Discover Potential- Women Entrepreneurship

7/29/2019 Discover Potential- Women Entrepreneurship

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Discover Potential

Manoj Kumawat

Business Opportunities for Women - Indian Context


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INTRODUCTIONThe educated Indian women have to go a long way to achieve equal rights and

position because traditions are deep rooted in Indian society where the sociological

set up has been a male dominated one. Despite all the social hurdles, Indian women

stand tall from the rest of the crowd and are applauded for their achievements in their

respective field. The transformation of social fabric of the Indian society, in terms of

increased educational status of women and varied aspirations for better living,

necessitated a change in the life style of Indian women. She has competed with man

and successfully stood up with him in every walk of life and business is no exception

for this. These women leaders are assertive, persuasive and willing to take risks.

They managed to survive and succeed in this cut throat competition with their hard

work, diligence and perseverance.

Women entrepreneurship has been recognized as an important source of economic

growth. Women entrepreneurs create new jobs for themselves and others and also

provide society with different solutions to management, organization and business

problems. However, they still represent a minority of all entrepreneurs. Women

entrepreneurs often face gender-based barriers to starting and growing their

businesses, like discriminatory property, matrimonial and inheritance laws and/or

cultural practices; lack of access to formal finance mechanisms; limited mobility and

access to information and networks, etc.

Womens entrepreneurship can make a particularly strong contribution to the

economic well-being of the family and communities, poverty reduction and womens

empowerment, thus contributing to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Thus,

governments across the world as well as various developmental organizations are

actively undertaking promotion of women entrepreneurs through various schemes,

incentives and promotional measures.

As a fact, Women entrepreneurs in the four southern states and Maharashtra account

for over 50% of all women-led small-scale industrial units in India.


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WOMEN ENTERPRENUERSHIP

Women Entrepreneurs may be defined as the women or a group of women who

initiate, organize and operate a business enterprise. The Government of India has

defined women entrepreneurs as an enterprise owned and controlled by women

having a minimum financial interest of 51 per cent of the capital and giving at least 51

per cent of the employment generated in the enterprise to women.

Women Entrepreneur is a person who accepts challenging role to meet her personal

needs and become economically independent. A strong desire to do something

positive is an inbuilt quality of entrepreneurial women, who is capable of contributing

values in both family and social life.Women entrepreneurs engaged in business due to push and pull factors which

encourage women to have an independent occupation and stands on their on legs. A

sense towards independent decision-making on their life and career is the motivational

factor behind this urge. Saddled with household chores and domestic responsibilities

women want to get independence. Under the influence of these factors the women

entrepreneurs choose a profession as a challenge and as an urge to do something

new. Such a situation is described as pull factors. While in push factors women

engaged in business activities due to family compulsion and the responsibility is thrust

upon them.

The entry of women into business in India is traced out as an extension of their kitchen

activities, mainly 3Ps, Pickle, Powder and Pappad. But with the spread of education

and passage of time women started shifting from 3Ps to modern 3Es i.e., Energy,

Electronics and Engineering. Skill, knowledge and adaptability in business are the

main reasons for women to emerge into business ventures.

With the advent of media, women are aware of their own traits, rights and also the

work situations. The challenges and opportunities provided to the women of digital era

are growing rapidly that the job seekers are turning into job creators. Many women

start a business due to some traumatic event, such as divorce, discrimination due to

pregnancy or the corporate glass ceiling, the health of a family member, or economic


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reasons such as a layoff. But a new talent pool of women entrepreneurs is forming

today, as more women opt to leave corporate world to chart their own destinies. They

are flourishing as designers, interior decorators, exporters, publishers, garment

manufacturers and still exploring new avenues of economic participation.


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REASONS WOMEN BECOME ENTREPRENEURS

New Challenges and Opportunities for Self

Fulfillment

Self Identity and Independence

Family Occupation

Role Model to Others

Education and Qualification

Bright Future of

their Wards

Additiona

l Income


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Its a Natural instinct -

Women are naturals when it comes to multitasking. They can deftly handle home,

business and entrepreneurship. They are a great resource that remains untapped till

date. Women entrepreneurs are more cautious, and will usually ( read take calculated

risks. They are great at communication ( most men will agree to that wholeheartedly!)

and at building relationships, and are great at problem-solving. They dont really need

to go to a B-School to learn management techniques, they are naturals at it!


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OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN

In India, the Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises development organizations,

various State Small Industries Development Corporations, the Nationalized banks and

even NGOs are conducting various programmes including Entrepreneurship

Development Programmes (EDPs) to cater to the needs of potential women

entrepreneurs, who may not have adequate educational background and skills. The

Office of DC (MSME) has also opened a Women Cell to provide coordination and

assistance to women entrepreneurs facing specific problems.

There are also several other schemes of the government at central and statelevel, which provide assistance for setting up training-cum-income generating activities

for needy women to make them economically independent. Small Industries

Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has also been implementing special schemes for

women entrepreneurs.

1. General Fields-Entrepreneurial success brings a sense of deep satisfaction and achievementthat comes after you are past the initial obstacles. Setting up a viable and

profitable business venture with minimal capital is certainly possible and it is best

to start out small.

Considering following points, any woman can initiate-

Search a Business that works for you and your personal life

Research the product/ service

Assess the market

Start business with adequate funds

Do networking

Consult with professionals


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ConsultancyIf you think you know the market around you well and have an enviable network of

contacts with professionals from diverse industries, go ahead and share the

information with those who need it. Setting up a consultancy firm does not require

much investment. You can turn your garage or a spare room into your office and start

away.

Boutique

This is usually the first thing that comes in any womans mind while thinking about

small business ideas. And why should it not be? Even though there is no dearth of

boutiques in an average city, the customer base of such stores is also increasing

every day. Your boutique can house anything from clothes and accessories to home

decoration items.

Fitness Center (Gym)

This might take up a little more investment to set up but the returns are great. Gym

equipment is somewhat expensive but it is a one-time investment. With everybody

being fitness-conscious these days, you should not have to worry about your business

being non-profitable. If you are a yoga expert or a trained aerobics trainer, you need

not bother with any equipment.

Restaurant

Most women are talented in the kitchen and passionate about cooking. So why not

apply you skills into your business venture? Start your own caf or restaurant and do

what you love the most- feeding people! You can also start a catering or take-away

service too, using your culinary skills.

Daycare/Crche

You can turn your love for children into a small scale business by opening a daycare

center at your place. Women these days are finding it increasingly difficult to balance


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their work and home life. They would definitely appreciate a venture where they can

leave their kids without worrying about their care and safety. Spending the day with

chirpy kids can be fun and lucrative at the same time.

Internet Business

Just like everything else, the Internet has changed the way we can think about earning

money too. There are lots of ways to start earning online. You can put almost any of

your skills to use and start freelancing on the Web. Niche blogs, interactive websites

and e-stores generate a lot of revenue if marketed well.

Beauty Parlor

This is one of those small business ideas that you just cannot go wrong with. With a

little investment on training, quality products and basic equipment, you can turn your

spare room to a cozy beauty salon.

Gift Shop

You do not necessarily need prior experience to set up a gift shop business. Most of

us know what to expect in a gift shop, and you can order things from a trusted dealer,

accordingly. You can run up a search on the Internet about the latest gift items and

build up your stock. There should be people lining up outside your store in no time!

Interior Decoration Store

Most Indian women are expert in this niche. Stock up your shop with the things you

would ideally decorate your house with, and capitalize on local arts and crafts.

Pet ShopEvery second family has a pet animal these days and pet lovers are more than willing

to splurge on accessories and fancy knick-knacks for their furred friends. Why not start

a shop to cater to the needs of indulgent pet owners? Load up your store with doggie


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treats and other pet foods, accessories, clothes, houses (cages, kennels, etc.) and

soon you will find yourself in great demand.

Freelancer Journalism

According to Bloomberg Businessweek, 45 percent of single Indian women say they

would like to pursue a career in journalism. Television reporters, particularly female

anchors, are perceived as living a glamorous life while providing a valued service to

the community. Indian women hoping to get their foot in the door could start a local

magazine or try their hand at being a freelance reporter.

Culinary Arts

Another great way for Indian women to start a business without leaving home is

opening their own food service or catering company. Whether you're looking for

something to supplement your duties as a housewife or you're ready to pursue a full-

time career, making specialty dishes and traditional Indian meals for hotels, private

parties and even restaurants can be a lucrative way to spend your spare time.

IT Services

NASSCOM reports that almost 38 percent of India's IT professionals are women, and

the country's educational system has prepared many young women for this career

path. By steering girls towards "softer skills" such as computer science, electronics

and communication, the Indian educational system gives women a head start in

succeeding as IT professionals. Indian women with the right educational background

could start a lucrative mobile IT service business and work from home, keeping

overhead low and a schedule of their own choosing.Fashion Photography is

increasingly seeing a number of women photographers succeed, and so is travelphotography.


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RecyclingIf you are so concerned about the global environment, e-waste issues, you can be the

first to fight against it. And if you can make profit out of it, it will be more of you dreamt

off. With a good local advertising campaign and a pickup truck, you can start collecting

the scrap metal, old computers, electronics, ink cartridges and other recyclable

materials and take them to recycle plants.In this venture your friends can help you too

and you will find yourself making money, along with doing serving our earth.

Multi-Cultural Marketing Expert

Many of the business firms are trying hard to invent new ways to connect with their

customers. But connecting with a heterogeneous audience, especially with multi-

cultural minorities is a difficult part in the job. The business ventures fail at reaching

their minority customers because they don't take the time to know them closely.In

order to reach these targeted customers, they must recognize the places where the

consumer resides and design a specific message not just for one ethnicity, but for

cultures among those segments. With the minority populations growing like ever

before, business ventures are trying to wipe out the gap between them and their

minority customers. If you are expert at dealing with people of different cultures and

ethnicity, and if you are good at marketing, you can be a marketing expert for different

businesses creating messages (containing corporate image and product advertising)

that could reach to all sorts of audience around the world.

Public Relation

For every business house, big or small, they need good public relations works. There

are lots of PR firms, but as businesses are becoming more specialized these days,

their public relations needs are also becoming sophisticated. Socially responsible, fairtrade, organic, local, B Corps and other kinds of businesses with a socially responsible

bent need public relations that will market their story to a whole different audience and

deliver a different kind of message. If you are skilled at public relations and if you are


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ready to make specifications for your service, why dont you think of starting a PR

business for your own?

Employee-Monitoring Services

With the advancement in technology, the employees all around the world are

becoming highly mobile. Most of the full-time employees opt for work at home as well

as over-time work. Thus, businesses find it difficult to monitor their employees in such

situations. They are mostly unable to track of what their workers are doing. Employers

often do not have extra staff to monitor their employees. A company that could offer

employee-monitoring services can be, thus, profited. If you can come up with more

innovative ideas of monitoring the employees, more than keeping register and

punching, you can think of building a business house of your own.

Some More Areas

School for recruiters: Help to Hire

Cake decorating business

Selling Insurance Salvage

Job Aptitude Testing Services

Heritage Tourism

Card making

Produce selling Like to grow vegetables

Senior citizen assistance


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2. Govt. Schemes- Central Govt., State Govt., Tax Benefits in Set-Up-The First Five-Year Plan (1951-56) envisaged a number of welfare measures for

women. Establishment of the Central Social Welfare Board, organization of Mahila

Mandals and the Community Development Programmes were a few steps in this

direction.

In the second Five-Year Plan (1956-61), the empowerment of women was

closely linked with the overall approach of intensive agricultural development

programmes.

The Third and Fourth Five-Year Plans (1961-66 and 1969-74) supported femaleeducation as a major welfare measure.

The Fifth Five-Year Plan (1974-79) emphasized training of women, who were in

need of income and protection. This plan coincided with International Womens

Decade and the submission of Report of the Committee on the Status of Women in

India. In1976, Womens welfare and Development Bureau was set up under the

Ministry of Social Welfare.

The Sixth Five-Year Plan (1980-85) saw a definite shift from welfare to

development. It recognized womens lack of access to resources as a critical factor

impending their growth.

The Seventh Five-Year Plan (1985-90) emphasized the need for gender equality

and empowerment. For the first time, emphasis was placed upon qualitative aspects

such as inculcation of confidence, generation of awareness with regards to rights and

training in skills for better employment.

The Eight Five-Year Plan (1992-97) focused on empowering women, especially

at the Gross Roots Level, through Panchayati Raj Institutions.

The Ninth Five-Year Plan (1997-2002) adopted a strategy of Womens

Component Plan, under which not less than 30 percent of funds/ benefits were

earmarked for women related sectors.


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The Tenth Five-Year Plan (2002-07) aims at empowering women throughtranslating the recently adopted National Policy for Empowerment of Women (2001)

into action and ensuring Survival, Protection and Development of women and children

through rights based approach.

At present, the Government of India has over 27 schemes for women operated

by different departments and ministries. Some of these are:

Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP)

Khadi And Village Industries Commission (KVIC)

Training of Rural Youth for Self-Employment (TRYSEM)

Prime Ministers Rojgar Yojana (PMRY)

Entrepreneurial Development programme (EDPs)

Management Development progammes

Womens Development Corporations (WDCs)

Marketing of Non-Farm Products of Rural Women (MAHIMA)

Assistance to Rural Women in Non-Farm Development (ARWIND) schemes

Trade Related Entrepreneurship Assistance and Development (TREAD)

Working Womens Forum

Indira Mahila Yojana

Indira Mahila Kendra

Mahila Samiti Yojana

Mahila Vikas Nidhi

Micro Credit Scheme

Rashtriya Mahila Kosh

SIDBIs Mahila Udyam Nidhi

Mahila Vikas Nidhi

Micro & Small Enterprises Cluster Development Programmes (MSE-CDP).National Banks for Agriculture and Rural Developments Schemes

Rajiv Gandhi Mahila Vikas Pariyojana (RGMVP)

Priyadarshini Project-A programme for Rural Women Empowerment and

Livelihood in


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Mid Gangetic Plains

Support to Training and Employment Programme for Women (STEP)

Swayam Siddha

Scheme for construction and running of Girls Hostel for students of secondary andhigher secondary schools-

Sponsored By: Central

Funding Pattern: Central government will bear 90% of the recurring and non-recurring

project cost. 10% will be borne by the State Governments.

Owner: Ministry of Human Resource DevelopmentDepartment of School Education &

Literacy

Description: This is a new Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched in 2008-09 and is

being implemented from 2009-10 to set up a 100-bedded Girls Hostel in each of 3479

Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs) in the country. The Scheme has replaced the

earlier NGO driven Scheme for construction and running of Girls Hostels for Students

of Secondary and Higher Secondary Schools, under which assistance was provided to

voluntary organisations for running Girls Hostels.

The main objective of the Scheme is to retain the girl child in secondary school so that

girl students are not denied the opportunity to continue their study due to distance to

school, parents financial affordability and other connected societal factors. Another

objective of the Scheme is to make Secondary and Senior Secondary education

accessible to a larger number of girl students.

Beneficiaries: women and children

Benefit Type: Other

Eligibility Criteria:The girl students in the age group of 14-18 yrs. studying in classes IX and XII

belonging to SC, ST, OBC, Minority communities and BPL families will form the target

group of the Scheme. Students passing out of KGBV will be given preference in


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admission in hostels. At least 50% of girls admitted will be from SC, ST, OBC and

Minority communities.

How to Avail:

States or UT Governments can submit their proposals to Project Approval Board

headed by the Secretary, School Education & Literacy, MHRD.

Introduced On: Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Valid Upto: Friday, March 31, 2017

Reference URL:http://mhrd.gov.in/girls_hostel
http://mhrd.gov.in/girls_hostelhttp://mhrd.gov.in/girls_hostelhttp://mhrd.gov.in/girls_hostelhttp://mhrd.gov.in/girls_hostel


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3.Bank SchemesSTATE BANK OF INDIA- FULFILLING DREAMSShe has dreams. She has aspirations and ambitions. She is enterprising. A go-

getter, set to create a world of her own. What she needs is the right support to fulfil her

dreams. State Bank of India, the largest bank under the Reserve Bank of India, has

recognised her need. The Bank, apart from pioneering many socio-economic

upliftment projects, champions the cause of women. To encourage and develop

entrepreneurship among women, it has launched a Women Entrepreneurship

Programme. State Bank of India recognises the need for womens participation in

economic and business activities. The Bank has devised several schemes for illiterate

women as well as for professional women.

Stree Shakti Package: The Bank has a special scheme called the Stree Shakti

Package for encouraging entrepreneurship among women. Under the scheme,

finance is available at a concessionary rate of interest and reduced margins. Margins

are reduced by 5 per cent and interest is reduced by 0.5 per cent in respect of loans

above Rs. 2 lakhs.


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PNB MAHILA UDYAM NIDHI SCHEMETo meet gap in equity. The women entrepreneurs will be assisted for setting up of new

projects in tiny /small scale sector and rehabilitation of viable sick SSI units. Existing

tiny and small scale industrial units and service industries undertaking expansion ,

modernization technology up gradation & diversification can also be considered.

PNB MAHILA Samridhi YojnaUnder This Scheme , four schemes have been launched under the umbrella of one

scheme. These are for purchase of required infrastructure for Setting up of

1) Tailoring shop/Boutique, i.e. for purchase of Sewing Machines, etc.

2) ISD/STD Booths, i.e. for Security Deposits with MTNL/other Agencies like

Reliance/Tata Indicom.etc., for purchase of Fax Machine, Xeroxing/Photocopier

Machine, etc.

3) Beauty Parlour, i.e. for purchase of Furniture, Chairs, Bench etc.

4) Cyber Cafe, i.e. for purchase of Computers and furniture like computer tables,

chairs etc. and for recurring expenditure as per the need of the activity.

Scheme For Financing CrechesTo provide support services for women empowerment to working women in terms of

creches with necessary services by making cheaper and easier credit available for

financing Creches. The women will be assisted for purchase of required infrastructure

for setting up Creches like basic equipment, utensils, stationers, growth monitoring

equipments, fridge, cooler/fan, water filter, etc. and for recurring expenditure for one

month.

PNB Kalyani Card SchemeFor meeting working capital credit requirement of allied agricultural activities/ miscfarm/non- farm activities either singly or in combination with other activities.The

literate/illiterate women dwelling in rural / semi-urban areas who have attained the age

of majority shall be eligible under the Scheme. Such Women shall include individuals,

farmers, landless labourers, agricultural labourers, tenant farmers, share croppers,


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lessee farmers, etc. The women desirous of undertaking non-farm sector activities

should have aptitude/experience and capability for undertaking the activity chosen for

self employment.

PNB Mahila Sashaktikaran AbhiyanUnder this scheme, following concessions will be admissible

Interest rate to be relaxed by 0.25% in Non-Priority Sector Advances and 0.50% in

Priority Sector advances

Margin to be reduced to 10%, wherever the margin requirement is more than 10%

Waiver of 50% upfront fee (wherever applicable)


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4.Tax and Other BenefitsTrade Related Entrepreneurship Assistance And Development (TREAD) Scheme

The scheme envisages extension of credit by the bank and grant by the Govt of India

to NGOs for the benefit / on lending to women either through SHGs or individually for

setting up of small & micro enterprises in non farm sector.

Women in India have climbed up the earnings ladder drastically in the past decade.

However every year when it is Budget time, we all hope that there are benefits for us

tax-wise. The Budget doesnt really offer too many exclusive benefits to women, but in

general there are some areas where everyone can save on tax. Heres a look at

whats beneficial from a tax perspective, so women can make their choices wisely.

Income Tax Exemptions Women India. For resident women up to the age of 65 years,

there is no income tax on net income up to Rs.1,90,000. This is slightly higher than the

bar for men, which is Rs.1,80,000.

With effect from April 1st 2011, salaried women have a 10% tax deduction if their

employer has invested more than Rs.1,00,000 in the Central Governments Pension

Scheme. There are many different investment options which help in saving tax, and

one should always read and research these thoroughly before investing.

Earlier men solely made financial decisions and did all the investing. Now women are

not to be left behind, and a lot of them do extensive research on investment options

before deciding on whats best for them.

The most well known Section 80C of the Income Tax Act, offers many tax benefits to

investors. One can invest in instruments such as Public Provident Fund (PPF),

National Savings Certificate (NSC), Tax Saving Fixed Deposits (FD) and so on, up to

a limit of Rs.1,00,000.


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Beyond this, one can also purchase Infrastructure Bonds up to Rs. 20,000. There are

some market linked products such as Equity Linked Saving Scheme (ELSS) and Unit

Linked Insurance Plan (ULIP) which can also be considered.

The risk that you can take with your money varies inversely as your age. If you are in

your early working years, you can allocate a higher proportion to ELSS investments as

opposed to the fixed income investments such as PPF and NSC.

If you are living in a rented accommodation, then be sure to claim HRA (House Rent

Allowance) tax benefits. There are 3 factors which are considered for HRAthe

actual rent allowance given by employer, 50% of basic pay in metros (40% in non

metros) and actual rent paid minus 10% of basic pay.

The least of these 3 factors is what you claim as HRA for tax exemption. There are

tax exemptions offered on home loans under Section 80C, and on interest under

Section 24. These should also be availed of wherever applicable. Investing together

offers some benefits for a couple, such as eligibility for loans.


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5.NGO's and Self Help Groups-Federation of Indian Women Entrepreneurs (FIWE)

Consortium of Women Entrepreneurs(CWEI)

Association of Lady Entrepreneurs of Andhra Pradesh

Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Karnataka (AWAKE)

Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA)

Women Entrepreneurs Promotion Association (WEPA)

Women Entrepreneurs Promotion Association (WEPA)

Bihar Mahila Udyog SanghBihar Mahila Udyog Sangh

Mahakaushal Association of Woman Entrepreneurs (MAWE)SAARC Chamber Women Entrepreneurship Council

Women Entrepreneurs Association of Tamil Nadu (WEAT)

TiE Stree Shakti (TSS)

Women Empowerment Corporation

Confederation of Women Entrepreneurs (COWE)

COWE has a whole host of services and partnerships, and we strongly recommend

you browse through their website carefully (Link below). However, here are some

ideas from us on how you could tap into COWE's network.

Information: The website is a treasure trove of information for women looking to start a

business. The 'Category' tab on the left-hand side begins with 'Articles on

Entrepreneurship' which is a must-read for anybody looking to start a business.

Particularly women who bemoan the lack of information. The articles are further

divided into several categories from Starting a Business, Managing a Business etc. It

addresses important issues like Registering your company, Insuring your business

etc.

Training Programs: COWE definitely places a lot of emphasis on training. There are

Entrepreneurship Development Programmes (EDPs) general and area specific that


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cover industries like Medical Transcription, Food etc. (EDP) There are also training

seminars. (Training Seminars)

Networking: You could use COWE's seminars, exhibitions and study tours to network

too. (Seminars, Exhibitions, & Study Tours)

Scheme Information: One of the most exciting parts in the website to us was the

training and information offering on 'Schemes'. It's the last header in the 'Category' tab

and offers information on a whole range of government and private schemes for

women entrepreneurs, from the Rajiv Gandhi Udyami Mitra Yojana to Goldman Sachs

initiative for 10000 women.

Main site URL:www.co-we.com
http://www.co-we.com/http://www.co-we.com/http://www.co-we.com/http://www.co-we.com/


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MANAGING OBSTACLES

The problems and constraints experienced by women entrepreneurs have

resulted in restricting the expansion of women entrepreneurship. The major barriers

encountered by women entrepreneurs are:

The greatest deterrent to women entrepreneurs is that they are women. A kind of

patriarchal- male dominant social order is the building block to them in their way

towards business success. Male members think it a big risk financing the ventures run

by women

Women entrepreneurs have to face a stiff competition with the men entrepreneurs

who easily involve in the promotion and development area and carry out easymarketing of their products with both the organized sector and their male counterparts.

Such a competition ultimately results in the liquidation of women entrepreneurs.

Lack of self-confidence, will-power, strong mental outlook and optimistic attitude

amongst women creates a fear from committing mistakes while doing their piece of

work. The family members and the society are reluctant to stand beside their

entrepreneurial growth.

Women in India lead a protected life. They are even less educated, economically

not stable nor self-dependent which reduce their ability to bear risks and uncertainties

involved in a business unit,

The old and outdated social outlook to stop women from entering in the field of

entrepreneurship is one of the reasons for their failure. They are under a social

pressure which restrains them to prosper and achieve success in the field of

entrepreneurship

Unlike men, women mobility in India is highly limited due to many reasons. A

single women asking for room is still looked with suspicion. Cumbersome exercise

involved in starting with an enterprise coupled with officials humiliating attitude

towards women compels them to give up their spirit of surviving in enterprise

altogether.


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Women's family obligations also bar them from becoming successful

entrepreneurs in both developed and developing nations. The financial institutions

discourage women entrepreneurs on the belief that they can at any time leave their

business and become housewives again.

Womens family and personal obligations are sometimes a great barrier for

succeeding in business career. Only few women are able to manage both home and

business efficiently, devoting enough time to perform all their responsibilities in

priority.

The educational level and family background of husbands also influences women

participation in the field of enterprise.

Absence of proper support, cooperation and back-up for women by their own

family members and the outside world people force them to drop the idea of excelling

in the enterprise field. They are always making many pessimistic feelings to be

aroused in their minds and making them feel that family and not business is a place

meant for them.

Many women take the training by attending the Entrepreneurial Development

programme without an entrepreneurial bent of mind. Women who are imparted

training by various institutes must be verified on account of aptitude through the tests,

interviews, etc.

High production cost of some business operations adversely affects the

development of women entrepreneurs. The installations of new machineries during

expansion of the productive capacity and like similar factors discourage the women

entrepreneurs from venturing into new areas.

Women controlled business are often small and it is not always easy for women to

access the information they need regarding technology, training, innovative schemes,

concessions, alternative markets, etc. Just a small percentage of womenentrepreneurs avail the assistance of technology and they too remain confined to word

processing software in the computer. They hardly make use of advanced software

available like statistical software SAP, Accounting Package like TALLY, Animation

software 3D MAX, internet, etc


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Lack of awareness about the financial assistance in the form of incentives, loans,

schemes etc. by the institutions in the financial sector. So the sincere efforts taken

towards women entrepreneurs may not reach the entrepreneurs in rural and backward

areas.

Achievement motivation of the women folk found less compared to male members.

The low level of education and confidence leads to low level achievement and

advancement motivation among women folk to engage in business operations and

running a business concern. Apart from the above discussed problems there may

occur other series of serious problems faced by women entrepreneurs as improper

infrastructural facilities, high cost of production, attitude of people of society towards

the women modern business outlook, low needs of enterprise. Women also tend to

start business about ten years later than men, on average. Motherhood, lack of

management experience, and traditional socialization has all been cited as reasons for

delayed entry into entrepreneurial careers.


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SUCCESS STORIESFrom being treated as a quiet, supportive half of society, women who want to

start a business in India now find the country to provide one of the most fertile

environments based on indicators such as business confidence, motivation, financing

options and other sources of support. The finding is part ofDell Women's Global

Entrepreneurship Study conducted across 450 women entrepreneurs from US, UK

and India commissioned by Dell.

It reveals that 71 per cent ofwoman entrepreneurs in India have a branding in

market for their businesses and eight in every 10 woman entrepreneurs are hiring

which indicates an expansion spree in their individual businesses as well as increase

in employment opportunities too.

Some of the heart- warming stories are as-

Rita Singh, MESCO Steel Group who has been awarded the "Best Woman

Entrepreneur of the decade" by FICCI.

Ishita Swarup, who owns a shopping portal 99 labels.

Story of Patricia Narayan, Winner of Ficci Woman Entrepreneur of the Year

Award

Story of Sarala Bastian who set up a successful mushroom business with just Rs

15000

Story of Kiran Majumdar Shaw, the Biocon Queen

Story of Saloni Malhotra, founder of DesiCrew.

Story of Revathi Krishna, the founder of Coffee, Books and More.

Story of Lata Manohars boutique Vishuddi.

Story of Radha Rajakrishnan, a successful entrepreneur in apparel business.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/Dell%20Women%27s%20Global%20Entrepreneurship%20Studyhttp://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/Dell%20Women%27s%20Global%20Entrepreneurship%20Studyhttp://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/woman%20entrepreneurshttp://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/FICCIhttp://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/FICCIhttp://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/woman%20entrepreneurshttp://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/Dell%20Women%27s%20Global%20Entrepreneurship%20Studyhttp://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/Dell%20Women%27s%20Global%20Entrepreneurship%20Studyhttp://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/Dell%20Women%27s%20Global%20Entrepreneurship%20Study


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Chetna Sinha- India's first rural bank for women

From spearheading India's first rural bank for women, to running a business school, a

women's chamber of commerce, farmer-turned-entrepreneur Chetna Sinha has come

a long way. In this interview, she credits her success to the many women in her village

who've inspired her.

About 17 years ago, when Chetna Sinha and her husband -- both farmers by

profession -- first approached the Reserve Bank of India with the idea of founding a

bank to serve the rural women of our country, it was ridiculed upon. 'How can you run

a bank with illiterate women who can't even read and write?' asked an officer. Today,

the 53-year-old entrepreneur has been successful in not only starting but also

successfully operating three different rural enterprises that are committed to the cause

of rural women in the country, which includes India's first co-operative bank for rural

women -- the Manndeshi Mahila Bank In 1997, when Sinha started the bank in

Mhaswad, a small village in the Satara district of Maharashtra with a semi-literate

workforce of women from the same village, she wanted to provide loans to help

farmers recover from their economic condition. But 15 years later, she has managed

to do more than just that. Today, despite facing over 8 to 10 hours of load shedding in

a day, the bank has managed to successfully introduce both computerised and door-

to-door banking to offer its services to over 1,80,000 women across nine districts in

rural Maharashtra and Karnataka, which includes Satara, Solapur, Sangli, Raigarh,

Ratnagiri, Pune, Kolhapur, Hubli and Dharwad. Of these, over 1,55,000 women are

savings account holders; most of them earn less than Rs 50 a day. In 2006, Sinha

who holds a Masters degree in Commerce and Economics from the University of

Mumbai started the Mann Deshi Business School (MDBS). Since then it has managedto train over 46,000 women in vocational and entrepreneurial skills, of which over

24,000 have gone on to pursue entrepreneurship after receiving professional training.

Further, to look after the needs of several underprivileged women entrepreneurs, in

2012, Sinha partnered with New York-based Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) to set up


29/30

the Manndeshi Chamber of Commerce for Rural Women (MCCRW), a first of its kind

Chamber of Commerce for rural women in India. The MCCRW aims to both mentor

and address the grievances of women entrepreneurs in rural India. In 2002, she was

appointed as a World Fellow to Yale University and in 2003, she was recognised as

the Bridge Builder by the Harvard University, USA.


30/30

BIBLIOGRAPHYMagazines and Articles-

ZENITH - International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research Vol.1 Issue 5,

September 2011, ISSN 2231 5780

PTI Jun 19- Fertile environment for women entrepreneurs in India: Study

IANS - Increasing opportunities for women-led businesses in India

Econonmic Times, Herald Magazine.

Personal Finance For Women In India: Plan Your Path To Financial Freedom

Forever authored by Ankush Thakur & Priya Florence Shah, and published by the

Naaree Academy for Indian Women Achievers.Business Finance: Loans For Women Entrepreneurs In India

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your-own/

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Documents

Discover Potential- Women Entrepreneurship