MBA, BEng

As a former corporate executive, now business coach and owner of her own small business, Shivani Gupta is well qualified for the role of helping the four start-up businesses.

By her mid 20's Shivani had an MBA and was working as a senior executive with BHP Billiton. After a life-changing trip to Nepal in 2001, she left the corporate world. That journey from corporate warrior to business butterfly is documented in her new book Passion @ Work.

Shivani Gupta thoroughly enjoyed hosting Risking It All. While she has worked with more than 100 top Australian companies and with Government, Shivani's passion is coaching small businesses and women, to bring out their passion and to help them to grow.

"I tried to provide our business owners with simple, practical, advice on what they needed to do to drive success," Shivani said.

"Having passion and creativity is a great start, but it is not all you need to run a successful business."

"To help them to work out their unique selling proposition, I really needed to get in and understand their business. That's why in the show you see me getting my hair cut and learning how to make crepes," she said.

"They were a fabulous group of people and making the show was a lot of fun."

As well as being an author and the managing director of her business Passion@People Pty Ltd, Shivani is also a sought after speaker. She also presents a transformation for women in business workshop.

In addition to her MBA, Shivani holds a Bachelor or Engineering (Electrical and Electronic), is a Certified Business and Executive Coach, a Member Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Member Australian Institute of Management - Certified Professional Manager. She has won numerous awards including Telstra Young Business Woman of the Year and Achiever of the Year for Enterprising Women.

Shivani migrated with her family from India to Australia in 1983 as an 11 year old. She grew up in Whyalla, South Australia. Despite a population of just 28,000 people Whyalla had about 50 nationalities living in the town at that time. Shivani spent most of her early career working in South Australia. She completed her MBA through the International Graduate School of Management.

Shivani is proud of her Indian heritage and speaks fluent Hindi and Punjabi. Her parents still live in South Australia. Shivani followed in her dad's footsteps by becoming and engineer. Her love of fine food and cooking is inherited from her mum who is an Indian chef and still conducts Indian cooking classes.

The 35 year old is now based in Newcastle, NSW.

For more information about Shivani and Passion@Work visit www.shivani.com.au