From Newsroom to Bar Sogo: Divashri’s Soulful Entrepreneur Leap

An Exclusive Interview with Divashri, ex-journalist, a full time woman entrepreneur & founder of Bar Sogo – A soulful bar and kitchen

From chasing headlines to pouring soulful drinks, Divashri—ex-journalist and trailblazing woman entrepreneur—founded Bar Sogo, a cozy bar and kitchen. In this interview, she shares her bold career pivot, vision for heartfelt hospitality, and empowering women in business.

Divashri, transitioning from journalism to owning Bar Sogo- what sparked this bold move into Goa’s hospitality world?

Divashri: Honestly, it didn’t start as a bold move—it was just where life happened. My husband is half Goan, and started his business in Goa so once we got married, moving here was the only logical thing to do. But that was 12 years ago – and South Goa wasn’t what it looks like today!

It was slower and quieter than anything I had ever experienced, born and raised in Delhi, worked in Mumbai for a decade! But this was a major reboot. There was no grand plan beyond wanting to slow things down and raise a family here.

Hospitality came much later, almost sideways. Post-Covid, we found ourselves leaning into what we already loved—food, hosting, long conversations around a table—and that became our bakery and café. It was very new to our ecosystem and our skill set – but that space gave us confidence – a quiet, this-could-work sort of feeling.

Coming from journalism, I’d spent years on the other side of the table—eating, observing, travelling, writing about food and culture and how deeply they shape people.

So when we decided to expand into something more elevated, I wasn’t thinking like an operator first. I was the customer. What would I want to walk into? What kind of place would I return to without needing a reason?

Bar Sogo came from that instinct. It wasn’t about switching careers as much as connecting the dots—between storytelling, food, travel, and my need to create spaces where people actually want to linger. And showcase and celebrate this little universe of ours.

How does Bar Sogo’s soulful philosophy manifest in its global cuisine and sustainable practices?

Divashri: I’ve realised “soulful” is a dangerous word because it’s very easy to overthink it. For us, it’s not a philosophy pinned on a wall—it’s more a series of gut calls we make every day.

The food isn’t global because we want to show range; it’s global because that’s how we actually eat.

It comes from meals eaten while travelling, conversations with cooks and bartenders, and moments where something just clicked. Like adding miso into a sauce not because it’s trendy, but because it gives depth—and then stopping there instead of overdoing it.

There are things on the menu that seem so basic – like the pesto pasta, but it sells like hotcakes because that’s what guests ask for – its comfort and wholesome and we’re thrilled to give them something they can enjoy. That’s an association worth holding on to.

Sustainability is similar. It doesn’t come in as a blurb – It’s mostly common sense. Source locally when it makes sense, don’t force it when it doesn’t.

Design menus that evolve slowly so we’re not constantly throwing things out. Waste irritates me—financially and morally—so we try not to create it in the first place.

It’s about paying attention—being malleable to change, feedback, and the small deviations that instinctively feel right. That attentiveness naturally leads to better choices, less excess, and more care. Sustainability isn’t something we add on—it’s what happens when you stop bulldozing concepts and just lean into what works.

In Varca, how do you curate a space that feels both intimate and innovative?

Divashri: Varca has changed a lot in the last decade. What was once quiet, rural, and fairly insulated now has movement—new residents, returning Goans, outsiders passing through, more energy in the air. We wanted the space to reflect that shift.

Not by competing with what’s around it, but by elevating it—by creating a place that feels like both an oasis and a perch.

Bar Sogo is designed so you can sit slightly apart, look out, and really observe the village. The windows frame the outdoors instead of shutting it out. The interior is expansive, but it never feels cold or isolating—it mirrors the openness outside while still pulling you in.

The dark blue walls come from the night sky here. The first time I came here, when it was all still a jungle, if you looked up in the sky – on a clear night it was spangled with stars, with barely any light pollution. It was mesmerizing and I wanted to hold on to that feeling.

The birds on the walls are there because if you look up, you’ll still see flocks moving across the sky. Intimacy comes from how all of that is held together. Lighting that catches you at the right moment.

A warm bar that anchors the room. Community seating that encourages overlap, and an upstairs space with couches that lets people settle in and stay. You can be in your own world, without feeling cut off from everything else.

Innovation, for me, is when all of this works quietly. The space shifts through the evening without announcing itself. Early on, it feels warm, sunny and inviting, and the night closes in, the room does too – but gently.

What challenges have you navigated as a woman leading in male-dominated hospitality, and how did they shape you?

Divashri: Early on, I thought I needed to prove myself constantly—know more, speak numbers, work longer hours, be amiable and make allowances to be accepted. It took me a while to realise that I was just burning energy in the wrong places.

Hospitality, especially bars, still comes with assumptions. I’ve been mistaken for marketing, PR, or someone “helping out”. I’ve had suppliers explain my own business back to me. I’ve watched questions directed at the nearest man in the room, being called the ‘owners wife’.

Certain staff too – respond better to male managers than take something up with me. It can be incredibly frustrating – dealing with egos and positioning and perceptions.

At some point, I stopped correcting people immediately. I let consistency do the talking. Menus that worked. Teams that stayed. Decisions that held up under pressure. Those who couldn’t handle it, made their way out and were replaced by people who are here to enjoy the work.

What it gave me—eventually—was clarity. I don’t over-explain anymore. I don’t soften decisions to make them easier to swallow. Authority doesn’t need theatrics.

Initially it used to feel like a boys club, even within the industry. One isn’t always available at all hours and times and places, especially as a mother of young kids, its hard to put in the late hours – but that’s really not what keeps things moving. Consistency – just showing up do what needs to done. The rest takes care of itself.

What’s your vision for Bar Sogo amid growing demand for conscious dining?

Divashri: I think conscious dining is well-intentioned—and also a little confused right now. Everyone wants to do the right thing, but not everything needs a sermon/ vision/ intention. My vision for Sogo isn’t to become a learning experience.

You shouldn’t feel like you’re being educated while ordering a drink. Or creating a forced experience that doesn’t feel genuine. No overthinking this –

It’s just about alignment. What we say behind the scenes needs to match what lands on the table. That means making choices that hold up long-term—for our team, our sourcing, and the way the business actually runs.

If we do it right, guests won’t describe Sogo as “ethical” or “sustainable”. They’ll just say it feels honest and comforting. And honestly, that’s the only compliment I care about.

Advice for women entrepreneurs eyeing Goa’s hospitality scene

Divashri: From hard earned experience – first and foremost – one needs to be very clear on why they’re doing this. Goa has enough pretty spaces. What it doesn’t have enough of is consistency.

Hospitality looks very romantic until you’re dealing with staffing, supply chains, seasonality, and people who think running a bar is just vibes and playlists. It’s not. It’s operations, repetition, and showing up even when it’s deeply unglamorous.

Even those who say they know F&B is a tough business and still want to head this way – I don’t think you ever can truly estimate what this feels like until you’re in it.

My learned experience says – learn your numbers before your narrative. If P&L doesn’t land, everything else is useless. Spend more time on systems than aesthetics. Choose partners carefully—misalignment costs more than bad luck. And don’t rush to open.

Goa remembers who stayed, not who arrived loudly. Also—and this is important—protect your joy. And this is a truly a hard one – amidst the chaos – but if you lose that, the industry will chew you up without even noticing.

Divashri’s journey proves journalism grit fuels entrepreneurial fire at Bar Sogo. “It’s about soulful connections over great food and drinks,” she says. Her story inspires aspiring founders—visit Bar Sogo for a taste of her resilient spirit.

Read more Success stories of Indian entrepreneurs, Women Entrepreneurs & startups stories at SugerMint. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn