What’s the best thing about being a woman entrepreneur?
Tuesday March 08, 2011 , 4 min Read
Women’s Day SpecialOn Women’s Day, this is the question that we at YourStory posed to a few women entrepreneurs. And we got some rather interesting responses. Here’s a glimpse into what the women had to say.
Pavithra Giri, Vindhya eInfomediaThe best thing about a woman being an entrepreneur is in the multi-tasking that she can bring to the table. She can handle HR, marketing or finance with equal ease. In fact, I’d go to the extent of saying that only a woman can truly multi-task and that’s what entrepreneurship is all about. As a woman entrepreneur, I have never felt discriminated against. On the contrary, it’s worked as an advantage.
Jyoti Ramnath, CraftMyGiftSince I work on gifting solutions and it’s a space that deals with emotions, I find that people are more frank with a woman when it comes to these things. Also, as a woman, I notice that I’m able to understand there requirement quicker. It’s easier to get on the same emotional wavelength. This, in turn, has helped me run my business better.
Ritambhara Agarwal, IntelligereAs an entrepreneur, one has to manage many portfolios. You’ll have to be involved in team management, client management, finances and everything else. And because of this type of exposure, there is a lot of learning from work that can be taken and applied at home. Multi-tasking skills can be inculcated in children and as your horizons widen, you can widen the horizons of your family and eventually, of society at large. This, to me, is the best thing about being a woman entrepreneur.
Also, as a woman, running your own firm gives you a lot of confidence and also, a strong sense of independence. And you can’t get this type of independence from any other outlet, apart from entrepreneurship.
Shweta Ganesh Kumar, First Feather ConsultantsBeing an entrepreneur with the challenges and fulfilment that the role brings is a huge rush in itself. When you add the element of being a woman to that mix, it brings along the benefit of getting to break gender stereotypes while having the ability of helping other people achieve their hopes and dreams. This just makes the role all the more special.
Valerie Rozycki, ZipDialThere is one important benefit I see of being a woman entrepreneur, especially in technology. Entrepreneurship (I’m referring to the type of companies that venture capitalists invest in, rather than lifestyle businesses which many women run) and especially technology entrepreneurship is a field dominated by men. As a woman pursuing my dreams in a male-dominated field, I hope that I can inspire other girls and women to do the same in whatever field they are passionate about.
I’m not just a woman entrepreneur. I'm also a foreigner who is an entrepreneur in India. I do not fit in to any of the common archetypes. In some ways, this can be beneficial. A client or investor may be more willing to meet me by the sheer fact that I am an anomaly or curiosity! However, once the high-heeled foot is in the door, things are not any easier. It is easier for anyone to communicate, negotiate or do business with anyone who is more like them. While this can lead to uncertainty and challenges for me, it's all part of the fun of breaking barriers and doing things in a new way!
We have a mindset which associates technology with men. So, I do see a certain amount of surprise when people meet me. I’m also fairly young (late 20’s). So, that’s another thing that surprises people. I don’t think there’s anything spectacularly different in being a woman entrepreneur. At the end of the day, an entrepreneur is an entrepreneur. And that means being more self-reliant and having more choices. I am free to discover my passion and contribute in ways that I find meaningful. It’s a blend of feeling beautiful and feeling accomplished. And as a woman, it’s easier to network and we all know that it’s networking that leads to opportunities.
We at YourStory salute the spirit of women entrepreneurs. They serve as a reminder that the glass ceiling, if it still exists, is no match for the tenacity of a woman.
Do let us know about your thoughts on this story. You can write to us at [email protected].
Sriram Mohan | YourStory | 8th March 2011 | Bangalore