Six things aspiring women entrepreneurs should do this year
1.) Speak up: What's the worst that could happen? Your question might not be very intelligent but you will be noticed, and that matters. We keep waiting for the right time and the most intelligent thing to say, and the moment will be gone while some other confident person who just asks will be noticed. On my team of 350+ employees, the people who stand out the most are the ones who stop by my office and introduce themselves (usually it's the other way around). So far, it had always been the guys who did it while I would have to go introduce myself to the women, but 2015 seems super promising since within the last six days, I've had two women on my team walk up and introduce themselves. I know that they will shine and I look forward to seeing them do that.
2.) Get over ourselves: This sounds mean and harsh but it's my resolution and I'd like all aspiring women entrepreneurs to do the same. Seriously, no one cares about anything or dwells on anything for too long. The next Bollywood breakup will happen and people will start to talk about that. So get over yourself. Stop doubting your ability to start something. Just do it. Yes! The Nike campaign became famous for a reason. We women tend to overthink. How will this work? What will people say if I fail? What will my aunt tell my mom? Blah and blah. Guys don't do that and just for this year, make a resolution to not overthink and do what you have dreamt of doing without doubting, and see the magic that unfolds.
3.) Give yourself a pat on the back: You deserve it. We never give ourselves enough credit. Women in India do have it harder than the men in many aspects and the fact is that no matter what you do, who you are, just the fact that you are thinking big deserves merit. It's women like us that are causing the shift in mindsets, and this is forging the road less taken for our sisters and daughters.
4.) Give other female entrepreneurs a pat on the back: This is one thing that irks me about our gender. We aren't very generous with praise, especially in this country. People thrive in a positive environment. About a month ago, I met a female entrepreneur who started with me and at one point, was the only one in my industry that I thought was my competitor. I told her that and the fact that I thought she had done a phenomenal job building the company. She was surprised and said that she had never heard another female entrepreneur say that to her. She definitely didn't think I would be saying it but I had to give credit where it was due. So surprise another female entrepreneur, say something encouraging or just tell them the truth about the awesome work they are doing and you'll be surprised with the karma that follows.
5.) Be socially conscious: Along with starting your business, make it your business to help others in whatever way you can. For someone like me, it brings peace of mind. My company, mydala, is a deals and offers portal. No matter how I spin it about helping people save and all that, fact of the matter is that over time, I feel the need to make an impact in a deeper way, to give back to the world. We pick up causes as a company and also in my own little way, try and help wherever I can.
6.) Be a proud feminist: When someone called me that for the first time, I was a bit offended. I then ended up Googling it. The reason is that society has given a negative connotation to being a feminist. The thesaurus describes it as anyone who stands up for equal rights of women or as Rebecca West said, "I myself have never been able to find out precisely what a feminist is. I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat". Call me opinionated, strong headed or feminist, I am okay because at the end of the day, I am proud of what I do and have a wonderful circle of friends, colleagues and family that feel the same.