Gudiya Patel Co-founder and Managing Director, PHI Clinic

Gudiya Patel

Co-founder and Managing Director, PHI Clinic

Tell us about your career journey so far – was there a defining moment or decision that set you on this path?

My path wasn’t planned; it simply unfolded. I initially trained as a lawyer, never intending to go into business. But life had other plans, and I co-founded a medical aesthetics clinic – PHI Clinic. Years later, I faced personal health challenges that changed everything, and I began studying nutrition to help myself.

It was this unassuming journey that led me deeper into the mind-body connection and I went on to train in coaching and breath work. I started integrating wellness into the PHI Clinic offering and quickly realised that wellness was the missing piece in a patient’s overall health and aesthetic journey.

Reflecting on your career to date, which success has meant the most to you, personally or professionally?

Starting the first of the Just Be… Retreats will always be one of the most meaningful milestones. Creating a space where people could rest, reconnect and feel recharged was incredibly fulfilling. To know that it made a difference, even in a small way, meant everything to me, both personally and professionally.

What unique strengths or opportunities do you think women bring to business

Women bring an unspoken strength and a deep resilience. We lead with empathy, but also with clarity, and there’s something uniquely powerful in the way women balance emotional intelligence with business acumen. Some of the most cohesive and high-performing teams I’ve worked with have been rooted in this empathy and clarity. Women are exceptional leaders, often without realising it.

Women bring an unspoken strength and a deep resilience. We lead with empathy, but also with clarity

Who are the women who have influenced your thinking or supported your growth, and how have they impacted you?

Luckily for me, I have not had to look far for inspiration as I’ve been surrounded by remarkable women all my life. On a personal level, my strong mother and my two determined and innovative daughters. Professionally, I’ve worked in a predominantly female-led industry, from clinicians and nurses to therapists and admin teams. Every woman I’ve worked with, past and present, has contributed to my journey in some way through their insight, resilience, and generosity of spirit.

Could you share a setback or challenge that turned out to be valuable for your career or personal development?

My health challenges, without question. At the time, they felt like a roadblock, but they turned out to be hugely directional.

That period forced me to slow down and reassess what truly mattered and led me into holistic health and wellness education, and ultimately allowed me to expand my business. Integrating wellness into our offering and eventually launching retreats came directly from that experience – proof that setbacks can sometimes be your greatest redirection.

What have you learned about how to achieve balance between work and home?

For many years, I operated under the assumption that success was directly linked to being always available and constantly doing something. It’s a mindset that’s often reinforced in fast-paced industries and especially if you own your own business, like I do. It definitely drives short-term results but it’s unsustainable in the long term and the cost is often at the expense of our health, relationships and our performance.

It took a significant health challenge for me to re-evaluate that belief system, and to realise that constantly striving to do everything was not a marker of success, but of imbalance. Real leadership, whether in business or life, requires clarity, energy and perspective and that only comes when you intentionally create space for rest, reflection and boundaries.

Today, I lead and work differently. I no longer see immediate responsiveness or over-performance as badges of honour. Instead, I value intentionality – being fully present when it matters and giving myself permission to step back when I can. Balance isn’t a fixed destination it’s an ongoing discipline, and one that I continue to work on every day.

What do you wish you’d known when you started out?

If I could go back 15 years in time, I would tell myself that failure isn’t the opposite of success, it’s part of the journey. Every obstacle has taught me something important. I’ve learned that both the highs and the lows are valuable, and often what feels like a failure is usually a detour to something even better than you imagined.

Looking ahead, what does the next chapter hold for you?

Right now, I’m focused on growing Wellness with Gudiya and the Just Be… Retreats within PHI Clinic, an integrated, deeply personalised approach to health that brings together aesthetics, nutrition, coaching, and wellness retreats. It’s a space where science meets soul. Also, as I have recently been appointed brand ambassador and key opinion leader for JetPeel and W-Wellness – both roles have opened up the opportunity to integrate wellness and Ayurveda within PHI Clinic. I’m proud of what we’ve created and excited to take this offering to a wider, even global, audience.