This year, I was honoured with two titles:

→ Most Notable Networker of the Year

→ Ambassador of the Year

Grateful? Deeply.

But this wasn’t luck.

And it definitely wasn’t overnight.

These awards came from choice. From showing up. From building when no one was watching. From not waiting for the right time, perfect conditions, or external approval.

I built this while raising two growing boys who still burst through the door and yell, “Mum!” That’s the moment I truly clock in for the second shift—my most important one.

I chose to be back home most days by 2 p.m.

Not because I had to.

Because I wanted to.

Time is the most valuable thing I own.

And I wanted to give it—to my kids, my husband, my mum, my in-laws, my clients, and my team.

I stitched my 24 hours across people and purpose.

That’s not balance. That’s strategy.

It wasn’t always clear. I almost gave it up.

There were days I thought about walking away.

Taking a CMO role.

Joining someone else’s vision.

Building their legacy instead of mine.

The job offers were there. So was the path.

But I’ve never been built for playing small.

What kept me going wasn’t caffeine.

It was clarity.

Clarity that I have something to build.

Clarity that I’m not just a business owner—I’m a builder.

Ideas don’t leave me alone. I have to act on them.

I’m not in love with busyness.

I’m in love with momentum.

I don’t run a business by luck—I run it by the calendar.

I’m a strategist.

Every hour in my day is mapped with intention.

My team? They know I move fast.

I’ve called them with a 48-hour deadline for a new brand, new website, or new pitch—and they deliver.

“Another one, ma’am?” they laugh.

And then they get it done.

And my husband—he’s the calm in the chaos.

He listens when my ideas start spilling over, too fast to follow.

He smiles and says, “Put it on paper.”

I do.

And he sees it.

And then we build it—together.

And then came BNI.

This growth didn’t happen in a vacuum.

It happened in rooms full of people with purpose.

To BNI Brilliance—

From the very first meeting, I felt welcomed. Seen. Trusted.

You gave me space to speak, to lead, and to build a vision without apology.

That trust was a launchpad.

That room is still the reason I show up every Thursday at 6:30 a.m.—not for the coffee, but for the connection.

To BNI Go-Getters—

My second home, where I serve as an Ambassador in a regional leadership role.

You challenge me. You trust me.

And the respect is mutual.

I may walk in to guide, but I walk out learning something new every single time.

These two rooms built the foundation for these awards.

This is where it started.

This is where I grew.

This is where I continue to give back.

Here’s the truth.

I didn’t build my business waiting for the right time.

I built it with full hands, a full heart, and a full calendar.

I didn’t chase awards.

I chased value.

Every conversation, every referral, every catch-up—I show up to give something meaningful.

Because that’s the only kind of networker I ever wanted to be.

So, what now?

Watch this space.

Something new is taking shape.

And if you’ve followed me this far, you already know—

I don’t build small.

Alaka Satapathy Rath

Mother. Strategist. Growth Partner.

Builder of Brands. Believer in People.