Hi,
I am Raakhee Natha, founder of By Intent. Curious about our beginnings? Well, here’s my story and how it all culminated into By Intent.
Deeply spiritual and philosophical since I was a kid, I was born and raised in South Africa. I became a vegetarian at 13 and a contrarian by 16. With family on extreme ends of the wealth spectrum between India and the UK – I saw a lot growing up, I questioned a lot. I found myself trying to enjoy “things” without guilt and trying to be “spiritually focused” without giving up my ambition and desires. I found a way.
I was equally creative, as I was analytical and detail-orientated. For a split second, I believed architecture would allow me to be both. But as I stepped into my undergraduate classes, I felt anything but inspired by buildings. My inspiration was and is – people. Our stories, our pain, our struggles, our triumph.
I found myself graduating with a journalism major, a deep desire to impact change but no desire to live in the constant spiral of fear and negativity that often accompanies traditional journalism. So at 22, I found myself at a global tech & consulting giant called Accenture.
As I grew from graduate hire to executive, I spent over a decade working on multi-million dollar projects for Fortune 500 companies across the globe. Enabling human performance, change management and people transformations in the corporate sector and managing teams of some of the brightest talent out there. Most recently, I served as one of the Directors at the NeuroLeadership Institute working extensively on diversity & inclusion programs.
I reside in California with my husband amongst the most beautiful mountains and coastline. I would describe our lives as simple, yet abundant.
In the midst of my corporate career, it became clear that I was not moving towards my highest purpose. I wasn’t serving something bigger than me. A quest of self-discovery began that led me to coaching, acting and many other disciplines. I picked up many skills, from many places but I still hadn’t found my “home”.
During these years, life led me through personal tribulations of the extreme. Situations that changed my very core, broke my spirit and forced me to rebuild my sense of identity, purpose and experience more than once.
I lost my father suddenly in 2011. A few years later I found myself accompanying my mom for chemotherapy and tragically lost my mom in 2017. I lost both my parents in the span of 6 years, on the same day and almost to the hour. I have had a long journey to overcome pain, loss and despair.
I also ended a relationship, found love, got married and lived across 3 different continents in that time. I have struggled with weight loss, anxiety and oh so much else! The last few years of my life have tried me, grown me and rewarded me in equal portions.
I have been constantly drawn to spirituality and wellness in my journey, to ask deeper questions and to learn more. Out of this storm, today I am happier, healthier and higher-performing than ever before. Our challenges are our teachers. Through my struggles, my purpose was revealed.
Along with By Intent, my entrepreneurial and creative journey was born. I have a few other small brands and projects I am working on. One of them is Forever After Foodies - all about transforming our relationship with food.
The intersection of passion and knowledge in human behavior, spirituality and wellness - with an understanding of my power and place in the mediascape.
Be true to yourself.
There are many ways and none are perfect.
We all belong to a singular higher consciousness.
A big part of my work is to help individuals, couples and families transform their relationships with food. This isn't simply about nutrition, but it goes beyond to the depths of our patterns and socialization. To learn more, visit: www.foreverafterfoodies.com
