Just 20 years ago, the idea of a female entrepreneur heading up her own company would have seemed too ambitious idea. Today female entrepreneurs are leading and starting their own companies even more.

Female entrepreneurs are entering into every sector be it finance, media industry, technical field, medical equipment, and revamping the ever-evolving world of technology. They are definitely breaking that glass ceiling and climbing through.

Check out these must-read books for female entrepreneurs and get inspired to create your own entrepreneurial story!

1. The Confidence Effect: Every Woman’s Guide to the Attitude That Attracts Success.

Author- Grace Killelea

Every day many talented, hardworking women are passed over for promotion. It’s easy to blame corporate structure that we think favours men, author Grace Killelea identifies another culprit: Confidence. Men tend to overestimate their abilities and women often sell themselves short.

The Confidence Effect helps women to speak out, take a risk and assume leadership positions with assurance. And teaches women to be more confident and take one step at a time. In this book, women learn practical strategies with the 4 R’s of success- Relationship, Reputation, Results, and Resilience.

2. She Means Business: Turn Your Ideas into Reality and become a wildly successful Entrepreneur.

Author- Carrie Green

Are you ready to hop on the entrepreneur train? Do you want to turn your ideas into reality and build a successful business? This is your best time to say yes! In this book, Carrie Green shows you how to face the challenges you get in running a business, and from her experience, she teaches all this. She first started her online business at the age of 20- she knows what it’s like to be an ambitious and creative woman with big dreams and determination.

This book helps you guide in moving past your fears and doubts that can get in the way. Understand your audience, so you can truly connect with them. Create a brand and build a tribe of fans, subscribers, and customers. This book provides with honest, realistic, and practical tools you need to follow and bring your vision to life.

3. Girl on Fire

Author- Cara Alwill Leyba

As the cover page says- How to choose yourself, burn the rule book, and blaze your own trail in life and business. This book truly teaches you to keep going in your toughest times too.

Entrepreneurs need constant motivation to keep going, Girl on Fire is the right book that will push you to get things started. It advises women to keep going and find their opportunities and not just keep waiting for them. It teaches women to create their own opportunities by being trailblazers and believing in their intuition.

4. Lean In

Author- Sheryl Sandberg

 If you are a woman who wants to climb a professional ladder or enter an entrepreneurship journey, Sheryl Sandberg’s book Lean In is best to follow. Packed with personal experiences and practical tips, the book is monumental for helping women reach their full potential.

You might have heard a few stereotypes such as either choosing your career or family. You can’t handle both at the same time. This is what the author of this book explains, that it’s possible to have both, no matter what others say.

It also throws light on gender differences in the workplace and how women can overcome them and discover possibilities.

5. Thrive

Author- Arianna Huffington

 In this book, Arianna Huffington makes a compelling case for the need to redefine what being successful means in today’s world.

Being a women entrepreneur can be exhausting, and it affects our mental health as well. This book provides research-based advice to slow down and connect with yourself in between. It is inspired by the personal health challenges faced by the author when she fell down and broke her cheekbone and had a nasty gash over her eye. This was all result of exhaustion and lack of sleep. As the cofounder and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post Media Group — one of the fastest growing media companies in the world — celebrated as one of the world’s most influential women. After all this, she wondered is this what success feels like.

She has linked her drive for money and power to two legs of a three-leg stool. They might hold up for some time but in long run will collapse. We need a third leg—third metric for defining success to really thrive.

There you go a comprehensive list of 5 must-read books for female entrepreneurs to succeed regardless of challenges and obstacles. Let me know which one was your favourite.

The post 5 Must Read Books For Female Entrepreneurs appeared first on The Pink Journey.

1. Please share your journey, how it started as an Entrepreneur?  
   I come from a business family, and I remember spending my holidays from school going to office with my parents. We would spend time together in the office and when they were in meetings I would sit and listen to all that was unfolding before me. It used to feel really amazing to see how meetings were held, what they would talk about and how somehow everyone would come to conclusion that they seemed happy with. This kind of thing always peeked my interest and I knew that this is what I wanted to do. The main thing however that I admire about entrepreneurs is how they take an idea and make it into so much more. I would like to think I am on my way every day to do just that, make my idea more than just an idea. When I was studying law in the UK, I saw how easily available legal services were online and how easy it could actually be to find a lawyer. That’s when the idea of Rest The Case came about. I wanted to create a place where anybody can Rest their case (put it to an end) and find the help they require.
2. What are the biggest hurdles that you faced in your journey?
   Starting anything new takes time and a lot of getting used to. There were a lot of things I still had to learn then and still have to learn now, that I think has been the biggest hurdle.
   Starting young definitely has its perks but it did sometimes affect me negatively. A lot of people I talked to didn’t think I knew what I was doing, in fact I was asked once if this was just a hobby or I wanted to do this long term. This had been my idea and my goal; it was never a hobby but because I was younger when I started people thought that.
   Finding the right team was a difficult as well. I was so driven by this idea it was all I thought about and all I think about even today, and to find people who will give it just as much importance as you is difficult, but I think now I have been able to find the right people, slowly but steadily.
3. Failures are the best teachers so how can one overcome that?
   This may sound like a cliché, but I do really believe the best thing that failure does is teaches you to rise after every fall. Overcoming failure is not easy, but when you do, you realize you come out as a different person, and so I think that we must do different things, try to do what scares us and then even if we fail we will have learnt something about ourselves or about the work at hand that we didn’t know before.
   For me what works best is to discuss my failures with someone else because they see it in a light that I don’t, I talk it out with my family you could talk to anyone who you wish to share with. It also helps me see it more clearly that way because I have explained it out loud. Don’t be scared of failures, they definitely are the best teachers, they help you understand yourself in a way you didn’t even know.
4. What Inspired you to start ‘Rest The Case’ at such a young age?
   The idea of Rest The Case came to me when I was studying, and I wanted to start it as soon as I could because I thought it will solve a problem. The problem I saw was that in our country people find it extremely hard to find a good lawyer to help them with their basic legal requirements. We have resources available in our country, but we don’t really know where to find it, so I wanted to create a one stop solution for all legal services and information. When the lockdown happened and the entire world seemed to be changing the need for legal help increased even more and that when I decided I didn’t want to wait any longer, I wanted to start now.
5. Share 3 advice for young entrepreneurs.
   a. Be brave- I know this sounds redundant but I think this needs to be told to everyone who wishes to start their own business. Don’t think about what will happen, don’t ponder on the same things you have been thinking about all this time, the time is now, get up and get started.
   b. Plan- I think it’s very important that you know what you want to do and also very important to be sure of what problem you are trying to solve. Put it down on paper, it helps to clear your thoughts.
   c. Believe in yourself and your ambition- this is the most important part of doing anything, if you don’t believe in yourself and your idea, nobody will.

The post In Conversation with Gen Z Entrepreneur Shreya Sharma, Founder- Rest The Case appeared first on The Pink Journey.

Sharing stories of victories and defeats with others is important to heal. The healing that happens when you’re heard and validated is remarkable.

Healing 2 Peace is the journey of different brave souls from suffering to surviving their pain. It is not just mine or my kids journey, anyone can join us. It doesn’t matter what they survived, it only matters that they did.

One time I was listening to Oprah Winfrey, she said –

” If they don’t offer you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair with you next time.”

I was deeply touched by this line and I created my own platform. This is not just mine, who ever was never heard or validated, I am here for you, to hear you, to support you.

Our mission is to promote the self-reliance and empowerment. We educate and empower others about the abuse we suffered, how we survived and what resources we found helpful for us to over come our suffering.

Our aim is to provide a platform for victims/survivors, to tell them about available resources and other coping skills. We will tailor this platform to meet the special needs of other brave souls who are overcoming hardship.

After devastating events, getting back to normal is hard. For some of us, financial insecurity becomes a major obstacle. Yes, there are many resources available to help us but when we are in the healing process, it is overwhelming to ask for help. It feels like we are asking for too much. So when we are in therapy, using our pain, creativity and skills, we create awesome and amazing things.

Join us, maybe you will also find your passion.

It is a wrenching feeling going from being self- sufficient to need money (from others) for every little thing.

Come and join me in our healing journey…

You can reach out to me anytime through the email at www.healing2peace.com or Instagram @anju29peace or @healing2peace

Stay connected to learn more about mental health, parenting, home decor, healing, mindset transformation, resources to get help for domestic violence and child abuse.

The post Make a walk in such a way that everyone learns many things from your each STEP – HEALING 2 PEACE appeared first on The Pink Journey.

The idea of Blend Community was triggered during the pandemic when Razia saw how badly the F&B industry suffered and she wanted to help food brands revive their business without bleeding for profitability, courtesy the food aggregators. Personally, food, fashion and fiction are her passion areas, and she noticed that there weren’t any platforms that cater to these three themes specifically. She wanted to create a platform that curates and distributes relevant content all in one place rather than users having to go to different pages for different topics. That’s how the whole idea was born of creating an online community that celebrates, shares and curates stories around these three specific categories.

After establishing Blend Community, her co-founder, Hariprasad Shetty and she wanted to find a way to monetize the community they had built. That is when they got the idea for ‘Blend For Food’. With that, they are building India’s first Content to Commerce Food Tech Platform powered by Creator economy & Community Tech. BFF will be a one-stop destination for all things food. Consumers need not have different apps scattered for different needs like, ordering in from restaurants, groceries, recipes, etc. They are the only players in the market that will bring all your various food choices in one place to make it a hassle-free food ordering experience.

What gets Razia excited about her startup is the fact that this idea is still so new in the country and she doesn’t see anyone else doing it as of now. This makes her feel secure in the fact that they’re on the cusp of something extremely special.

This sense of security does not shield her from paranoia. She says that a start-up is the founder’s brain-child or baby. Due to this, the success of the start-up is a lot more personal not just tangibly but emotionally as well. Hence, there’s undeniable paranoia around “What if”. What if the brand tanks, what if no one resonates with the idea, basically what if nothing works out. However, she has found that the way to overcome that is to understand that ideas don’t exist in perfection. You’ve just got to start and keep working on perfecting it.

Being not just a start-up founder but also having a full-time corporate job definitely makes it challenging to have a work-life balance for Razia. But, she has found that finding the right partners, teammates and resources is very important in order to manage it. She believes, as you’re establishing your idea, you need to try to attract talent and team members to not only believe in your vision, but also be able to execute it. Finding the right brands and companies to partner with, is another important aspect in executing your vision the right way.

Razia Ali started her career with banking sales, but she always had a penchant towards communication which made me make an early switch to advertising. She realized she had a passion for shaping brands and consumer perceptions. She loves ideating with people from varied niches and finds great joy in helping translate them into realities. She led the Consumer and Small Business marketing efforts of a large tech company. She currently has her a full-time job while also working on her start-up. She was also an Angel Investor to aspiring Start-ups and entrepreneurs. She has leveraged her passion towards brands, fashion, food and her experience in the advertising and marketing industry and brought to life a brand and community of her own. The ability to do that, in a male-dominated, food-tech industry is what sets her apart.

Inputs- Razia Ali, Founder, Blend Community

The post Razia Ali’s Journey As An Entrepreneur appeared first on The Pink Journey.

It is not easy to pen down your thoughts and deliver the message to an open audience to engage, like, and share. Doing this with a kid is a next-level thing. Pandemic not only shook the world for professionals but it also impacted women big time especially the younger women who now have to handle more and more things. But hats off to those women who managed it well and pursued their passion. Today we are going to talk about a similar person who is not only mom, but a blogger, influencer, and a working professional too. Introducing Mrs. Karishma Nayar to share her journey

Please introduce yourself to our readers?

Karishma Nayar, 30, a working professional, a mom blogger, and before all of that, Mama to Gurbani.

What inspired you to choose this industry?

When I became a mom, people had a lot to tell me about motherhood, and they told me how motherhood is the end of your career and all other things to do with you, how the only thing I could now focus on was my baby. Then I decided to bring back my passion into work and took to Instagram to prove it to the world that it’s not the end. Motherhood is the beginning of a new you, and there isn’t a thing that moms cannot do. Whether it’s work, house, kids, or family, women can manage everything. We are the new-age mommies. We know our kitchen and economy equally.

Do you think that it is tough to pursue your dreams and passion after being a mom?

Pursuing your dreams is, either way, tough, but with a good schedule, diligence, planning, and focus, we can still be great moms to our kids while honoring our dreams and ourselves.

Tell us how you handle a baby and work from home?

I have an excellent emotional support system in my husband. Many times I feel like giving up because Gurbani (my daughter) is acting up in academics and or maybe my numbers aren’t moving up on Instagram, making me feel discouraged, and he makes sure he motivates me back into my best pumped up self and other times helps me a lot with the legal side of this career. Finding a mentor or people who will encourage you and help you keep going is a great help. Look for these people in your life because you will need them when the challenges of motherhood and life converge and nothing seems to be going your way.

How do you handle failures?

Unlike every coin, success also has one more side, failure.

Moms always have mood swings. Sometimes you feel like an independent adult who can do it all on her own back to feel almost childlike and dependent on others. I remember creating this one piece of content at 12 in the night three times straight because it got rejected for some reason or the other while having guests in my house and my staff on leave. It’s easy to feel put-upon and angry. Juggling so many roles can be frustrating but seldom. The love for what I do keeps me consistent and happy to be doing this every day. Let me tell you that it is the fastest-growing industry. One needs to be consistent; if you have the zeal or passion for being an influencer, don’t wait for the right time to post, be ready and adaptive to the industry rules.

Your take on Influencer Industry in the next five years?

If you look closely, the industry is not new. We all need an influencer in our life, and this journey starts from our childhood. The platform can be different, but influencers will always be there to keep you entertained and influence you to follow your passion. Isn’t it amazing! A mom, whom everyone has told to forget herself and keep her family ahead of her, managing everything together with so much passion and perfection.

The post In Conversation with Karishma Nayar- Instagram Influencer, Fashion enthusiast and Mom Blogger appeared first on Startup Reporter.

Source: Women Entrepreneur

The post In Conversation with Karishma Nayar- Instagram Influencer, Fashion enthusiast and Mom Blogger appeared first on The Pink Journey.

If you want to know the girl behind the Mom, read the blog till the end. I am sure you will get the answers to your questions as well.

Please introduce yourself to our readers?

Karishma Nayar, 30, a working professional, a mom blogger, and before all of that, Mama to Gurbani.

What inspired you to choose this industry?

When I became a mom, people had a lot to tell me about motherhood, and they told me how motherhood is the end of your career and all other things to do with you, how the only thing I could now focus on was my baby. Then I decided to bring back my passion into work and took to Instagram to prove it to the world that it’s not the end. Motherhood is the beginning of a new you, and there isn’t a thing that moms cannot do. Whether it’s work, house, kids, or family, women can manage everything. We are the new-age mommies. We know our kitchen and economy equally.

Do you think that it is tough to pursue your dreams and passion after being a mom?

Pursuing your dreams is, either way, tough, but with a good schedule, diligence, planning, and focus, we can still be great moms to our kids while honoring our dreams and ourselves.

Tell us how you handle a baby and work from home?

I have an excellent emotional support system in my husband. Many times I feel like giving up because Gurbani (my daughter) is acting up in academics and or maybe my numbers aren’t moving up on Instagram, making me feel discouraged, and he makes sure he motivates me back into my best pumped up self and other times helps me a lot with the legal side of this career. Finding a mentor or people who will encourage you and help you keep going is a great help. Look for these people in your life because you will need them when the challenges of motherhood and life converge and nothing seems to be going your way.

How do you handle failures?

Unlike every coin, success also has one more side, failure.

Moms always have mood swings. Sometimes you feel like an independent adult who can do it all on her own back to feel almost childlike and dependent on others. I remember creating this one piece of content at 12 in the night three times straight because it got rejected for some reason or the other while having guests in my house and my staff on leave. It’s easy to feel put-upon and angry. Juggling so many roles can be frustrating but seldom. The love for what I do keeps me consistent and happy to be doing this every day. Let me tell you that it is the fastest-growing industry. One needs to be consistent; if you have the zeal or passion for being an influencer, don’t wait for the right time to post, be ready and adaptive to the industry rules.

Your take on Influencer Industry in the next five years?

If you look closely, the industry is not new. We all need an influencer in our life, and this journey starts from our childhood. The platform can be different, but influencers will always be there to keep you entertained and influence you to follow your passion. Isn’t it amazing! A mom, whom everyone has told to forget herself and keep her family ahead of her, managing everything together with so much passion and perfection.

The post In Conversation with Karishma Nayar- Instagram Influencer, Fashion enthusiast and Mom Blogger appeared first on The Pink Journey.

How and why we started CITTA:

I was studying in the US when I heard the news about the ongoing case of a certain baby care company. It really disturbed me, babies are the most innocent beings and it’s our job to protect them so anything we apply on them needs to be 100% safe. Growing up in a large family of 10, I had the opportunity to receive the love and knowledge of my Dadi as well as Nani and all their nuskhas. I wanted to share it with every precious little child. When I came back from the US, with the help of my mother, who studied cosmetic technology, decided to create CITTA, a natural and safe option for parents where tradition is backed by modern science.

Our principle is very simple – babies deserve the best, so every ingredient applied on their body must be safe and should benefit them. CITTA is derived from the Sanskrit word  चित्त which means consciousness; we are conscious of what and how we create. We made a vow early on to ensure that every parent is aware and conscious of what they are  applying on their little one hence every single ingredient we use, even those below 1% are listed for every parent to see and understand, as honesty for us is the very best policy.

Struggles we faced:

We launched CITTA in 2021 during hardcore Covid times. Initially during launch there was a struggle as everything was going haywire due to Covid. There was less manpower and we faced multiple delays and pushed timelines. Manufacturing and production also took a hit because sourcing at that time was difficult. However, we were clear from the start we will use only the highest quality ingredients and that comprising the quality wasn’t an option. So the start was difficult but slowly things started getting better and we were successfully able to source the ingredients, production began and we were able to create a product we are very confident in.

Future Plan: 

We hope to make CITTA a household brand in India because we believe that every child deserves the best and it’s our duty to provide it as our products are safe and natural, inspired from Dadi Nani ke Nuskhe and backed by science. Once we are successful in making CITTA a household name in India, then we plan to export in future too as we want to reach out to most of the children across the world with our products. We feel that our products are of international quality and would be appreciated by the people there too.

Balance Personal & work: 

I started working at a younger age, so I’m still learning how to balance my work and personal life, but something I’m coming to understand is that listening to my intuition helps me stay happier and peaceful. And a peaceful mind leads to a happier and more successful day!

The post Story Of CITTA The Leading Baby Care Brand-By Its Founder Akanksha Sharma appeared first on The Pink Journey.

Q1: Please tell us about your Venture? 

A: The Gourmet Jar was started by me  from my  home kitchen in 2012, using real ingredients to make real food, real good. We aim to be the magic in your kitchen with our range of delectable condiments (preserves, honey, mustard, sauces, and savory spreads) in unique flavor combinations, made with 100% pure & natural ingredients, and 0% preservatives & chemicals. We follow a made-from-scratch, small-batch philosophy, that ensures every jar is packed with flavor. All our products are made with a lot of love, care & attention put in by our team of smiling & hard-working women who ensure you get the perfect balance of flavors in every jar! We source most of our ingredients from farmers across the country to ensure we use only the best quality of produce. After all, beautiful & honest ingredients make delicious food! Bring out the MasterChef in you with our range of condiments and delight your family & friends. Cooking gourmet food has never been this easy!

Q2: What inspired you to choose this industry?

A:  My venture actually came about quite accidentally, so I would say the industry chose me rather than the other way around. A craving for a Banana Jam that I tasted on holiday in France led to experiments in the kitchen and eventually a demand for what i was making from friends & family made me recognize the gap in the Indian market when it came to artisanal, innovative and chemical-free preserves & condiments. I was always passionate about cooking and was looking to do something in the food space, and when this clicked, I thought i would try selling them and see the response. So I started with a Facebook page and luckily the response was amazing!

Q3: Do you really think that it is really tough to pursue your dreams and passions? 

A: Nothing is really easy in this world, any path is full of ups and downs. It is definitely tough to pursue your dreams and create something successful, but if you love what you’re doing, then that makes it easier to get through the tough times. Even when you make your passion into your work, there are always parts of running a business that can be mundane and something that doesn’t interest you, but if you keep your eye on the bigger picture, it makes it easier to follow through on these mundane tasks as well. As long as you have the drive in you, you can make your dreams true.

Q4: What kind of problems did you face at the initial time with this venture? 

A: I faced a lot of challenges in the initial stages, right from convincing a customer why they should pay so much for a natural product, to finding suppliers for the right jars and lids, to getting licenses and approvals. After the setting up stage, figuring out how to scale up while maintaining the consistency and quality was very challenging.

Q5:  Tell us how to handle personal and professional front both?

A:When you run your own business, it’s very hard to balance personal and professional life…..the line is always blurry. But it is very important to take out some time for yourself otherwise you risk burning out. I try to balance both my switching off on Sundays and keep that day only for personal life. Also, I take several short holidays through the year to recharge and disconnect from work. Though you can never really turn your phone off as an entrepreneur, I would recommend that to those who can make that an option. 

Q6: What are your future plans for The Gourmet Jar?

A: Future plans for TGJ are to launch new products within the condiments space and add to our portfolio. And also increase our offline penetration by opening new markets.

The post How Apeksha Jain From The Gourmet Jar Turned her Passion Into Profession appeared first on The Pink Journey.

1. Give us a brief about your background

Ms Chulamas Jitpatima: I have over 18 years of experience that includes working as an entrepreneur, working at MNCs and in my current role of Country Director at MQDC India. I began my career at Accenture as a senior analyst, helping form strategy and improving processes at leading companies, including Siam Cement Group and PTT Public Company Limited. Before joining MQDC in 2017, I was working as the Managing Director and Co-founder of Ideas-360, a research and branding powerhouse that we set up in 2007. During this stint, I got the opportunity to work with some renowned figures including experimental psychologist, Dr Howard Moskowitz, who helped us in establishing Mind Genomics as the leading consumer research tool in Thailand and Southeast Asia.

In all my roles, I have always imparted a dynamic approach that has helped me find creative solutions to various business challenges. Deploying the same dynamism in setting up MQDC’s brand – Whizdom Club – in India, I am crafting the Club’s distinctive ethos and character that can act as a catalyst in attracting young professionals, entrepreneurs and enterprises. We are also evaluating different asset classes to grow further in the Indian Market

2. Tell us about your foray into India and your India journey so far

A: MQDC India forayed into the Indian Market with its premium co-working project, Whizdom Club, in 2019. Situated at a prime location in New Delhi, our flagship club offers world class infrastructure along with mentoring support to students, young professionals and strateupreneurs. Also, a large part of our client portfolio consists of several reputed enterprises and SMEs as well. The club has access to all essentials of success including a green and sustainable infrastructure. This was recognized by Realty+ Co-working Summit and Excellence Awards 2020 where we were awarded with the “Co-Working Amenities of the Year” title. The club offers variety of workstation options, especially curated spaces designed to cater to the various needs including Whiz Live is a 75-seater, fully fitted-out event space, Whiz Exchange which help promote the culture of community, where people help one another in work and life.

We took a step further in our journey as we launched, Whiz Café, an extension to our co-working space. The café has exclusive offers for the members of Whizdom Club and is also open to the public at large. We also collaborated with delivery service partners to ensure safe and hygienic food delivery for all our customers. In later part of the pandemic, triggered by the demand for safe and hygienic things among people, we also launched our trading vertical, which has wide range of wellness products like carpets, and rugs for commercial, as well as residential properties.

Before COVID-19, we were in the process of setting up various properties across the country. As things are slowly settling back in, we have reinitiated conversations and we hope to see some movement in that direction soon.

3. What hurdles you have faced to become who you are today?

A:  Assuming the role of Country Director in a foreign country and establishing a completely new business in a competitive industry like real estate in India, I have faced several challenges. From the cultural diversity to language to flying between countries every week, before Covid, it’s been one adventurous journey till date.

The previous year has been a crucial one for the organization as a business. Like most industries, office spaces, co-working spaces and cafes were impacted during the lockdown imposed across nations in a bid to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Keeping the morale of the employees high, keeping the members engaged through regular virtual activities, and sustain the company’s revenue systems have been some of the key initiatives undertaken. Due to the lockdown, managing the existing center while also planning further expansions from Thailand has been one of the most stimulating yet humbling experiences for me!

4. One tip that you want to share with the other women to achieve their dreams.

A:  We live in a society that still has patriarchal conventions to an extent and therefore it is very easy for women to feel discouraged and lose sight of their dreams. I would like to take this opportunity to remind every women out there that they should never step back from dreaming big and should never feel limited by their own mind. Every feat is possible and today, women are reaching newer heights than ever before. We live in a society where women are CEOs of Fortune 500 companies while at the same time have the vision and strength to launch new businesses and make them a roaring success. It is imperative to stay motivated and also create an ecosystem that supports others as well. As a community, we should always find ways to uplift women around us and remain kind through the process.

5. The pandemic has disproportionately affected women. What can women do to get back into the post-pandemic work game?

A: It comes as no surprise that women all over the world have been impacted due to COVID-19. Not just professionally, women have had to face many challenges in their personal lives as well. In addition to all of this, everything in the world was changing at an exponential rate. The way we conducted business evolved, the skills that were required to keep businesses relevant also evolved; in such a scenario, the only way to go back to work and stay relevant is by constantly learning and acquiring new skills. Utilize the time we have right now wisely, enroll in courses and certification that can add meaning to one’s profile. As employers, we are trying to create a better infrastructure and put in place supportive policies to encourage gender equity and equal opportunities for all.

6. What is your experience of during and post-pandemic work? What were the issues you experience as a person?

A: As a Thai National, when the pandemic started in 2020, I was not able to come to India as per safety protocols and international travel regulations. During that time, I was faced with the challenge of managing the business from Thailand, being away from my team which was based in India. In the beginning, it took us some time to find a balanced work equation but as we adopted digitization and put in place stringent SOPs, we continued working endlessly to ensure business continuity. Thanks to my very capable and proactive team, we were able to retain all our clients and added many new ones.

In these two years, not only have we ensured optimum business output from our co-working space, but also have we launched Whiz Café, an extension to Whizdom Club and a trading vertical that offers a wide range of products with anti-viral allergy free properties, keeping in line with our “Well-being for all” vision.

7. Your thoughts on women-only co-working spaces 

A: Like I mentioned, women should come together and nurture an environment that is thriving for all. More than a Women only co-working spaces I believe in providing a safe space for women to take up challenging roles in their professional lives with much more confidence. During the pandemic, co-working spaces have gained immense popularity and have solved the issues that were posed by remote working. The plug and play model presents an opportunity to create a diverse network and enable growth of start-ups, freelancers, entrepreneurs, and many more. Women today are taking up these roles and knowing that there is a space which is safe and also offers mentorship and guidance provides a boost in confidence and encourages them to take up roles, which seemed rather far-fetched till now.

Women focused co-working spaces are the perfect platforms for women who are looking out for options to start their journey in the corporate world.

The post In Conversation with Ms Chulamas Jitpatima, Country Director, MQDC India appeared first on The Pink Journey.