My Journey as a Woman Entrepreneur in India – succeeding with some help along the way

By Shilpa Datar, Founder, Swayam India

As a woman who was married at a young age into a conservative family by arranged marriage, starting my own business felt like a miraculous life-time achievement. In my community, it is frowned upon in unwritten, bold lettering for a woman to do anything other than look after the home.  After coming so far as to get my degree and start the process of setting up my business, I found myself faced with crisis after crisis, software glitches putting a hold on progress, and difficulties with suppliers dismissing me as “just a housewife” wanting to “play business.” I felt defeated, mentally and physically, and knew I needed support.

I got the idea for my business while taking my Masters in Psychology through distance learning, as I knew I would not be able, nor allowed, to attend full-time college. I was working with special-needs kids and realized there was a huge gap in treating them. In India, we did not have psychometric scales to assess children before middle school. However, if problems are identified early, measures can be introduced to ensure kids are able to adapt and learn. I decided, after many wrong turns and lots of time spent in thinking and doing, to assess human personality from an Indian perspective.  I felt it was more holistic and well-rounded, and would give me a complete picture as compared to western methods.

I developed scales to assess personality, taking into account the physical, psychological, and spiritual aspects, namely the Tridoshas and Trigunas.  I had to standardize the tests on a sample of 1,200 people. If I did this manually, it would take a minimum of one week/person to analyze.  I realized that I needed software to do this or I’d spend the next 10 years of my life doing the analysis! I identified a software development company to help me, but this is when the real challenges started.  It took nearly two years for them to deliver a product, which collapsed time and again when people took the tests.

At this point, a friend told me about a network that helped women entrepreneurs through mentoring over the internet. I jumped at the opportunity and applied to join. Shortly afterwards, I was connected to a mentor who is an IT specialist. I was wary of starting this relationship given the most recent fiasco in my professional life. Like in any other relationship, there is a certain amount of give and take, and a need for genuine warmth and interest in each other’s lives.

This was a perfect match.  From the word “go”, I felt a rapport with my mentor and was able to discuss the problems I was facing. I got her unbiased opinion and advice on how to handle them, and on the ins and outs of doing business as a woman! We focused on software development; why the company I hired was unable to process my work; whether to go to some other person for the development of my system; and which issues needed to be handled as a priority.  My mentor’s ideas also opened up a different business segment I had hitherto not considered.

I can now confidently say that I have a product out in the market which is competitive.  The issues with my software development and more have been sorted out with lots of help and support from my mentor and the Mentoring Women in Business community.  The tests are now online and I have developed a software/algorithm to do the analysis within a few minutes.  I have applied for a patent for the software, revised my business plan, and published my work in peer-reviewed, scientific journals.  Because of my mentor’s advice to tap into different geographical areas and clients, I entered into an MOU with an organization in the US last month.  The final process of marketing and bringing my site on par with other technologically-advanced sites was daunting, but with the help of my mentor I seem to be navigating the pitfalls pretty well! 

I am in constant touch with my mentor through email and Google chat. This gives us space and time to think, and helps me try out ideas and incorporate her suggestions. The blinders that most of us have on are taken off through mentoring. In daily life, you do not want to take another’s opinion if they are too “close to you” or “biased”. The tendency to overlook advice is strong, but in a mentoring relationship, that is not the case. You know you are speaking to an expert who is helping you without bias.  You don’t know them from your circle of family or friends, so you can make mistakes. They have a different take on things, which helps you modify your pitch to suit different needs. Also, this has proved to be a genuine two-way conversation in that my mentor has also used this opportunity for some enthusiastic learning about unfamiliar topics and is happy that this has been an enriching experience for her too.

It was one of the defining moments of my life to reach out and ask for help! The feeling that I am not alone trying to stumble along is indescribable!   It has the added advantage of knowing that someone is not out to take me for a ride and that there is a support system I can depend and fall back on at any point for my professional needs.

Source: http://www.businessfightspoverty.org/profiles/blogs/my-journey-as-a-woman-entrepreneur-in-india-succeeding-with-some

5 Rural Indian Women Entrepreneurs Changing the Picture of India

A major part of the Indian economy still lies in the rural areas and villages of the country. Though a huge mass of people are constantly moving to the urban sectors, development of the villages cannot be neglected. With their excellent managerial and entrepreneurial skills, few Indian women have taken up the duty to raise the standard of living in Indian villages and have been really successful at it.

From establishing rural banks for the labors and workers to generating home based businesses for women, these Indian women have setup benchmarks for the younger generation.Naree.com has compiled a list of exemplary women entrepreneurs who have been doing great work at the rural level.

Read on to know more about the women entrepreneurs who are changing the image of our villages.

1. Ela Bhatt

 Founder of SEWA

Self Employed Women Association (SEWA) founded by Ela along with late Arvind Buch, the then president of Textile Labor Association, is a major role player in empowering employment among rural women in Bihar. The association, setup in 1972, assists the women to buy solar bulbs with loans from SEWA and sell or rent them to families in the villages and towns of Bihar. Recognising her excellent work in the field of microfinance and labor, Ela Bhatt has been awarded the Padmashri, the Padmabhushan as well as the Ramon Magsaysay Award.

2.  Thinlas Chorol

Founder of Ladakhi Women’s Travel Company

Born and brought up in the beautiful valleys of Ladakh, Thinlas is the only Ladakhi woman to be professionally trained in the field of Mountaineering. Thinlas studied in SEMCOL, The Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh. As a guide with Around Ladakh with Students (ALS), Thinlas has been on several mountaineering and expedition trips. With her 2009 found Ladakhi Women’s Travel Company she is trying to attract more and more women to take up mountaineering and allied studies to earn a living.

3. Annie George

Founder of BEDROC

Her organization helps build disaster-resilient, sustainable coastal communities.  Disaster management, Participatory Water Resource Management, and Coastal Vulnerability Mapping are some of the key areas of operations of BEDROC. The main objective of this 2008 registered trust is to leverage experiences of the 2004 Asian tsunami to create community-based, community-owned mechanisms for enhanced disaster response, mitigation and preparedness for coastal communities, as reported at the BEDROC website.

4. Chetna Gala Sinha

Founder of Mann Deshi Mahila Sahakari Bank

Chetna’s foundation established in 1994 governs a regulated co-operative bank that is completely operated by women and serves women customers. The bank was established with help of a group of illiterate women and has now grown into a $562,000 firm by the end of 2011. In collaboration with HSBC, Mann Deshi Bank established the Udyogini Business School in 2007. “There are thousands of girls who drop out of school in Maharashtra every year, and Mann Deshi Udyogini aims at providing vocational training and financial training to these young women to enable them to become entrepreneurs,” reports Naree.com.

5. Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad

Women’s Co-operative Association

The association founded by seven Gujrati housewives is well known for its products launched with the brand name Lijjat. It employs more than 40,000 women and encourages self employment through a number of branches across the country. “The seven women were Jaswantiben Jamnadas Popat, Parvatiben Ramdas Thodani, Ujamben Narandas Kundalia, Banuben. N. Tanna, Laguben Amritlar Gokani, Jayaben V. Vithalani, and one more lady whose name is not known,” reports Naree.com.

Source:http://www.siliconindia.com/news/startups/5-Rural-Indian-Women-Entrepreneurs-Changing-the-Picture-of-India-nid-117959-cid-100.html

Shruti Challa, Pinchd

Shruti Challa is the CEO & Founder of Pinched.Pinchd is a free web-based service that answers the the question “who’s down” to go out. As a member you will be able to see who is down to hangout when you are, toss ideas around for what to do or where to go, and finally see what everyone is up to in one place. See who wants to hangout, figure out what you want to do, and actually make things happen.

Pinchd was designed and built by Amara, Chris, Eric, and Shruti.

YourStory spoke to Shruti about her venture.

1) What is your take on women entrepreneurs?

Women entrepreneurs and innovators are powerful. Statistically, companies started by women are more capitally effiencient and have a higher chance of monetary success. Specifically, in regards to social media or high-tech I believe that women leaders will help influence the direction of technology to acknowledge the needs of women more directly (i.e. privacy, value etc.). With said, women entrepners are rare. One of my ongoing goals is to inspire young women to truly believe in innovation as a career path.

2) What do you think are the emerging trends in social media

One of the emerging trends around social media that I think is interesting is in fact what we are aiming to capture which is future-time or intention driven data. We are familiar with the asyncronous web and real-time data, but no one has successful been able to capture intent.  Basically, not what I am doing right now, but what I may do in the future. Capturing future data is a lot more “monetizable” than real-time data, because people decisions are malleable and can be influenced.

3) Challenges you faced as an entrepreneur

Luckily for me, my parents have always been great supporters of my career decisions, specifically in regards to entreprenuership. Generally when you are Asian descent there seems to be more pressure around pursuing something that is not risky or very systematic (i.e. a doctor or a corporate engineering). So I am very grateful. The major challenges I have faced are around being young and a women of color. With that said, Silicon Valley is an amazing place and to be honest people have been more helpful than anything. In general, my outlook on this is that all challenges can become opportunities.

4) Your strengths

I think my strengths lie in understanding and reading people. I am a firm believer that businesses are successful because of a team’s ability to understand the people they work with and serve (i.e. consumers, partners, investors etc.).

5) Funding , future plans , and growth strategy

We are looking to raise in a couple months and are very excited about the future of Pinchd. Our vision’s horizons are endless and we really believe that whether we are able to become the destination for intention data or it is a competitor, the value is undeniable.

Pinchd is the new name for the venture, before it was called Go Tribal.Read the blog posts about the name change here:

Name Change: http://pinchdblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/pinchd-go-tribal-changes-names.html
Product Change: http://pinchdblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/out-with-old-and-with-newpinchds.html

Source: http://yourstory.in/2010/04/shruti-challa-pinchd/

A kick to safety: Truly “Justice for Women” with self defense classes!

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In the wake of recent developments, empowering women with adequate skills for self protection seems to be the need of the hour. Not all times are women in company of someone helpful, hence, handy techniques that employ the use of handbags, small knives, or smart presence of mind go a long way in assuring one’s protection. Here we have Sakshi Kumar who has started up Justice for Women in order to ensure that women are enabled with the right skills to tackle such situations.

A contemporary story in its own self, Justice For Women was started as a hashtag on Twitter by Sakshi. The Guwahati rape incident had shook her considerably. The feeling of scare, helplessness and frustration looking at the current state of affairs motivated her to do something about it. The goal was to connect with like-minded people who could help her to bring change in the Indian society. The hashtag was picked up on Twitter since the emotion resonated in the hearts of many. “From there on I launched it as a full-fledged campaign to fight for women rights thanks to the support of family, friends in real life and on social media,” says Sakshi.

Sakshi Kumar

The Justice for Women core team comprises of four girls from different cities connected by a common goal and dedication towards the cause. Dr. Anita Hada Sangwan records videos talking about strong issues for the JFW Youtube channel and is an active contributor to the blog. She is also a talk show host for ETV Rajasthan, and a Treasurer and founding member of an NGO named Prem Mandir Sansthan, which works for the cause of women empowerment and education.  Ankita Garg handles the JFW workshop organization, Marketing, PR and contributes to the blog. Also, she is the Strategy and Marketing Head at a startup company called “Cardback”.  Zena Costa handles the JFW Twitter, Media Relations and contributes to the blog with guest posts on strong issues. Sakshi Kumar, leads the team and manages the blog.

Justice for Women has different trainers and academies in different cities. These trainers teach a variety of martial arts forms from Krav Maga to Karate. When it comes to self defense, the focus is on using one’s reflexes in a hostile situation. The trainers teach women some handy self defence techniques that make use of commonly found things; from handbags to knives.

In Chennai, Krav Maga specialist Uday Dhanda, in Chandigarh, King’s Academy of Martial Arts, in Mumbai, Mixed Martial Arts India, and in Bangalore, Frank PowertoWomen, are some classes/individuals that have trained women. Justice for Women is constantly on the look for new trainers in other cities to fulfil their noble goal of organising pan-Indian free-of-cost self defence workshops for women.

Self defense class at Mumbai

Although her startup provides self defense classes, Sakshi says that self defense is just one of many tools that women can employ in a dangerous situation. She goes on to say that, “Self defence cannot guarantee 100% protection. Women need to take many preventive measures to avoid getting into a risky situation as well. We started the blog to educate women on their laws, rights and news related to various issues such as cyber stalking, domestic violence, sexual harassment, et al”

Happy Kids at Gubbare

Being an online initiative, Justice for Women has to rely on the power of social media, and in Sakshi’s own words, “on the altruism of people”. The later part because of being entirely volunteer-run. Justice for Women also has a sister concern called Gubbare. This initiative is to spread literacy among the underprivileged. Sakshi and her sister Pratiksha Mendiratta, started it with 20 students and has since steadily grown to 80 in strength.

As we talked more with Sakshi, interesting stories came up. One of them being the fact that her family didn’t knew about Justice for Women till one day, when she told them to watch her interview on TV. “Since then my father has been discussing with me new ways I could expand the initiative, from opening my own self defense academy to writing letters to ministers of various issues,” says Sakshi.

With Justice For Women Sakshi and her team wish to bring about a positive change in the present status of women in India. The JFW team feels that the need of the hour is to launch a strong nationwide awareness campaign on the lines of ‘Pulse Polio campaign’ to deal with the problem at each level from curbing female foeticide to stopping dowry death!

Source: http://yourstory.in/2013/01/a-kick-to-safety-truly-justice-for-women-with-self-defense-classes/

The growth story of Indian women entrepreneurs

When Paru Jaykrishna was elected president of the Gujarat Chambers of Commerce earlier in 2007, it was more than a personal achievement for this 64-year-old lady. This was the first time a woman had entered a male bastion in a state that has spawned hundreds of entrepreneurs and innovators.

But importantly it was symbolic of the coming of age of Indian women in enterprise. "I knew that where I was venturing has been a male bastion. But that didn't deter me. Women in India are today equal partners in business, aren't we?" she says.

Even as the corporate world celebrates the rise of women in its ranks, thousands of women entrepreneurs are working hard to prove that even when it comes to starting and sustaining a business, they are second to none. Says Anil Bhardwaj, secretary general, Federation of Indian Micro and Small & Medium Enterprises (FISME), "When it comes to success, they are as good as men, if not better."

Bhardwaj estimates women entrepreneurs at a tenth of the Indian entrepreneur universe — currently there are 1.3 million SSIs and 9.1 million registered SMEs — in India, with the percentage growing every year. It isn't an easy journey, as any entrepreneur will tell you.

But for these women, it has also been about breaking tradition and overcoming long-held socio-cultural mindsets. "Life is not worth it if you have not unleashed the entrepreneur within you," says Archana Bhatnagar who runs Jabalpur-based Haylide Chemicals, a personal products company whose products you get in hotel rooms, among others.

Jaykrishna came from one of Gujarat's leading business families. With a downturn in the textiles industry in the late '80s, Jaykrishna's family business was forced to close down. Faced with having to support and secure the future of her children, she started her own business at the age of 48. "I started at an age when most people begin to think about retirement," she says.

Jaykrishna founded Asahi Songwon Colors, a colour pigments and intermediates manufacturer that now has an annual turnover of around Rs 200 crore. Her Ahmedabad-based company exports to countries like the US, South Africa, Australia, and Canada and some parts of Europe. "You've got to follow the muse within, and chase the right dreams," she quips.

For Bhatnagar, the experience of starting her own business had its own share of roadblocks. "My journey into the world of entrepreneurship began at a time when the word 'entrepreneur' was hardly associated with women," says Bhatnagar.

With no formal training in business and hardly any capital to start with, she recounts her struggle to raise money and get her idea off the ground: "When bank managers refused to cooperate, I had to mortgage my husband's house worth Rs 15 lakh for a meagre loan of Rs 15,000 to kickstart my venture."

Today, Haylide supplies personal care and cleaning products to corporates, the hospitality, pharma and retail sectors, with clients like Le Meridien, McDonald's, Pizza Hut and Apollo Hospitals. Bhatnagar is also president of the Mahakaushal Association of Women Entrepreneurs (MAWE) in Jabalpur.

"Entrepreneurship is not all that tough if you have the right aptitude," says Sudha Prakash, president, Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Karnataka, adding, "Women entrepreneurship is more common in smaller towns compared to metros."

à Women entrepreneurs constitute a tenth of the Indian entrepreneur universe.

à Currently there are 1.3 million SSIs and 9.1 million registered SMEs in India.

à There are more women entrepreneurs in smaller towns compared to metros.

à Women find it easier to start up but equally difficult to grow and access venture capital.

However, there is a catch here. While women find it easier to start up, they find it equally difficult to grow and access venture capital as a result of which most of their businesses do not grow.

Agrees Bhardwaj, "The larger the enterprise becomes, the smaller the chance for women owners to succeed." However, those with grit and energy sustain themselves and make a mark.

Rama Devi, who is currently president of the Association of Lady Entrepreneurs of Andhra Pradesh (ALEAP), says she was pushed into her current business — which was initially started by her husband and ran into huge losses — although today she can claim to have revived Shivani Engineering Industries.

Without any prior business experience, Devi today heads a company with a headcount of 50. "It is great to provide employment to so many people," says the English Literature graduate, confessing that her biggest challenge is sustaining and growing her company.

Like their corporate counterparts, women entrepreneurs struggle to strike the right balance between family and business. As they do their best to succeed in their businesses, any failure tends to make them risk-averse and, more often than not, renounce the business.

Source:http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2007-10-09/news/28469877_1_women-entrepreneurs-indian-women-male-bastion

Dell's Women's Entrepreneur Network Heads to Turkey?

Though women entrepreneurs have traditionally been under-represented in business and tech fields, there’s more and more evidence that when given the opportunity, they shine as leaders -- even boosting the odds of success at venture-backed companies.

To cater to this growing demographic, Dell in 2010 established the invitation-only Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network, or DWEN, through its Women Powering Business initiative. Since then, the Austin, Texas–based company has convened annually in some surprisingly far-flung locales, including Shanghai, Rio de Janeiro and Delhi, India.

Earlier this month, Dell announced that in June they’ll bring a group of 150 women from 11 countries, including the U.S., to Istanbul. What’s behind the multi-million dollar investment and the bold choice of venue? We caught up with Kim Hibler, vice president of small and medium business for Dell Americas, to talk Turkey:

Entrepreneur: Why has Dell set its sights on women entrepreneurs?
Hibler: We saw a big opportunity and huge potential. Women start off successful in growing their businesses, but they’re underserved. We hadn’t seen anyone do anything around helping women entrepreneurs who were just getting started come together. We put a technology twist to it.

Related: Richard Branson on Why We Need More Women in the Boardroom 

Entrepreneur: How is Dell distributing this multi-million dollar investment?
Hibler: Dell has many investment arms including Dell Ventures and the Dell Innovators Credit Fund. The main objective of Women Powering Business and DWEN is for the women in our network to do real business with us and we’ve seen real business happen. 

For example, Lauren Flanagan of Current Motor who came in through the DWEN network, is now on Dell's Entrepreneur in Residence Advisory Board. She also received $250,000 in technology for her business through the Dell Innovator’s Credit Fund, allowing her to get her scooters to market six months faster.

Entrepreneur: Can you talk about how Dell has changed its approach to women as consumers in the past five years? I can recall some backlash for the 2009 "Della" campaign. 
Hibler: Della launched as a dedicated Dell website targeted directly at women, but received some backlash for stereotyping. We accept that it was unpopular with some audiences and learned to better address this market with more relevant and useful content, solutions and services. We’ve learned that we need to be much more personally engaged with women than some of our other customers, to understand what their needs are.

Related: 10 Inspiring Quotes from Women Tech Leaders  

Entrepreneur: So why the emphasis on emerging markets, so far from your home base -- and your main customer base?
Hibler: We think that all entrepreneurs are interested in taking their business global. Because of the relative ease of starting a business here in the U.S., we thought we’d look outside first.

At the opening session of our first DWEN, in Shanghai in 2010, we had a representative from the local chamber of commerce who began fielding questions from women who’d had problems with people copying their products. It started a conversation about how to avoid fraud in China, and a larger conversation about manufacturing, and then sourcing -- how easy it was, how difficult it was. People from companies in all different phases began engaging one another, sharing their experiences. We went the next year to Brazil -- one of the top five fastest growing countries in the world, with lots of women-led start-ups -- and then to India.

In each place, we saw how stepping outside of their comfort zone broadened women’s out-of-the-box thinking. The network grew from there. Now, after three years, we’ve had 400 people go to the conference itself, and we continue to build out regional connections. For instance, our Women Powering Business LinkedIn community has more than 2,000 people.

Related: Count Me In Helps Women Entrepreneurs Increase Their Revenue  

Entrepreneur: Now you’re on to Turkey, a country that is full of contrasts. What propelled you to host international-women entrepreneurs in a country whose prime minister declared, in 2010, that he didn’t believe in equality between the sexes? 
Hibler: We hope that by establishing a social-media presence there before we go, and by setting up mentorships with entrepreneurs -- like Dilek Bil, a founding partner of a successful marketing and communications agency and a board member of Kagider, a Turkish Women Entrepreneurs Association -- we’ll have people saying "What is going on in Turkey?" 

We're focused on building influence in the market, which includes the Teknopark area that is considered the next Silicon Valley. We’re not going to change years and years of legacy behavior around female-owned businesses versus male-owned businesses, but I think there’s a huge opportunity for us to have a multiplier effect.

--This interview was edited for brevity and clarity.

Source:http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/225125

Painful Journey Of Successful Women Entrepreneurs From Small Indian Villages

The unconventional saying “Try and try until you succeed” fits well within the walls of an entrepreneur. Success has always been pleasant and sweet, for the bitter and hampering way it has. An entrepreneur never gets an easy route; it’s often the tough road that makes him a real good business leader. Here are few success stories of small entrepreneurs who fought a battle to prove their existence, undergoing severe tortures, hardships and pain making them realize the importance of entrepreneurship and how it helped them in their life as reported by smeworld.org.

Poverty killed my education
Dhanalakshmi hails from Porur, Central Madras. Her family consists of her parents and two brothers. One of her brother was attacked by polio when he was a kid and still needs medical supervision. Her father retired from a private company but his income was never sufficient to run a family.

Although Dhanalakshmi was very much interested to study, she could not complete her education and had to stop with 12th standard.

Dhanalakshmi then took up the responsibility and moved forward smartly. She availed loan from an institution and set up a small STD booth centre which was helping her gradually with its minimal margin as revenue. She waited patiently and saved some money and again loaned out some money from which she purchased a photocopy machine. Today she runs this centre with utmost pride and confidence. Her entrepreneurial courage has made her stand on her own feet by also supporting her family with immense care and love.

Committing suicide was the only option
Thulasi is a 30 year old married woman who has faced a lot of problems in her life before becoming a successful entrepreneur. She was married to a man who was apparently a drunkard, who used to beat her up for no reasons. He used to give her just  50 weekly to run the family which was never sufficient. His torture and violence gradually increased and Thulasi decided to kill herself. She tried to commit suicide by burning herself but was rescued by her neighbors. She borrowed money from lenders and the interest was very high that she could not afford.

With the help of the neighbors she decided to approach for loan and was successful with this. She received some money from a bank and with the skill training classes in her area she learnt how to make soap and detergent powders. She manufactures these products at home and sells it to the nearby areas which fetches her enough income to run the family at ease without even depending on her husband. She has gained a lot self confidence and courage from her entrepreneurial venture.

I lost it all when my husband remarried

Rakkammaal, has no children yet her life was very challenging. This 55 year old woman silently wept because it was difficult for her to even have a meal properly. The only source of income for the family was fishing which her husband did with his small net. It was not really sufficient to run a family with the small catch because there were other people in the same business with a strong hand. She lived in a thatched hut and the house just had a small mud pot and few aluminum vessels. Problems lost its control when her husband got married to another woman. She was the only woman and had to take care of herself.

Rakkammaal was all depressed and lost faith in herself. With the help of her peers she decided to forget about the past and start a new life altogether.  She became a member of an organization which funded her with enough money to start her own fish stall. Out of the profits she not only paid the loans but also saved money for future capital requirements. She lives a happy life today with a decent business and as an entrepreneur she says “I was totally depressed and shocked when my husband married again. I thought I have nothing left in this world” She also thanks the financial forum by saying “I will do my best to pursue its real objectives, -one poor woman should help another poor woman."

From 15 to 150 a day
Nalla Nagmani is proud today, as she has got her daughter married, replaced a leaking roof and also applied for an electricity connection. She had a very painful life with lots of problems in it. She was married at the age of 12 and has 4 children whom she has to feed every day. Her husband was a coolie worker and often spent all his earnings drinking and for other pleasures. He never gave her any money and the family starved very often.

Her entrepreneurial ideas helped her a lot as she decided to do a small business, all by herself. She and her children started breaking cashew nuts initially and also made ropes during non seasons. She borrowed 200 and invested that money in buying a basket and a log, to break cashew nuts. She earned 15 every day. Nagmani ha bigger plans and borrowed 400 and bought coconut husks worth 100, she and her children made ropes out of it and sold the rope for 350 each. Thus she made a profit of 150 every month and slowly expanded the same business.

I wanted my kids to be literates
Paapathi belonged to a very poor family and the entire family including her mother worked as coolies. Her father died and it was impossible for her to go to school. She got married at the age of 14 but that life was also a disaster. Her husband never looked after her and the family and this came along with her poverty.  She had to do something to support the family, her kids and also her in-laws.

Her friend advised her telling “You cannot save your family by this manual work. Being a daily coolie, one day you can earn something where as the other day you may not." She decided to loan out some money with her friends help and started selling vegetables and fruits in the market. She was happy with the way the business took her and saved some money. With all her savings she slowly set up a petty shop with a small loan of 1000. She is now the owner of this vegetable store at her home and also runs a small tea shop inside it. Though she was an illiterate she managed to fight and survive taking care of two families. She is still working hard to ensure that her kids are literates, doing good in and for the society.

Source : http://www.siliconindia.com/news/startups/Painful-Journey-Of-Successful-Women-Entrepreneurs-From-Small-Indian-Villages--nid-121276-cid-100.html

5 Indian Women Entrepreneurs: Their Inspiring Work And The Lessons They Teach Us

As a nation, we have long idolised male business icons like Ratan Tata and Dhirubhai Ambani, for their entrepreneurial spirit and business bravado. This is good: in the age of economic creativity, we need successful role models to fuel our generation's business imagination, and teach them how to succeed despite the missing infrastructure and convoluted laws of our land.

The number is only growing faster with time. Yet, despite the material success and social change that India's women entrepreneurs have earned, their names are far from becoming everyday household discussion topics.

To reverse this trend, and acknowledge Indian women's business success, I trace some of these leaders' life stories and the useful lessons they teach all entrepreneurs -- male or female.

Ela Bhatt

India's microfinance success story owes much to Ela Bhatt's grit and social consciousness. Bhatt is the founder of the Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA) which provides microfinance funding and entrepreneurial training to thousands of women across India.

Bhatt, a noted Gandhian, started SEWA in 1972, to support the large number of women working in India's unorganized labour sector. From traditional garments and textiles to solar-powered bulbs and lighting products, SEWA women have found entrepreneurial success through a diverse line of ventures. SEWA supports more than 9,00,000 women in their business journeys through financing, publicity, legal help and other social and justice-based issues.

Ela Bhatt has been awarded the Padmashri, the Padmabhushan and the Magsaysay Award, in recognition of her contribution to women's economic and social empowerment in India. Her story is the best example there is of small things making a huge difference. SEWA began by giving out small loans to women to start their entrepreneurial journeys. Today, it has led a revolution in micro financing and even impacted India's regulations within the unorganized sector, in favour of the countless self-employed women. Most importantly, SEWA has taught women that anything is possible: it is possible to be a woman and succeed in a largely male-dominated society, it is possible to grow large enterprises even if you start small, it is possible to do good while doing well for yourself, and it is possible (and very beneficial) for women to support and strengthen each other in their journey towards economic freedom and social well-being.

Kalpana Saroj

Kalpana Saroj was bullied and discriminated against in school for being an "untouchable" Dalit. At the age of 12 she was forced into a violent marriage with a man 10 years older than her. However, this resilient entrepreneur didn't let either India's archaic caste system or the illegal practice of child marriage get in her way. She escaped her marriage and learnt tailoring to support herself, moving to Mumbai at the age of 16. Working nearly 18 hours a day, she expanded her business as a seamstress, building a reputation as a smart business woman. This eventually led to her being asked to take over Kamani Tubes, a metal engineering company that was in deep debt.

Saroj turned the company around into a giant profit making business, worth more than $100 million. Today, her company employs people from all castes and background. Her courage of conviction and battle against deeply-ingrained social evils gives hope to aspiring entrepreneurs within India's many under-represented minorities, that in the business world, all that matters is determination. Her spirit of relentless enterprise make Kalpana Saroj one of India's most inspiring entrepreneurs, who stand as factual evidence of an India changing for the better.

Chetna Gala Sinha

The greatest mark of a successful social entrepreneur is the impact that she can have on other aspiring entrepreneurs. By the yardstick, Chetna Gala Sinha is a resounding success. In 1997, she founded the Mann Deshi Mahila Sahkari Bank, a microfinance bank that lends to women in drought-prone areas in Maharashtra, and inspires them on a journey towards economic self-sufficiency. The organization provides both financial and non financial (vocational) help to improve the standard of living of women in rural India. She has also started several linked initiatives, such as the Mann Deshi Udyogini (a Rural Business School for Rural Women), and the 1000 Deshi Entrepreneurs Program (which aspires to create business role models of 1,000 promising rural women entrepreneurs by helping them achieve significant economic growth.)

Ms. Sinha has won many accolades for her work as the chairperson of Mann Deshi Mahila Bank, including the recognition as a "Bridge Builder" by Harvard University and as a "World Fellow" by Yale University. Her story is a message of empowerment and dedication for all social entrepreneurs. India's rural women often bear the brunt of climatic factors and stringent government regulations, making it appear as if there is no way out of the cycle of poverty. Ms. Sinha's persistent efforts have proven that even in one of the most arid areas of India, prosperity is an achievable reality.

Kiran Majumdar Shaw

One of the most famous women entrepreneurs of India, Kiran Majumdar Shaw is often heralded as the pin-up woman for the women entrepreneurs of India. This recognition is well deserved: as the founder of the hugely successful Biocon, a biotech firm in India, she has led the movement of innovation and growth within India's biotechnology sector. Biocon's strong manufacturing capabilities and its global scale have helped it become one of the world's leading biotech companies. Much of its $900 million worth can be attributed to Ms. Shaw's vision of affordable, yet innovative healthcare products.

While her success in her business venture is constantly honoured by the business fraternity, her prominent role in encouraging young entrepreneurs is worthy of even greater applause. Ms. Shaw regularly doles out business advice and encouragement to young start-ups and is one of the most accessible business leaders because of her social media savvy.

Ekta Kapoor

You may disagree with the ideology embodied by her demure television heroines or with the boldness of her movie protagonists, but Ekta Kapoor has redefined the Indian TV world, and in small parts, led the charge towards more women-centric features in Hindi cinema as well. In a purely male-dominated world, The Dirty Picture redefined the debate about strong women and their sexuality and sparked worthwhile debate about women's liberation 2.0. As the creative head of Balaji Telefilms Ltd., she produced serials like "Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi" which tapped into the desires (and some would argue, the real, unrevealed lives) of women consumers in India.

Detractors continue to argue that her serials are regressive, and there might be some truth to that. But she has taught several aspiring TV serial and film makers how to raise social issues like women's liberation, marital infidelity and the homemaker's identity within more traditional settings. As a result, current serials like Balika Vadhu have been able to raise deeper social issues by capitalizing on the space created by Ms. Kapoor's serials, and her social as well as business contributions to the world of television and cinema will continue to impact the portrayal of women in our entertainment culture.

Source: http://www.halabol.com/2012/09/19/5-indian-women-entrepreneurs-their-inspiring-work-and-lessons-they-teach-us

Yes, I can !!! Five women turn challenges into entrepreneurial opportunities

I tried to end my life, there was nothing to live for. We had nothing, no wealth, just a very small house. I had to get out of that life: Kalpana Saroj

I took a deep breath and listened to the old bray of my heart.
Sylvia Plath

It is not easy to follow Sylvia Plath's example, more so when the heart brays for entrepreneurship. Compared to the security and comfort paid employment provides, embarking on a start-up is fraught with risk. Being a woman makes the task doubly difficult. Circumstances, situations, the disapproving vibes of those who surround her can all combine to prevent her from even making a beginning. If she is financially strapped, if her family is not supportive, if she has young children to look after, it gets harder still.

Yet the number of successful women entrepreneurs is growing. They are now found in the most unlikely of places, from the most unlikely of backgrounds, finding opportunities few knew even existed. Business Today profiles five such unusual women entrepreneurs, who stayed the course, overcoming all obstacles.

Nerves of Steel
Kalpana Saroj is not a typical corporate executive. Born into a dalit family in Maharashtra's Akola district, she was married off at the age of 12 to a 22-year-old man in Mumbai. Her in-laws abused her, and her marriage failed within months. She returned to her parents and attempted suicide, but survived. "I tried to end my life, there was nothing to live for," she recalls. "We had nothing, no wealth, just a very small house. I had to get out of that life."

Saroj came back to Mumbai in the late 1980s. She initially worked at a hosiery unit, and then dabbled in construction, real estate and social work for the next decade or so. "I knew I had to do something in life," she says. In 2001, workers of Kamani Tubes, a maker of copper tubes where she was a board member, approached her for help to revive the sick company. The company had a turbulent history. It was set up in 1960, closed down in 1985, reopened in 1988 under a workers' cooperative, and was declared sick in 1995. Saroj took charge of Kamani at a time when the company was buried under Rs 116 crore of debt and 140 lawsuits. The challenge was formidable.

"The work seemed impossible to many," she says. Between 2001 and 2006, Saroj went about settling court cases and negotiating with lenders and the government to get interest and penalties waived. In 2006, she took over Kamani Tubes when IDBI Bank, which was monitoring the restructuring process, invited bids for the company. Since then she has relentlessly worked toward expanding the company.

"It has been like walking on the edge of a mountain," says Saroj, now the chairman of Kamani Tubes. Today, Kamani is a Rs 300-crore company and Saroj now rubs shoulders with industry and government leaders. Saroj is looking to expand the company's manufacturing capacity from 100 tonnes to 3,000 tonnes and will start making steel rods within a month. "I want to take the company to new heights," she adds.

It's difficult to convince the world about what your heart says: Gazalla Amin

Flower Power

When Dr Gazalla Amin decided to grow lavender flowers and make a business of it in 2004, her family and friends criticised her for the shift from medicine to entrepreneurship. "Women were never associated with entrepreneurship in Kashmir, only with NGOs (non-governmental organisations).

And NGOs in Kashmir have a bad name," says Amin. "It's difficult to convince the world about what your heart says."

Amin fought the feudal mindset and invested her savings, about Rs 8 lakh, in a farm to grow and process aromatic plants such as rose and lavender. How did she manage to stay motivated? "I realised that negativity came from quarters that didn't matter at all in the journey of my business. Departments and people who mattered in the business supported me."

The initial days were difficult. "Everyone would assume I was from an NGO. It was difficult to convince people that I was a businessperson," says Amin.

She has come a long way since then. She has turned entrepreneurship into a "respectable profession for women" in the valley and become one of the faces of women empowerment. Her company, Fasiam Agro Farms, has been growing at eight per cent annually. "My aim was to come out with a world-class product. Kashmir Lavender has become a global name," she adds.

I often think I could have been a statistic had I not pushed back: Sairee Chahal

Flexing Muscle

It was after becoming a mother that Sairee Chahal realised the gaping need for flexible work options in corporate India. She could have been one of those numerous women who, after having children, opt out of lucrative, fulfilling careers because of rigid work formats of organisations. But she had different plans. "I often think I could have been a statistic had I not pushed back," she says.

Chahal co-founded Fleximoms, a New Delhi-based company that helps women find flexible work options. "You don't realise the need until it hits you in the face," she says. Fleximoms, whose other founder is Anita Vasudeva, helps find flexible work options for women who have fallen off the career ladder and also provides them training to bridge any skill gaps.

Fleximoms rolled out as an independent company only last year. Chahal incubated it for nearly two years under Saita Consulting, a consulting firm that she and Vasudeva founded in 2006 to advise on small and medium businesses.

Fleximoms works with 300 companies. "There are a lot of companies that want to connect with this demographic," says Chahal.

We wanted people to spend money in villages. Home stay is a new concept in India. It takes time to create awareness: Rashmi Sawant

Not Just About Money

Rashmi Sawant, 33, is one of those who did not let financial challenges intimidate her. A post graduate in tourism, Sawant worked with many travel companies before deciding to chart her own course. But she did not want to be just any other tour operator, offering packages to honeymoon destinations or selling travel plans for hill stations or shopping carnivals.

"We wanted people to spend money in villages," says Sawant. So, in 2005, she founded Culture Aangan to promote rural tourism through village home stays in Rajasthan and Goa. She has invested about Rs 30 lakh so far in the Mumbai-based company. After seven years in business, Sawant expects to make a "small profit" this fiscal year. "Home stay is a new concept in India. It takes time to create awareness."

Against the Tide

When Ishita Swarup decided to become an entrepreneur in the early 1990s, her father, a government employee, told her clearly: "I will not support you." At the time, Swarup was earning a monthly salary of around Rs 7,000, and business was considered a dirty word, especially for women. (See also, Short-Changed, Pg 136). That didn't deter her, however. Her first venture was business process outsourcing company Orion Dialog, which she later sold to Essar group's Aegis BPO. She also had to fight a patriarchal mindset. "I was often asked whether I was handling my father's business," she says.

The financial crunch pushed Swarup to work harder and smarter. She put all the money she earned back into the business and kept costs as low as possible. Her current passion is 99Labels. Launched in 2010, 99Labels is an online shopping site that sells luxury brands at discounted prices. Info Edge, which owns job portal Naukri.com, has invested Rs 28.5 crore in the company so far. "Unlike my first business, we don't make money. But that's not unexpected," says Swarup. "Growth has been fantastic."

Source: http://businesstoday.intoday.in/story/most-powerful-women-2012-entrepreneurs-profile/1/188256.html