How I Got Here: Janita Singh
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Admit it, we’ve all been there – stalking social media and LinkedIn profiles, trying desperately to figure out how the hell someone got their dream job.
It seems impossible and yet there they are, living out your career fantasy (minus the itchy business suit). It might seem hard to believe, but once upon a time, they were also fantasising about their future career, and with some hard work, they made it.
Welcome to How I Got Here, HerCanberra’s series that reveals everything you want to know about the secrets of career success. This week, Janita Singh shares her fascinating journey from Fiji to Canberra and how a clinical pharmacist now finds herself running a hospitality business!
Existential crisis time: Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Janita Singh, a daughter, granddaughter, sister, friend, healthcare professional and a businesswoman. I wear many titles, but beneath it all I’m simply a young woman who loves life, is deeply grateful for her journey, and is driven by a passion for people.
By day, I’m a clinical pharmacist, shaping safe, effective care for patients. By night (and weekends), I’m a co-owner of Mezze Mezze at Verity Lane, where we bring the rich flavours of Turkish-Mediterranean cuisine to Canberra.
I’m also a lover of books, gardening, and classical Indian dancer (currently a Kathak student). Most of all, I’m someone who finds joy in connection, whether that’s helping a patient heal, sharing a laugh with a customer, or dancing to the rhythm of life.
Pharmacy is my profession, food is my passion, and people are my purpose.”
Let’s go back to when you were a kid, have you always dreamed of working in this industry?
I grew up in Fiji, where healthcare was under-resourced and fragile at best. We didn’t have much growing up, my mum lost her job, then my dad lost his and I recall, my mum always said: “Get a job in the medical field, you will never be jobless.”
That stuck with me. I loved the idea of helping others, and pharmacy became my way of giving back.
As for hospitality? That was an unexpected blessing. I never chose hospitality, it chose me through my love for people.
I never thought I’d co-own a restaurant, but Mezze Mezze has become a joyful extension of who I am. I love people, I love good food, and I love seeing smiles across the table. Whether in healthcare or hospitality, the mission is the same: connection, service, and care.
Tell us about when you were first starting out, what set a fire in your belly to get here and how did you do it?
For some people, “starting out” begins at 21. For me, it began in primary school.
My mum, Rohini, would point to Natabua High School in Lautoka (my hometown), the best in town and say: “That’s where you need to go if you want a good future.” My sister Ronita and I both made it there.
She rose to deputy head girl and cadet parade leader; I became Company Second-in-Command. Those cadet years taught us discipline, resilience, and leadership, lessons that shaped not only our studies but the way we approach every challenge in life.
My dream was medicine, but scholarships for ethnic Fijians were scarce and private tuition was out of reach. Pharmacy became my path not because it was easy, but because my mother had the courage to believe it was possible. With no clear idea how she’d raise the $9,000 FJD in annual tuition plus living costs, she pushed me to start. My dad, Dinesh, later joined her in that fight. Their faith became my fire.
I even turned down a scholarship in civil engineering, not because it wasn’t practical, but because it wasn’t my passion. That decision taught me an early truth: Never sacrifice purpose for convenience.
After graduating from Fiji School of Medicine, I arrived in Canberra with a suitcase full of books, $200 in my pocket, and a heart full of faith.
But my degree wasn’t recognised. I became the first international graduate to push through the system without being registered in my home country. Refused at first, I kept appealing until the Pharmacy Board of Australia created a whole new pathway, not just for me, but for every candidate who came after me. Years later, I would return to the same establishment, this time not as a struggling candidate, but as a professional helping shape the very exams I once fought to sit.
Life, of course, had more in store. In Canberra, I also met my fiancé, Oguzhan, a data analyst turned chef, whose passion for Turkish-Mediterranean food and Southern Turkish heritage lit another fire in me. Together, we opened Mezze Mezze at Verity Lane. For us, food isn’t just food, it’s culture, connection, and care.
Just like in healthcare, it’s about nourishing people and helping them leave better than they arrived.
Recall a time when you wanted to chuck it all in; what did you tell yourself when it got too hard?
My first Canberra winter broke me. I had no car, and I was walking 5 km home from work when it began to snow. I was freezing, exhausted, and utterly defeated. I wanted to give up.
But then I thought of my mum and my grandma, women who had less opportunity and more hardship, yet never quit. I told myself: If they could do it with less, I can do it with more.
That mantra kept me going then, and it keeps me going now.
What was your biggest break?
My permanent residency visa. That visa wasn’t just a piece of paper, it was the key to my future.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
“Hold on to faith, even when logic fails you.”
That’s what my mum taught me, not in words, but in action. She never had all the answers, but she had faith that things would work out. And they always did.
What is it about your industry that you love, and what makes you want to pull your hair out?
In healthcare, I love the patients. Seeing them smile, recover, and leave the hospital better than they arrived, that’s priceless.
The system, though? All the red tape, delays, and inefficiencies, let’s just say it tests me!
In hospitality, I love our customers. Their joy, their feedback, their laughter around a table makes it all worthwhile. The challenge? Running a small business means being everything at once, the cleaner, the marketer, the admin team. But every happy customer makes it worth it.
Whether in a hospital ward or at a table, seeing someone leave happier than they arrived is my greatest reward.
Tell us how you ‘stay in the know’, what media do you consume?
I read widely, follow the news, scroll Instagram, and stay connected with professional bodies. But honestly? My best knowledge comes from people. I talk, I listen, I share. I’m a people person, and conversations keep me sharp.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
In five years, I want to be the pharmacist who shapes healthcare and the businesswoman who feeds the community!
I see myself as a leader in clinical pharmacy, someone who mentors others, advocates for better patient care, and contributes to shaping efficient healthcare systems.
And I see Mezze Mezze thriving, not just as a restaurant, but as a community hub where people gather, connect, and share culture through food.
Why should people follow in your footsteps?
Don’t follow in my footsteps, create your own. All I hope is that people follow their dreams with intention. Set your goals, set your intentions, and move toward them little by little.
We go to bed each night with no guarantee of waking up, but we still make plans. So why not make plans for your dream future too? Life gives no guarantees, but that’s no reason to stop dreaming. Follow your purpose, that’s where the magic begins.
What advice would you give your past self?
Go easy on yourself, baby girl, the weight of the world isn’t on your shoulders. Breathe, meditate, move your body, and trust the process.
Everything happens for a reason and in its own time, just keep showing up. Consistency is louder than perfection.
