There is a quiet myth that women must choose between ambition and motherhood, between building a career and building a home. Jitika Gupta has never believed in that choice. For the Co-Founder of BigMuscles Nutrition, the two worlds have never been rivals. They have simply demanded different versions of the same person.
Returning to work after welcoming her second child wasn’t easy, Gupta admitted. The transition came with its share of emotional highs and logistical challenges, but stepping back into the workplace was never just about resuming a job. It was about reconnecting with herself.
“Coming back to work was important because this is something I genuinely enjoy. It gives me a sense of identity beyond every other role I play. Of course, balancing motherhood and work is challenging, but being here reminds me of who I am, and that makes me a better version of myself both at work and at home,” Gupta said.
She is quick to dismiss the popular notion that parenting somehow becomes easier the second time around. “People often assume that having another child makes everything simpler because you’ve already experienced motherhood once. But every child is different, every phase is different, and every day teaches you something new. You learn to adapt, not because it gets easier, but because you grow stronger,” she added.
That honesty defines Gupta’s leadership style. There is little room for pretence. Success, she believes, isn’t about having every answer but about showing up consistently, even on difficult days.
Home, interestingly, is where she finds her biggest reset. “My happiest moments are the ones I spend with my children. No matter how hectic the day has been, going back home, knowing my responsibilities are taken care of and spending time with my family helps me begin the next day with a fresh perspective,” Gupta reflected.
Long before she helped build one of India’s leading nutrition brands, Gupta had already developed an appreciation for entrepreneurship. Growing up, she often accompanied her parents to their manufacturing business, unknowingly absorbing lessons that would later shape her own leadership journey.
“I saw entrepreneurship from very close quarters. Watching my parents manage people, solve problems and build something of their own taught me lessons that no classroom ever could. Looking back, I think a part of my leadership style comes from those early experiences,” she recalled.
Ironically, marketing wasn’t always part of the plan.
An engineering graduate by education, Gupta spent the initial years of her career in a completely different profession before realising where her true interests lay. “Engineering gave me discipline, but marketing gave me purpose. I realised very early that I enjoyed building brands and understanding consumers far more than the career path I had originally chosen. I’ve always believed that people perform their best when they’re genuinely interested in what they do,” Gupta said.
That philosophy now influences every hiring decision she makes. “Skills can be taught, but curiosity and genuine interest are difficult to teach. Whenever I hire someone, I look for people who are naturally interested in fitness, lifestyle or the category we operate in because passion reflects in the work they eventually create,” she explained.
Her own journey, meanwhile, has been anything but glamorous. “I still remember packing our very first orders myself. I’ve seen every stage of this business, from handling small operational details to leading large marketing campaigns. That experience gives you perspective because you’ve lived every part of the journey yourself,” Gupta recalled.
Those early years also shaped one of her strongest leadership beliefs. “No task is ever too small. Even today, I want to understand everything, from how quickly a product reaches a customer to how every campaign is executed. Leadership isn’t about staying away from the details. It’s about understanding them well enough to make better decisions,” she said.
She believes young professionals often underestimate the value of getting their hands dirty. “If you’re coordinating a campaign, do it yourself at least once. Arrange the shoot, speak to the influencer, understand the logistics and solve the last-minute problems. Only then do you appreciate how every moving piece comes together. Experience teaches lessons that no degree ever can,” Gupta added.
The nutrition industry, however, presented its own set of challenges when she entered it over a decade ago.
Back then, supplements were largely marketed to men, fitness exhibitions were overwhelmingly male, and women were few and far between.
“When I first started attending industry events, it was almost entirely a male space. Walking into those rooms as a woman certainly felt different. But instead of seeing that as a disadvantage, I looked at it as an opportunity to think differently,” Gupta said.
That different perspective eventually changed the way BigMuscles Nutrition approached marketing.
“Most brands were speaking only to gym-goers. We wanted to build something much bigger. We wanted people to see protein as part of an everyday lifestyle rather than something reserved only for bodybuilders. That shift in thinking helped us create our own identity,” she explained.
Interestingly, Gupta says she never viewed being a woman as a limitation.
“I never felt I had to compete by becoming someone else. In fact, bringing a different perspective became my biggest strength. Sometimes, the very thing that makes you different is what helps you stand out,” she said.
Today, as the brand evolves from a gym-focused identity to a broader lifestyle proposition, Gupta remains motivated not by competition but by possibility.
“People often ask me who inspires me, but honestly, my biggest motivation has always been the work itself. Every time I feel we’ve achieved something, I immediately start thinking about what we can build next. That hunger to keep improving is what keeps me going,” Gupta reflected.
Even those closest to her sometimes wonder why she continues to push herself despite having built an established business.
She smiles at the thought. “I could choose a much simpler life if I wanted to. But I’ve chosen to work because it gives me purpose. Financial independence is important, but beyond that, work gives me a sense of fulfilment that is entirely my own. It reminds me that I’m constantly growing as a person,” she said.
That same mindset shapes the advice she offers to young professionals, particularly women beginning their careers.
“Start from the basics and never believe any work is beneath you. Observe everything, ask questions, understand the smallest details and stay curious. Leadership isn’t built overnight. It’s built one experience at a time, one lesson at a time and one challenge at a time,” Gupta said.
As the conversation draws to a close, one thing becomes strikingly clear. Gupta’s story isn’t simply about building a successful nutrition brand or navigating a traditionally male-dominated industry. It is about choosing purpose every single day.
For her, success has never been defined by titles, campaigns or milestones. It lies in waking up each morning with the same curiosity that led her to pack the company’s earliest orders, the same determination that encouraged her to return to work after motherhood and the same belief that no dream is too ambitious when it is built brick by brick.
Because for Jitika Gupta, the greatest achievement isn’t building a brand. It’s never losing the person she has become while building it.
