In our Femme Founders series, we feature women that have faced the many challenges that come with entrepreneurship. Their journeys are all unique yet they all share the common element of perseverance. Each founder shares with us a specific aspect of their business challenge and how they got through it. Hope these series inspire you to create your own success and learn from these wonder women.
Kavita Channe is a sports and entertainment TV host and producer, TV personality, entrepreneur, philanthropist and mother who has successfully broken barriers for women and minorities in both media and television. A London native with ancestry from India, Kavita moved to the US when she was 5 years old, in 2011, Kavita created her own YouTube channel, 1stDownNDirty. With over 1.6 million views, she interviewed athletes and took viewers behind the scenes of the sports world. That led to an offer by Fox Sports in 2012. Fast Forward 5 years, Kavita launched Channé Rosé in 2017, a new rosé wine inspired by her travels in Provence.
She has lived several lives and has faced several challenges along the way. Her positive attitude and hard work earned for her success she deserves- all while being a single mom. Here’s her story and how she’s made it despite her diverse background.
What was your journey like into the Broadcasting game as a woman with a diverse background?
I had big aspirations in broadcasting and no connections or contacts in the industry so I knew right away that if I wanted opportunities I would have to somehow create them. I remember not wanting to wait for someone to hire me to begin working and getting reps so I decided to start my own youtube sports show, 1stDownNDirty. I created my own opportunity. I reached out to athletes and sports industry executives through friends of friends or through social media to appear on my show. We did spoofs, interviews and gave sports picks against the spread. I would email all my contacts and post on every format on social media as well as asking friends to promote to their networks. It was a lot of work, however a lot of fun, too. I learned so much from producing to editing to interviewing and hosting to marketing. It was truly a great experience to prepare me for what was next!
America is having a moment celebrating women and diversity. Tips on how to ride the wave?
Being the first female NFL sideline reporter from an Indian background is pretty cool yet I try not to put so much weight on our backgrounds because I feel we are all related as citizens of the world. With that being said… never limit yourself due to your background.
- Remember that it does not matter how you grew up or where you are from in terms of where you are going
- Devise a plan to get where you want to go
- Get creative about it as there are many routes one can take to reach their final destination
- Network with all kinds of people in your industry and beyond. You’ll be surprised at where your “breaks” come from
- Volunteer with a few organizations you are interested in. You will meet so many great people there, too
- And realize it’s not really your destination that will make you light up, but the journey getting there… so HAVE FUN!
never limit yourself due to your background.
Single motherhood is tough. How did you navigate pregnancy and new motherhood on your own?
My first pregnancy was quite a surprise! My boyfriend and I had been together for almost two years and we were talking about possibly having kids one day, but not at that moment. I was actually going to freeze my eggs around the same time I got the news. Needless to say, it was not where he envisioned his life going and we eventually broke up when I found out I was pregnant the second time.
Parting ways with someone you love is difficult on it’s own however to do that while pregnant is a whole different ballgame. Curling up in your bed at the end of every night pregnant by yourself can be pretty challenging. You have excitement and joy about the baby coupled with the aches and pains of pregnancy mixed in with sadness and grief over not having the family you always dreamed of having. It’s truly a range of emotions yet no one to share them with. And I have a new found respect for women who have gone through pregnancy on their own. For me, I had no choice other than to be strong for my daughter.. and for my family. I am about to have two under two… and single. Not ideal however I am so grateful to have a healthy daughter whom I love more than anything and a son on the way. He may even be here by the time you are reading this 🙂
Advice for single moms out there who are finding challenges with the day to day while juggling a career.
Know you are not alone. Millions of women have done this and are doing it. It’s not easy. Life is not easy. Just breath through the challenges and pain… and remember that HEALTH is wealth. So if you and your baby are healthy then you already have so much to be grateful for. Also, do not ever feel ashamed to ask friends and family for help. People will gladly help you more than you realize. Most importantly, find true quality moments to spend with your child. That is all they will remember in the end.
find true quality moments to spend with your child. That is all they will remember in the end.
The importance of creating your own little village and community to raise a child and mom-preneur.
Forget being a single mom for a second… just being a mom, in general, is hard. Many married women feel overwhelmed with motherhood, as well. For all of us, having a support system is truly crucial for success. Have a newborn? If you can afford the help it’s sanity-saving to enlist a night nurse. Can’t afford one? Ask a family member to help out. This does NOT make you a weak person or a bad mom. It makes you a smart mom who knows sleep is crucial for you to be a successful mom to your child.
For me, I was able to hire a baby nurse when my daughter was born. Now that my daughter is a toddler we have a nanny. She is such a great help and it’s nice having another adult here with me to rely on since I am single. Also, having my mom close to me has been lifesaving. She’s been there for emotional support, making sure I’m eating properly and helping me with my daughter. Work-wise… as a business owner… I can’t imagine not having someone… anyone… to count on and help.
Do you believe that working moms serve as an inspiration to their children?
I 1000% believe working moms inspire their children. I’m a firm believer in showing your children through your actions instead of just talking the talk. I try to involve my daughter in as many things as I can. Whether I’m traveling for work or at a shoot or volunteering to help a nonprofit or working on my computer at home, I try to include my daughter in all of the above (when appropriate, of course). I even brought her to the vineyard in France where Channé Rosé is made so she could see mommy’s business in person. I know she is only a toddler at the moment, but kids are smarter than we realize. When your child sees you out there making things happened then they will want to model that themselves one day.
What’s next for Channé Rosé? Are moms part of your target market?
Channé Rosé was my baby before I knew I was having my first baby. In fact, I almost gave up the business early on for fear of being overwhelmed with new mama-hood. It has been a challenge to get out there… do tastings… sell wine… tired and pregnant… however today we are offered in some of the best restaurants and boutique wine stores in Florida and have expanded to Georgia including all Buckhead Life restaurants. THAT is exciting.
Also, to see a shift in wine buying from traditional in-store sales to delivery and online order is pretty interesting (and convenient). And I get the appeal. In an “Amazon Prime” society where you can literally buy anything delivered to your home why not your wine, too. We offer this through one of our retailers, Wine Watch –winewatch.com
Overall, to see people enjoying a glass of Channé Rosé and to hear such amazing feedback on the quality and taste (reminiscent of St. Tropez)… it has truly become a favorite here in South Florida which makes it all worth it in the end. And, yes, all mom’s deserve a glass of Channé Rosé… every day! Cheers 🙂
How do you integrate philanthropy in your business model?
Helping others is important to me and my business. While pregnant with my first child in 2017, I created an event called Dining for a Difference where we hand pick guests based on their involvement within the community and have a different restaurant each event do a 5 course tasting along with donated wine, including Channé Rosé. We raise awareness and money for nonprofits many of the invitees are not familiar with… and have a great time doing it. Whenever I can, I volunteer my time, my income and my rosé to many nonprofits in my community. I love helping others… and I genuinely believe that giving is living.
Channé Rose can be bought directly on their website here and through Wine Watch. Try them out!
