Women Entrepreneurship in India: Are we equal yet?

• We have come a long way and the day is not far when we will be equal.
• The bridge between men and women in the world of business has been built to a considerable extent and with time, we will only see more improvement.
• Saroja Yeramilli, CEO and Founder, Melorra her personal journey of starting Melorra and how she feels entrepreneurship is an innate quality in women given that they build a home – and that to me is nothing short of being an entrepreneur.

“On my own, I will just create, and if it works, it works, and if it doesn’t, I will create something else.”

This quote by Oprah is not only profoundly motivating but also relevant in the present scenario. According to the sixth economic census, by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), women comprise as much as 13.76% of the total entrepreneurs in India. This figure indicates the changing times and how women are coming forward to create something of their own –building enterprises and empires.

We often hear it said that after years of silence and submission, Indian women are finally ‘getting there.’ While the statement may not apply to all Indian women yet, we cannot ignore the fact that they are successfully breaking the shackles of convention. They are venturing into new areas to explore their talent and build their dreams. Not only have women strived tirelessly to overcome challenges and succeed in their career, but they have scaled unprecedented heights that many of their male peers haven’t even accomplished. Women are no longer relegated to conventional roles and have begun to make their presence felt. Many women entrepreneurs have paved the way, and run successful enterprises and brands – be it Falguni Nayar who founded Nykaa or Richa Kar of Zivame. These women have shown how challenges exist only to be overcome and are not something to run away from.

The government, recognizing the potential of start-ups, particularly those led by women, has allocated a good part of the budget to accelerate their growth. Several changes have been made to the existing labor laws and rental housing to have a direct impact on startups. Policies have also been introduced to ensure positive outcomes in startup segments such as e-commerce, food delivery and grocery. All these are helping women entrepreneurs fuel their dreams and shape them into reality.

Women-led organizations tend to grow more and have happier employees. Studies have shown that women tend to be more compassionate as leaders and are more communal in any group of people. Women also tend to be more determined and firmer about what they want to do. Their clarity of thought is what often helps them raise funds for their ventures and build a workforce that perpetually feels motivated.

If I was to take the example of my personal journey, from being in the corporate domain to now leading a successful startup called Melorra, it has been remarkable. From ideation to fruition and raising the largest ever seed funding for an Indian venture, there has been learning and unlearning. Melorra is now present in almost every pin code in India and is on the way to becoming one of the largest consumer brands in the country – a futuristic jewellery company that uses technology to cater to the wardrobe needs of the modern Indian woman.

We have come a long way and the day is not far when we will be equal. The bridge between men and women in the world of business has been built to a considerable extent and with time, we will only see more improvement. I feel entrepreneurship is an innate quality in women given that they build a home – and that to me is nothing short of being an entrepreneur.

To all the women out there, you are diamonds, not meant to be broken; not meant to be stopped. If you chase your dream of building something of your own, nothing can come in your way.

All the Best!

- By Saroja Yeramilli, CEO and Founder, Melorra