Women Entrepreneurs Who are an Inspiration For Us all

It is truly said that a woman's strength is immeasurable. Once she makes her mind to achieve something, no one can stop her. These are the lessons that one should learn from some of the most successful Indian women entrepreneurs and this article would also inspire and motivate other women in their entrepreneurial journey.

"Work Life Balance" Lesson- Indra Nooyi

It is usually assumed that when you are your own boss it is easy to achieve work-life balance, however, when it comes to running a business there are certain responsibilities that might lead you to compromise on work-life balance, in order to achieve goals.

People change their thought process and perception completely when they read an article written by Ex-PepsiCo CEO, Indra Nooyi back in 2017. The article titled "Leave the crown in the garage" emphasized that we aren't just an employee or entrepreneur but we also have other different roles to play that are as important as our professional role. When Indra Nooyi was appointed as President of PepsiCo in 2001, her mother said- "You may be President of PepsiCo. But when you step into this house, you're a wife and mother first. Nobody can take that place. So leave that crown in the garage."

The words said by Indra Nooyi's mother has left its mark on me. It beautifully explained that work is important however, family, and you, shouldn't come second. Yes, there will be days when balancing this might look difficult but one needs to make a wise choice.

"Never Let Gender Get In Your Way" Lesson- Kiran Mazumdar Shaw

It is often assumed that women in business are more risk-averse, while they are more risk-aware. Thus, in certain cases, the gender gap has been one of the major challenges that women entrepreneurs have been facing and it had its impact on funding too as investors don't see the potential of maximizing returns. Despite this challenge, a couple of women entrepreneurs have continued to march on by taking this challenge in their stride and climbing up the ladder of success.

One such successful Indian Women entrepreneur is Kiran Mazumdar Shaw. The chairperson of Biocon Limited, India's leading biotechnology firm has been a great inspiration to me. When she started her career in the brewing industry, no one was ready to hire a female brewmaster, however, she refused to give up and transformed herself into a biotechnology entrepreneur. She started the business in the male-dominated society of India in biotechnology industry back in 1970 and went from setting up India's largest enzymes company to creating Asia's premier biopharmaceutical company. Her journey has made us believe that knowledge doesn't discriminate on the basis of gender, and a woman can achieve anything if she puts her mind to it.

"Do What You Love" Lesson- Pooja Dhingra

While we were young, all of us dreamt to achieve something in life or become like someone. However, as we grew up and got acquainted with the outside world, many of our dreams faded away, as circumstances made our reality different from our dreams. Yet, there are a few people who are doing the things they absolutely love and have brought about an evolution in the industry they are into. One such woman is Pooja Dhingra, Founder of the immensely popular Patisserie chain, Le 15 Patisserie, who introduced Macarons to India and transformed the Indian pastry industry. The secret for her success lies in her passion and love for baking since childhood and her constant urge for innovation. Her story makes us believe that if we strive for something we love then we will eventually find success.

To conclude, the one common thread amongst the stories of success of these women entrepreneurs - "success does not come easy, it goes hand in hand with hardship and challenges." So we shouldn't lose sight of our business struggles because the most difficult challenges hold the greatest gems of light.