First battle is to be taken seriously, say women entrepreneurs

For galore women entrepreneurs, the toughest hurdle is not production, selling oregon sales; it is being taken seriously. That sentiment echoed powerfully astatine ‘Escalera The Women Fest’ wherever women concern owners from crossed Kerala person gathered to showcase their ventures and stock stories of resilience.

Asna Ansar, laminitis of the manner and manner marque Asasaa Emporium, said her five-year-journey successful concern began with misgivings from others and self-doubt.

“People did not ever spot it arsenic a existent concern successful the beginning” says Ms. Ansar who is from Ernakulam. She had to beryllium herself done her enactment and support prime to summation lawsuit trust.

Ms. Ansar who attended the fete to link with different women entrepreneurs said she was impressed to spot truthful galore women confidently managing their ain ventures. Platforms specified arsenic Escalera, she felt, motivated the women to imagination bigger and grow their operations.

Deeja Satheeshan from Kilimanoor successful Thiruvananthapuram, who runs the nutrient products marque Nymitra, has been successful concern for 9 years and has served much than 4,000 customers. Her locomotor disablement had galore doubting whether she could negociate a business. “I did not privation sympathy, I wanted a chance,” she says. A indebtedness from Kerala State Differently Abled Welfare Corporation Ltd. helped her get the concern disconnected the ground. Her travel was besides affected by floods and the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted accumulation and sales. The corp though helped her stabilise the task during specified pugnacious phases.

Preetha J. from Thiruvananthapuram runs Tatoz Handmade, an online jewellery and manner accessories marque she started 15 years ago. The concern began arsenic a mode to go financially autarkic and negociate idiosyncratic responsibilities connected her own. “I wanted to basal connected my ain feet,” says Ms. Preetha.

Balancing wellness concerns owing to a spinal cord wounded and enactment was 1 of her main challenges, but dependable effort helped her physique a regular lawsuit base. Support from organisations including Pallium India helped her scope much customers.

Escalera, she says, gives tiny entrepreneurs similar her visibility and confidence. “When we spot truthful galore women moving businesses, we consciousness stronger and much hopeful astir increasing our own,” says Ms. Preetha.

Escalera has created a abstraction wherever women entrepreneurs tin stock experiences, larn from 1 another, and summation the assurance to determination guardant contempt challenges. For galore participants, the fete is not conscionable a marketplace, but a reminder that they are portion of a increasing assemblage of women making their ain paths successful business.