds that she had collected. Her canteen’s business worked well and she could earn more than enough to send her children to schools and get them married. Patricia got her daughter married into a nice family. But in unfortunate circumstances, her daughter and son-in-law died in an accident. 

The loss of her daughter was unbearable, and she was left deeply saddened by the accident. In Patricia’s absence, her son took care of the canteen and in an effort to bring her out of her gloom, suggested to open a restaurant in memory of her daughter Sandeepa. 

A single restaurant soon became a chain of restaurants with 14 outlets operating in different cities and despite Patricia’s emotional struggles as a daughter, wife and mother, she came out shining as a businesswoman.