Founder Director – The Talk Room
The current pandemic has affected all our lives in a myriad of ways.. While some have suffered setbacks, some have scaled successes. However there are also those like Swarleen Kaur who have risen from the ashes like a phoenix.
Swarleen is a highly regarded educator, author, public speaker and personality development coach. She had just built her own organisation – The Talk Room, when the pandemic hit. “We were even ready with our office, but there was none to come. So I finally shifted to online mode and my efforts paid off when slowly and steadily sessions picked up and I started catering to students from Singapore, Riyadh, Canada, Dubai and all across,” says Swarleen.
Even in its online format, The Talk Room has become the leading personality development coaching center in Dehradun. The key courses it offers are LSRW (Learning, Speaking, Reading, and Writing skills), Communication Skills, and Personality Development classes.
We ask Swarleen what led her to The Talk Room, and she begins to share her journey with us. Born and brought up in a small town of Haryana, Swarleen’s entrepreneur father and homemaker mother ensured their daughters received the best possible education.
Swarleen was passionate about reading and desired to be an educator. She did her graduation, then masters in English, and finally B.Ed from Kurukshetra University. In the last year of her college, she got an opportunity to participate in an extempore at district level, following which she reached the state level and finally, national level. This was her first big win. “I was going to be appointed as an associate professor, but marriage happened and the dream could not be fulfilled,” she shares.
The following years were some of the hardest of Swarleen’s life. Within a year of her marriage, both her in-laws were diagnosed with fatal diseases like Cancer and Alzheimer, and they lost both the parents soon thereafter. In the meanwhile, Swarleen suffered three miscarriages. Using the emotional distraction, their rivals came to be behind a catastrophic fire at their workplace where everything burnt to ashes.
At this point, Swarleen started working as an educator once again. But the challenges were far from over. By now she had a depressed husband and two infants to take care of, in addition to which she herself got diagnosed with tachycardiac attacks. “I remember the last time when I went to the ICU in a terrified situation, I promised myself I shall never be this broke again. From then on life changed, I became optimistic, and reached the position of HOD (English) and served many schools,” recalls Swarleen.
Swarleen worked as an educator for more than 13 years in association with various ICSE and CBSE institutions, and came to be known for her oratory and leadership skills in the industry. She won innumerous awards during this period: Two times State Champion in Extempore; Winner of International Public Speaking 2019, Gurgaon; International Impromptu Speaking Overall Champion 2020, National Excellence Award By All India Radio; COACH Certificate By National News Channel News X For Excellence In Communication Skills; 2nd runner up at Bolega Bharat Contest; Appreciation Certificate By Abraham Lincoln Shiksha Society; Awarded Jagatguru Shri Krishna Samman 2020.
Swarleen says her three D’s kept her going on her journey. “Desire, dedication and determination have been a part and parcel of my strength. I handle my emotions well, though it took years of practice and preparation to be here. Now I do not lose my calm and composure which helps me think and act better,” she says.
After years of being a much-sought after educator and motivational speaker, Swarleen realised something was missing. She has spent her career inspiring and encouraging people to learn, grow, and never give up in life, and this was her calling. Out of this realisation was born The Talk Room.
“Communication is the bridge that improves, enhances and builds your personality, work on it!” says Swarleen. As a personality development coach, she imparts key information to a live audience in a meaningful and entertaining way and guides you on your journey towards self-growth.
Today, Swarleen has emerged a true women’s leader just the way she envisaged as a child. And she has done this by creating a perfect balance between home and work, which only few can do. “Maintaining a work-life balance is about separating your personal and professional lives without allowing one to encroach upon the other. Both are important and neither should be neglected. I make sure I’m available when my children want me around, yet there are times when emergencies occur. At such times, the emotional strength that you have imparted to your family becomes your biggest strength,” reveals Swarleen.
