Shepreneurs: 5 Factors Driving Women into Building Successful Businesses Women are born to lead; they just need to be confident enough in their idea, believes Malini Saba
By Aastha Singal •
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In the past decade or so, voices demanding equal rights and opportunities for women have multiplied. People showing confidence in the capabilities of female founders have increased and so is the prospect of women-led firms raising external funds. Despite the world economy coming a long way in terms of gender parity, there are certain hurdles that the softer sex still faces, or so it thinks.
There is no dearth of business ideas in today's world of innovative solutions. It is the right vision and passion required to fuel the entrepreneurial dreams that are missing. The Founder & Chairman of Saba Industries, Malini Saba who started her entrepreneurial journey in 1992 have learnt some crucial lessons about being a woman warrior in the battlefield of business and here are her 5 weapons to victory:
#1 Optimism
No journey is ever smooth, especially if you are out there to make a difference to the world. Women, while are great leaders, often end up being disappointed by the lack of early opportunities. However, it is not about giving up but constantly fighting to achieve your dreams. "I have always approached things from a positive side because I have always felt that if I put a positive out there, I negate the negative," Saba shared.
#2 Confidence
Irrespective of one's gender, the most important thing for any man or woman is confidence. If one has the confidence in their idea, market potential and their plan then no obstacle can shatter their chances of triumph. Saba believes that any woman can turn her concept into reality regardless of what the product is and can achieve what she is planning to do with sheer confidence.
#3 Ability to Fight
Funding remains to be a crucial aspect of business expansion. However, Venture Capitalists don't usually show much interest in businesses run by entrepreneurs with less experience and smaller degrees. If you aren't an IIT or have a strong backing, you getting funds from them is less likely.
The person needs to have the ability to fight the odds. "There are many ways to convince VCs to believe in you but before all, you need to believe in yourself and be willing to take on a fight to make your dream a reality no matter how long it takes."
#4 Passion
Having the drive to sell your idea is the key to building a successful business. People will tell you that there are many out there with a similar idea as yours but remember, they aren't you. "If you have a passion and a vision, put it down on paper, get the concept together, identify the people who'd hear your idea, go out there and start pushing. You may get a million NOs before getting that one, YES but don't stop."
#5 Self-Belief
Women can do anything they put their minds to. They are born to lead is what Saba strongly believes. "We should give ourselves all that credit because, without us, the world wouldn't be there," she said, adding, "If you have a dream then make it a reality because there's nothing that you cannot do. Just believe in yourself, that's the first rule of being an entrepreneur, to believe in yourself."
