Page 32 - The 10 Most Successful Shepreneur to watch for2019

Women, entrepreneurship &
empowerment through
self-actualization
There is nothing more empowering that a business
woman in a high position that would traditionally
belong to a male. As time passes by, more and more
women entrepreneurs start rising and the opportunities there are schemes to help women start their small
available for all women keep appearing at higher and
higher rates.
Role of women in the society has been seeing a
paradigm shift ever since women became self-aware.
More and more women today are moving out of their
comfort zone and trying their hands at things no
one ever fathomed they were capable of. More and
more women are stepping out of their homes into
workplaces. More and more women are getting out
there and starting their own entrepreneurial ventures.
However, the need to self-actualize takes grip once
the woman decides to step out of her pre-decided role
in a patriarchal system. It is this need to realize their
highest potential that motivates many women to start
up their own ventures. Again not the easiest road but
definitely she has chosen for herself. Women can find
a work-life balance in their own venture. They can
attend to both their family (another need that helps
them feel loved and gives them a sense of belonging)
and work (something that gives them intellectual and
psychological satisfaction) more methodically.
Many educated women today have made a significant
mark as entrepreneurs in their chosen fields. However,
what has not been recognized is that many uneducated
women are also enthusiastically raising family
incomes through micro ventures. These women also
inspire other women in their localities to pursue their
dreams through entrepreneurship at the grassroots
level.
The need to contribute towards bettering their quality
of life drives these women and without realizing it,
they begin to self-actualize. What’s more amazing is
that women unlike men tend to motivate other women
around them to do better thus creating more options
of employment and even start-ups leading to bettering
not only their own financial status but helping the
economy grow.
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This being said there are barriers women in
developing countries face- those of social inequality,
less financial support for their ventures (eventhough
businesses), acceptance of their need to venture out
and many others.
Women are fighting these barriers and overcoming
obstacles to attain their fullest potential. Women are
still seen venturing into domains largely untouched
by their male counterparts in terms of businesses.
There are cultural and societal norms that hinder
equal participation of women in ventures that men
undertake.
But things are slowly changing. Today women
entrepreneurs constitute 10 percent of the total number
of entrepreneurs in the country. Not a huge number but
definitely encouraging.
More financial institutes are realizing the merits of
investing in women entrepreneurs’ ventures. One of
the most obvious reasons to invest in women leaders
in India is that women control the vast majority of
household spending. So unless you are a business that
is focused mostly on men, women are more likely to
better understand customer perspective.
Another is that women are often better at building
long-term relationships. Lasting relationships benefit
a business tremendously, as only so much can be
achieved without trust… with employees, customers,
suppliers, shareholders, government, etc.
To conclude self-actualization is synonymous with
empowerment in women. It is a wheel that has been
set in motion.
“Women are becoming self-aware and
command their needs to achieve their highest
potential be recognized, acknowledged
rewarded and respected.”
December 2019