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What does it take to become a successful woman entrepreneur?
AMEERA SHAH, MD & CEO, METROPOLIS HEALTHCARE LTD | New Delhi, February 28, 2012 11:04
Tags : Entrepreneur | women entrepreneur | India | tips for women to get success in business... |
Tags : Entrepreneur | women entrepreneur | India | tips for women to get success in business... |
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A question such as this does not have a simple answer. It may be better to first understand what it takes to a successful entrepreneur in India, male or female. Besides the understanding of the business and the dynamics of the industry, entrepreneurs have to watch out for tough competition, acute price sensitivity from customers, a high attrition rate amongst employees and the unending number of obstacles created by governmental authorities and unsophisticated infrastructure.
Entrepreneurs who make an impact in India, have unique skills of being able to operate in uncertain environments with an ability to create alternate routes, overnight, to navigate their way out of a problem. This works well while the company is small or midsize but the same entrepreneurs struggle to create large world class companies unless they are willing to evolve and change their styles of working and invest more in processes and create certainty for all stakeholders.
Being a woman in this environment has its pros and cons. Since the business world, specifically in some industries like healthcare, tend to be age and male dominated, the perception of a woman’s role in the workplace continues to be of the second lead but not the hero of the piece. This necessitates a woman to prove her commitment to her work, as the default assumption is that the workplace is not a priority.
This can be achieved by first accepting the cultural situation and then find a way around it rather than fighting it. This can be done by earning the respect of team members and the demonstrating leadership capability early on. Once the team starts turning to you to solve their issues and your solutions work for them, they're hooked.
In entrepreneurial India, business is often done through relationships and networking. Its equally important for a woman entrepreneur to be visible and build relationships through social interaction, which is where the second obstacle may come in. For male entrepreneurs, this would mean drinks and dinner as relationship building activities, but for women, this may turn out to be misunderstood by their male counterparts and lead to awkward situations.
Creating an understanding of the business relationship with male counterparts early on is advisable, but its important not to shy away from social interactions as they help in developing associations.
For women entrepreneurs who are attractive and receive healthy amounts of male attention, they may be tempted to dress more soberly or avoid looking good in the workplace, so they are not presumed to be just arm candy and are taken seriously. Although most people's assumption that beauty does not equal brains is common, I believe a first impression is a lasting one and if your looks get you noticed, your knowledge and expertise, will keep you remembered.
The opportunity amongst these obstacles, is because women entrepreneurs are a rare commodity in India, the expectations of us are less. If you're good at what you do and can communicate well, this can be lethal in ensuring that you make a distinct impression and stay visible. At the end of it all, women entrepreneurs must treat themselves with respect and deliver on their commitments for others to treat them well.
We must remove from our minds that there are any prejudices holding us back, and instead focus on how we can be better at what we do because at the end if the product/service is good and accepted by the market, success is bound to follow and no prejudice can hold success back.
Issue Dated: Feb 5, 2017
