Growth by keeping on trying.
Overcoming Struggles with Daily Rituals: Insiya Jafferjee on building space.
Insiya Jafferjee, founder of Shellworks and winner of the Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Awards 2025 Future Award, joined the Brave New Girls podcast to talk not only about her mission to eliminate plastic pollution, but also the personal side of leading an impact-driven business.
While her work on sustainable packaging made from microbially-produced Vivomer is gaining global recognition, Insiya is also open about the emotional and physical cost of staying committed to this mission. She describes long hours, intense setbacks, and the pressure of innovating in a space where industry change is slow and resistance is high.
“I think my biggest thing is like, there’s always so many stresses and things that come up in the day. It’s just about building that space for me in the mornings where you're like, okay, whatever happens, it’s just going to slide off me.”
Insiya describes her approach to wellbeing as intentional and grounded in consistency. She focuses on sleep, food, exercise, and strong community ties. She’s also clear that resilience is not just about pushing through—it’s about creating systems that allow her to show up each day without burning out.
As an entrepreneur leading a team in an emerging sector, Insiya says emotional resilience is just as important as innovation.
“Sometimes you try something 200 times and it doesn’t work. But you still have to get up the next day and try again.”
This form of growth- the ability to keep showing up, to adapt, and to take care of yourself while doing meaningful work- is highly transferable to all of us. Whether we’re tackling climate issues, changing careers, parenting, or navigating life transitions, there’s a growing need for inner tools that help us manage external demands.
Do you want to join our next Brave New Girls Wellbeing Growth Retreat? Find out more.
Talk to Lou Hamilton- Your Wellbeing Coach
Ten Actionable Steps for Building Wellbeing
Create a morning buffer: Carve out quiet time before the day begins. It sets the tone and creates emotional space.
Prioritise sleep: Rest is not optional- it’s foundational to decision-making, focus, and long-term resilience.
Move your body: Insiya used to run to work. Daily movement clears stress and boosts energy.
Stay connected: Maintain strong social support. Community offers stability in uncertain times.
Build routines: Reliable habits reduce decision fatigue and free up mental space.
Accept setbacks: Growth includes failure. Don’t over-identify with outcomes.
Be intentional about food: Nourishment supports physical and emotional health. Treat it as part of your wellbeing plan.
Check in with yourself: Ask regularly: What do I need today to feel okay?
Choose meaningful work: Aligning with a purpose helps sustain effort over time.
Celebrate small wins: Acknowledge daily progress. Growth is cumulative, not instant.
Insiya’s journey shows that growth doesn’t happen despite difficulty- it happens within it. Her strategies are not quick fixes, but steady practices. They reflect the same mindset she brings to sustainability: long-term thinking, consistent action, and belief in small, repeated steps.
Lou Hamilton has partnered with a global wellbeing brand on a mission to help humans lead healthy, happy lives, safer from harmful toxins, and reaching for their highest potential through the healing power of plants & personal development.
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