Priyanka Khanna: Building a Legacy of Creativity and Resilience
Priyanka Khanna is the founder of Krafty Hands and a dedicated advocate for female entrepreneurship. Based in Long Island, her company has grown from a local community hub into a franchising model aimed at empowering women. She has a background in healthcare and business, having graduated from Stony Brook and worked at Northwell Hospital before pivoting to entrepreneurship. Her journey is defined by a deep commitment to community service, resilience in the face of crises like the pandemic, and a practical approach to work-life balance. For her steadfast leadership and vision for women’s financial independence, The Influential Today Magazine is proud to feature Priyanka Khanna as The Most Influential Woman Leader to Watch in 2026.
The Foundation of Work Ethic
The story of a leader often begins long before their first business is registered or their first dollar of profit is made. For Priyanka, the seeds of entrepreneurship were sown in her teenage years. Unlike many who view their youth as a time solely for leisure, she was immersed in the realities of earning a living from a young age.
“I have been working since the age of 15,” Priyanka shares, reflecting on her formative years. This was not a matter of necessity born of desperation, but a deliberate lesson instilled by her parents. They were adamant that their children understand the value of money and, more importantly, the effort required to earn it. This early exposure to the workforce did more than just provide pocket money; it forged an identity. It created a mindset where productivity and contribution were central to her sense of self.
This work ethic became a defining trait, one that would eventually clash with societal expectations of motherhood. When Priyanka had her daughter, she found herself at a crossroads common to many professional women. Her husband, supportive and well-intentioned, offered her the opportunity to stay at home and enjoy the time with their new baby. On the surface, it was an ideal scenario—a break from the grind and a chance to focus entirely on family. “I loved the idea,” she admits. “Who knows, somewhere I needed that break?”
However, the reality of stepping away from the workforce was different from the fantasy. The stillness of staying at home stood in sharp contrast to the momentum she had built since she was fifteen. “Now that I had free time, I soon realized that I had always been working and just couldn’t stay at home,” she explains. The break, while perhaps physically necessary, was mentally restless. It became clear that her journey wasn’t about choosing between family and work, but about finding a vehicle for her ambition that could coexist with her new life as a mother.
From Healthcare to Handicrafts
Priyanka’s professional background was not originally in the arts. After graduating from Stony Brook, she entered the healthcare sector, working for Northwell Hospital. It was a stable, respectable career path, but underneath the surface, there was a dormant legacy waiting to emerge.
“I belong to a business family and grew up seeing my mom and dad running their respective businesses,” she says. The rhythms of entrepreneurship—the risks, the management, the independence—were part of her upbringing. She had always harbored a desire to own and run her own business, but as often happens, “life had other plans,” leading her first into healthcare.
The catalyst for change was, paradoxically, the very challenge of balancing motherhood with a rigid career. Returning to Northwell after her daughter was born proved to be “the hardest choice.” The desire to be present for her child conflicted with the demands of a hospital job. Yet, the desire to work remained. This tension created the space for a new idea.
Priyanka had always been fascinated with arts, crafts, and creativity. As a teen and college student, she had painted and engaged in all kinds of craft projects. It was a natural inclination, a passion that had been sidelined for a more traditional career. Now, looking for a way to merge her need for professional activity with her passion for creativity, the concept of Krafty Hands was born. It was designed to be a sanctuary—a place where “one’s creativity can run wild, and children are given a safe, screen-free place to express themselves.”
The Crucible of COVID-19
Every business faces challenges, from demanding customers to the logistics of decorating a space. Priyanka describes these daily hurdles as “curve balls” that one must wake up and deal with. However, the true test of her leadership came with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic.
For a business built on physical presence—on children coming together in a shared space to create—the pandemic was an existential threat. “I remember that day like it was yesterday,” Priyanka recalls. The sudden closure of everything hit small businesses with devastating force. Krafty Hands had to close its doors, cutting off its primary revenue stream and its connection to the customers.
In this moment of crisis, Priyanka chose not to retreat but to pivot. If the children could not come to the studio, the studio would go to the children. She and her team decided to offer craft kits for kids who were stuck at home, desperate for engagement and distraction.
This was not a passive operation. Priyanka took personal responsibility for the execution. “I used to drive around all of Long Island and delivered craft kits,” she says. This image—of a business owner driving through a locked-down world to deliver boxes of creativity—speaks volumes about her dedication. It was a move that saved the business, but it also revealed something profound about her relationship with her customers.
“You know they say that you know who truly is by your side when the times are tough,” she reflects. The community response was overwhelming. Everyone ordered kits. The support went beyond mere commerce; it was an act of solidarity. Some customers even paid extra, explicitly stating they just wanted Krafty Hands to remain open. This period, while terrifying for many business owners, cemented the bond between Priyanka and her local area. “I am forever grateful for the love and the support of the community.”
A Community-Centric Philosophy
The survival of Krafty Hands during the pandemic was not an accident; it was the dividend of years of relationship building. Priyanka had always operated with the philosophy that business is a byproduct of relationships. “Krafty Hands has forever been and will always be a place for the community,” she asserts.
This is not just marketing language. It is operationalized in how she runs the company. She was taught early on that if you build relationships, the business will follow. Consequently, Krafty Hands became more than a shop; it became a gathering place. Community members would come in just to ask if they could host gatherings at the craft studio, viewing it as a shared local asset rather than just a commercial entity.
Priyanka believes deeply in the reciprocity of this relationship. “We are only as much as our community loves and supports us,” she notes. As a trusted member of that ecosystem, she ensures that the business gives back. Krafty Hands is a regular donor to local PTAs, schools, temples, and churches. This circular flow of support—from the business to the institutions that anchor the community, and from the community back to the business—has created a resilient foundation that allowed the company to weather storms that shuttered others.
Franchising as a Vehicle for Empowerment
In 2022, Priyanka made the decision to franchise Krafty Hands. This decision was driven by ambition, but also by a specific social vision. She didn’t just want to expand the brand; she wanted to replicate the freedom she had found.
“I had a vision for this company, that we should be able to empower women and teach them financial independence,” she explains. While she acknowledges her own privilege in having a supportive husband and family, she is acutely aware that “that’s not the case for many.”
For Priyanka, financial independence is not just about money; it is about agency and modeling behavior for the next generation. She believes that children are constantly watching and learning how to deal with life’s situations through their parents. By seeing their mothers run businesses and manage finances, children learn resilience and capability.
The execution of this vision has been incredibly validating. “I was so happy when our first franchisee was a woman and all subsequent franchisees were also women,” she shares. Watching her vision of female empowerment materialize, one franchise at a time, has been a highlight of her journey. It has transformed Krafty Hands from a local studio into a platform for women to take control of their economic destinies.
The Myth of Balance and the Art of Juggling
As a mother and a business owner, Priyanka is often asked the inevitable question about work-life balance. Her answer is refreshing and grounded in reality, drawing inspiration from former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi.
“Indira Nooyi once said that there is nothing called balance, at best you can juggle all the priorities,” Priyanka quotes. She rejects the term “balance” because it implies a static state of perfection that simply doesn’t exist. “I didn’t balance them because there was no time for it but we juggle well,” she says.
She views women as “super people” precisely because they manage to make it all work despite the impossibility of true balance. Her personal strategy relies heavily on prioritization and delegation. “I know what my priorities are, and everything else can be delegated or can be taken care of after the important stuff,” she explains. She describes this ability not as a magic trick, but as an “art and a talent” that is honed through the experience of running a business. It requires the humility to know one cannot do it all alone and the wisdom to know what truly requires immediate attention.
Guidance for Future Leaders
For other women looking to follow in her footsteps, Priyanka’s advice is practical and reassuring. She knows the anxiety that comes with starting a venture, but she insists on a mindset of solvability.
“I will always tell them to take a deep breath,” she advises. “I promise nothing in this world is not fixable.” This perspective—that problems are temporary and solvable—is crucial for enduring the rollercoaster of entrepreneurship. It requires the “desire and the ability to think outside the box,” as she did during the pandemic.
Furthermore, she cautions against the “superwoman” trap of trying to do everything alone. “Try not to do everything, there is no harm in asking for help,” she urges. She encourages women to look to their “village” for support. In her view, asking for help is “a sign of strength and not weakness.” It demonstrates the self-awareness to know one’s limits and the resourcefulness to bridge the gap. “I promise you there will be more support out there than you think,” she says, speaking from the experience of a woman who saw her community rally around her when she needed it most.
Looking Toward 2026
As she looks toward 2026, Priyanka is not slowing down. The future of Krafty Hands is one of expansion and deepening impact. “We are excited about the growth and to be bringing it to the new cities,” she says.
However, the growth is not just about adding locations on a map. It is about the mission behind the franchise. She views the expansion as a “movement to make more women independent.” Her goal is to see women achieve independence “not just financially but in every aspect” of their lives. Each new city represents a new opportunity to give a woman the keys to her own business and, by extension, her own future.
The Chapters of a Beautiful Book
Priyanka’s journey is summarized best by the life lessons she holds dear. She resonates with the reality that strength and vulnerability can coexist. “Sometimes Strong Women feel weak. But they have a good cry, get up again, and face a new day,” she shares.
She also lives by a rhyme that encapsulates her resilience: “Mirror mirror on the wall, I’ll always get up after I fall. And whether I run, walk or have to crawl, I’ll set my goals and achieve them all.”
These quotes are not just slogans to her; they define her character. “I am not saying that I am too strong to cry or to feel weak,” she clarifies. “But I am strong enough that after I have a good cry I will get up again.” Whether she is running, walking, or crawling, the forward momentum never stops.
For Priyanka, life is a “beautiful book,” and the struggles, the pandemic pivots, the late nights, and the hard choices are simply chapters that teach the necessary lessons. As she moves into 2026, she continues to write a story of strength, community, and unwavering resilience, inviting women everywhere to pick up the pen and write their own chapters of independence.
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