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the lore behind builtwithhabit

an unfiltered look at the quiet pivots, unexpected detours, and “canon events” that shaped my path: from science and consulting to starting a skin-safe activewear brand. this isn’t just a story about business. it’s about building a brand that feels aligned with who i am!

By Ishita R Mahajan Aug 29, 2025

a different kind of start [2014-2018]

i've always been a builder.

when i was younger, that meant doodling ‘cool gadgets’ in my notebooks or pitching an app idea with a friend at dinner (powerpoint and all… yes, the food did get cold 😭).

in high school, i co-led a circular design startup called 'circle,' where we built upcycled functional products from waste, pitched sustainability practice toolkits to clients, and somehow ended up on global innovation panels: wide-eyed and fifteen.

at the time, i definitely didn’t think of it as entrepreneurship.

i just liked creating.

Circle Product Prototype(an upcycled product prototype from 'circle;' we partnered with a local theatre to incorporate the lamp into their stage set!)

the science track: and the first of many pivots [2018-2023]

fast forward to college:

i majored in biology, minored in psychology and bioethics, and set my sights on med school. i took all the prereqs. i sat the 7.5-hour mcat. i shadowed physicians, i joined research labs, and volunteered at clinics.

i was absolutely fascinated by how biology drives behavior, how health is shaped by systems, and how data can improve outcomes.

to this day, this lens - from cell to system - shapes how i think about building products. not just what looks good, but what performs well, supports the body on a biological level, and scales viably in the real world.

College Research Lab(the research lab i worked in for a semester, where i learnt about reverse genetics, high throughput genomics sequencing technology, scRNAseq expression profiling, and supervised machine learning analysis!)

then, in my second year of college, covid hit. the world as we knew it, changed almost overnight.

like many, i found myself looking for structure - something to ground myself. weightlifting gave me that… and so much more.

that was my first glimpse into the power of habit: how discipline, stacked day by day, quietly builds something real.

confidence isn’t something you’re born with.
it’s something you earn, by keeping the promises you make to yourself.

Lifting During Covid(when i first got serious about lifting; i was working up towards a pull up in the first picture, and coincidentally wearing the same outfit in the second - talk about sustainability!)

after graduation, i entered my bridge year at an orthopedic hospital. again, i loved the science. the intimacy of care. the privilege of hearing people’s stories.

i was in awe of the clinicians i worked with: their commitment, their stamina, their compassion.

Working at an Orthopedic Hospital(i learnt so much about the incredible anatomy of the hips and knees; i interacted with so many of the kindest elderly patients, whose stories i will forever remember!)

but i also began zooming out: i was drawn to systems. how is healthcare delivered? who gets left behind? what drives long-term change? where does innovation come into play?

so, i pivoted.

from hospital to boardroom [2023-2025]

at kpmg, i entered the world of healthcare and life sciences strategy consulting - advising on biotech product strategy, public health delivery models, and capability building for digital transformation. i was exposed to a wide range of business and bold ideas. it was fast, intense, and incredibly formative.

i learned how to:

  • break down complexity.
  • pressure-test ideas.
  • balance long-term vision with short-term constraints.
  • systematically build capabilities for businesses.
  • build from first principles - and then scale it responsibly.

these skills were transferable: i just didn’t know where they’d take me yet.

Kpmg Whitepaper Full Circle(this was such a full-circle moment for me: i had attended this conference in my first week at the company [baby me, pictured on the left], and a year later, i helped author the headlining thought leadership piece [not-so baby me, pictured on the right]!)

a new understanding of wellness [2025]

by this time, lifting had become more than a hobby: it was an anchor. i felt so passionately about the difference that strength training had made in my life, in the last 5 years. in april, i got my nasm personal fitness trainer certificate and started coaching women on strength, nutrition, and health literacy. 

Becoming a NASM PT(i feel so incredibly grateful to get to help clients experience the same kind of transformation that i did: not just physically, but also emotionally, psychologically, and even - spiritually!)

i also started exploring wellness more holistically: diving into ancient healing systems, ayurvedic nutrition, hormonal health, sleep hygiene, and the gut-brain connection. i cleaned up my sleep, my food, my skincare, my supplements, even my screen time. 

i became deeply intentional about what i was putting in and on my body. phthalates, bisphenols, pfas, and pesticides… i wanted to learn about it all, so i could protect myself and the people around me!

Healthy Eating Collage 1

Healthy Eating Collage 2(anyone who knows me, knows that i take breakfast very seriously - making a nourishing meal in the morning, is one of my favorite forms of self-care: it helps me practice being more present before i start my day!)

the moment everything changed [2025]

one day, while getting ready for the gym, i was rummaging through my closet and reached for a set i’d probably worn a hundred times. for whatever reason, i glanced at the tag of my sports bra. though most of the ink had worn out, i could just barely make out: 

polyester. nylon. elastane. 

i recognised those. petroleum-derived. microplastic-laced. hormone-disrupting.

the kind of thing i’d stopped putting on my plate and in my personal care products…
but was still apparently putting on my skin - again, little to my knowledge.

that moment hit hard.

“do people know that we're all effectively exercising in a plastic bag?"
and then: "if this doesn’t exist yet… build it.”

but why now?

i’ve always been fascinated by the world of business: founders, strategy, big ideas that start small.
but honestly, i didn’t grow up thinking i’d start a company.

i assumed i just wasn’t “the type.”
get good grades. choose something stable. work my way up the corporate ladder. play it “safe.”

even when that quiet itch for something more would show up, i brushed it off.

  • was i just running from structure?
  • was i romanticizing the idea of building something of my own?
  • if i were really cut out for this, wouldn’t i have done it already?
  • was i just bored? naive? delusional???

eventually, i started reframing these questions:

  • what if i wasn’t running from structure: but building one that worked better for me?
  • what if this dream wasn’t naive - just early-stage?
  • what if I haven’t done it yet… because i was busy collecting the tools to do it well?
  • what if I’m not delusional - just willing to believe in a future that hasn’t been built yet?

looking back, the timing aligned perfectly:
i’d just started doing long-distance. my lease at my old apartment was ending. i knew i wasn’t happy in consulting anymore. i felt something deep in my bones - almost like the universe was clearing the path and re-aligning. (i’m very woo-woo like that).

time for another pivot!

build with me

this brand draws on everything i’ve lived:
a love for science. a training ground in consulting. a decade-long wellness journey.
a conviction that we deserve better: from what we wear to how we live.

i’m obsessed with getting this right.

Bts of Building a Business 1

Bts of Building a Business 2(some exciting sneak peaks of the behind-the-scenes; leveraging my network, finalising tech packs, talking to vendors, and having the flexibility to work under the sun! super exciting stuff!)

if you’ve made it this far: thank you.

whether you’ve been on a similar journey, or this is your first time thinking about what’s in your leggings, i’m so honored you’re here.

there’s more to come.

but for now, i’ll leave you with this:

build slow.
build brave.
build with habit!