Mumbai: Today, women are breaking the glass ceiling in every sector. Beyond all this, there still exists a patriarchal mindset. Not many women are in the C-suite taking important decisions. And, of course, there still exists pay parity.
This Women’s Day, we, at Indiantelevision.com, are acknowledging some women leaders of the media, marketing, and advertising fraternity and also from other professions, who have given more than expected.
Her journey
I am an accidental entrepreneur. It all happened organically with my first venture, Skilfinitty. KarmaV is my second official venture. Entrepreneurship has been a very fulfilling journey so far. Challenges galore, and so are epiphanies and self-awareness.
The journeys of an entrepreneur are usually lonely and hard. But with the right team/support system, you create learnings to last a lifetime.
Three lessons:
1. Learn to walk before you run. Nothing beats a successful deal, closing a deal, or monetizing your idea. Focus on getting that first paid client, making money, and surviving.
2. Consistency - Any activity, especially in the case of building a sales pipeline - keep at it and follow up! The results will come.
Similarly, when building a brand - be your biggest advocate and spread the word. Use social media to your advantage, and ensure you keep doing activities that reflect on your brand - consistently!
3. Network - Build and nurture your network as early as possible.
Her inspiration and inspiring the team
Everyone has biases. Conscious and unconscious. I am sure I am not different. But with enough guardrails in place and a continuous intelligent learning system, most of these biases can be negated.
We built KarmaV, an AI SaaS platform that solves HR process challenges by improving the organization's DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) status. And yes, we use it ourselves.
As a startup, all our employees, whether women or men, get to work from home, get flexible working hours and fair pay and choose their holidays. We also have an open-door policy to maintain transparency and resolve challenges like work pressure, financial need, etc.
While policies are easy to make, it is difficult to build up a culture. The core culture we want to inculcate is thinking like an entrepreneur and not an employee. So far, I have observed that women have an ingrained sense of responsibility and ownership that makes it easier for me to establish this particular school of thought when working with female colleagues.
Aside from that, building an inclusive culture is a continuous process. So we have certain practices in place, especially regarding communications - internal with the team or external when speaking about our brand.
We can always back our actions with data - Research shows that brands influence customer intent when they portray women positively. Those that represent people inclusively also connect better with younger audiences, as more than 80 per cent of Gen Zers in APAC would pay more for a product if the brand supports an issue they care about.
Empowerment of women
To accelerate and support the digital inclusion of women entrepreneurs and empower them to be successful in both digital business and the digital economy, a multi-faceted global strategy could include the following elements:
● Education and training: Provide education and training programs that equip women entrepreneurs with the digital skills they need to start and grow businesses in the digital economy. This could include online courses, boot camps, and mentorship programs.
● Access to capital: Increase access to capital for women entrepreneurs through initiatives such as dedicated venture capital funds for women-led businesses and partnerships with financial institutions to offer low-cost loans and other financial products.
● Access to technology: Ensure women entrepreneurs have the technology they need to succeed in the digital economy, such as computers, software, and high-speed internet access. This could involve partnering with technology companies to provide women entrepreneurs with discounted or free technology solutions.
● Networking and mentorship: Facilitate networking and mentorship opportunities for women entrepreneurs, both online and offline, to help them build relationships with other entrepreneurs, investors, and mentors.
● Advocacy and policy: Advocate for policies that support the digital inclusion of women entrepreneurs, such as tax incentives for companies that invest in women-led businesses, and promote gender diversity in leadership positions in the technology and finance sectors.
● Partnerships and collaborations: Work with other organizations and stakeholders, including government agencies, non-profits, and private sector companies, to leverage resources and expertise to accelerate and support the digital inclusion of women entrepreneurs.
● Data and research: Collect and analyze data on the participation of women in the digital economy and use this information to inform policies, programs, and initiatives aimed at empowering women entrepreneurs.
