The strength of a woman
Women entrepreneurs shared some of the best practices at a convention
The IACC Women’s Business Council held recently bore testimony to the fact that women have arrived on the scene.
Women entrepreneurs, who have made it big in the industry, shared some of the best practices and their success stories with the budding woman entrepreneurs of the City.
Uma Reddy, the managing editor of Hi-Tech Magnetic and Electronic Pvt Ltd, said that the perception about women entrepreneurs was very different when she started out.
“People could not imagine a woman managing a company. People are still very hesitant to place big orders when they see a woman entrepreneur. They think we cannot handle it. So they give us a small order and check our capability first. Every time, this challenge is there to overcome,” she said.
She informed the young entrepreneurs that there is no flexibility in starting out on your own and there is no free time.
The entrepreneurs said that the challenges for men and women are almost the same and it is more about juggling your professional as well as family life.
Revathi Kasturi, who is the founder and CEO of Laqsh Job Skills Academy, said that more young people are taking the plunge today.
“There is no right time. Whenever you feel you are ready, you can start your own venture. The scenario in the country has changed in the past decade and there are people who are successful even in the non-traditional industries. There are so many single women now,” she explained.
She also said that entrepreneurship is all about continuing and running and young entrepreneurs should not think about flexibility and having their own time initially. Shukla Bose, who is a social entrepreneur and the CEO of Parikrma Humanity Foundation, identified her calling to help children and impart education to them.
All this was after a long stint with corporates.
“I got into social entrepreneurship as it was my calling. I had saved some money up and started out from my kitchen table. In the 26 years of my corporate stint, I critiqued on how many people needed to be there to help others and finally took the plunge,” she said.
In 2003, she began Parikrma with 165 children on the roof top of a slum. “Bangalore has 800 slums and 2.5 million children live in abject poverty. We try and hone the skills of the children. We not only impart education but also identify their talents and train them in that direction,” she summed up.
