Woman (noun) – An adult female person.
While the dictionary defines it in just a statement, a woman is much more than that. It’s a single word that just cannot be defined. They are of all kind, from the shy ones hiding behind a veil smiling coyly to the bold ones who take off their veils and dare to laugh in front of the society. We respect them all! We celebrate them all! After all, being a woman is more of a responsibility than just a status-be it home or a start-up.
While the country is going gaga over sensational startups and inspiring entrepreneur stories I wonder how long before we see a brigade of women entrepreneurs. It’s not that they are not present in the scene, they are! Even though limited in number, women entrepreneurs are creating their own niche and marching their own band. Though few but these women need to be celebrated more and talked about more. Because it’s not easy being an Indian woman entrepreneur and we all know it.
Also Read: Yes, I am a woman and I dare to dream big!
We are a progressive society in many, many ways but there is still a long way to go. Ideally, a woman is expected to learn house chores, do well in school, get a college degree, she can work if she wants but only in selected fields and finally get married and take care of the family. Now, there is nothing wrong with a woman taking care of the family. I can’t even begin to imagine my life without my mom. There is nothing wrong with the society expecting few things from women but not letting a woman do what she wants, not letting her take the riskier root and start her own enterprise is wrong. It’s hard being a wife and a mother but if she can handle all that along with her career then who are we to stop and majorly why should we stop her from being an entrepreneur.
Fortunately, unfortunately, it’s not always the parents who stop her from taking a chance and starting her own thing but it’s the rest of them. As a woman you are always doubted about your ideas, you are not always appreciated for taking a strong stand, people might even consider your financial expertise limited to household spending and last but not the least what about the timing? A startup has no timing, no prefix working hour or limited numbers of days.
A startup needs your heart; mind, soul, blood or basically it needs your life.
For a woman, to conceptualize an idea is one thing but to put it into action is the next level thing. You need to meet the manufacturer and they can be anywhere, any part of the country or the city and half of these are so called not safe. Now, to convince your parents or partner to let you go is at times difficult. Not that you always need permission to go out but when you go to the ‘unsafe area’ your whole world panics. Well, they are right to do so from their point of view but would they panic if it were a guy? Once you reach a manufacturing unit somehow they assume you know nothing especially if you are working in an automobile or some deep engineering startup. What they don’t understand is if a woman would not have been sure about her ideas and her approach she wouldn’t come down there at the first place. When after a lot of hard work you get everything in line and start you own business your next step is to get investors. Most of them are very practical and are more interested in the idea then the fact that you are a woman but every now and then you will meet somebody who will need more convincing than the rest of them.
Also Read: Lessons for working women on how to overcome challenges
Not that things are easy for men but things are a bit more difficult for the women. Hence, we celebrate the spirit and the courage of each and every woman entrepreneur out there! We know it’s not easy and maybe that’s the reason why there are so few woman entrepreneurs in a world full of male entrepreneurs. Maybe we as a society need to change a bit, encourage a bit more and celebrate each and every girl who thinks differently and shows the courage to be something. We need to support them a bit more and trust them a lot. Let every woman be an entrepreneur if she wants to be because if she can handle a house full of so many people she can very well handle a factory full of employees.
More than the family, the society rules bind the women and their entrepreneurial skills. The women have proved themselves fair and square in every field-be it making a home or building a start-up. Hence, there is no reason to hold the ladies section back from trying new things.
New is the new cool these days! So why not let the women free to showcase their entrepreneurial skills.
Although, time has progressed and with it the mindset of people have changed. But what has changed more is the way women think and prefer to define themselves.
“A woman no more wants to be defined only by her relations and her home-making skills. She wants her success to be her identity.”
