Sital Punja

Founder and managing director, SariUK

Sital Punja, 33, is the founder and managing director of Sari UK, a social enterprise that recycles old saris into accessories and clothes, such as skirts, dresses and jackets. The firm employs Asian women to make the clothing, and ten per cent of the company's sales go to charities such as Sense International and the Tsunami Appeal to help children in developing countries.

What has been your most beneficial career experience to date?
I worked in the television and film industry for several years. On one occasion, I had to get a contract signed, and I ended up refusing to leave until it was done. That demonstrated to me that perseverance is essential in order to achieve your goals. When setting up a business, above all you need determination.

What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given?
Treat people equally. This is really important in supporting and managing my team, and when meeting people involved with different aspects of Sari UK.

What's the best training you've had?
I was lucky enough to have John Bird, the founder of the Big Issue, mentor me during the first year of setting up Sari UK. He taught me how to speak publicly, which is essential in encouraging people to get involved with social enterprise.

What book would you recommend?
The book that really inspired me to think about the culture I come from is A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry. It is a harsh but beautiful take on the imbalance of the class structure in India, showing how it determines the quality of people's lives.

What do you wish you'd known when you started out?
I wish I'd known that opportunities evolve from taking risks. As it happens, I did take risks in setting up my business - and they have paid off - but I felt very nervous about it at the time. If I had known more about setting up a business, and that risks are necessary precursors to opportunities, I would have felt much more comfortable.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

1995: Graduates with a BA in audiovisual communication and psychology from London Guildhall University.

2002: Founds Sari UK.

2005: Founding member of the Ethical Fashion Forum, a network for social and environmental sustainability in the industry.

2007: Elected onto board of directors for Social Enterprise London.

Interview by Helen Holtom