As women entrepreneurs and partners in an HR initiative, what do you feel is lacking in professional women across different fields today?
Shelly– Personally I haven’t seen them lacking in anything, they work even harder than men and of course multitasking is a woman’s’ speciality. So in fact they have an edge over men.
Amita- I feel women are empowered and more effective than men. It is each success that propels them to do better. Women lack the insensitivity that men possess in general.
Shipra- The only problem is that people don’t take them seriously in the initial stages of a job / career.
What advice can you give potential women entrepreneurs who are still in the nascent stages of planning a business?
Shipra – They should be totally focussed on what they want to achieve. They should take sound advice as regards the legal and regulatory requirements of the selected business and proceed. There may be a number of hindrances thrown up, but we need to address them and face up to them.
If you are determined, no hindrance is so big that it cannot be overcome. Don’t make too grand a plan, see your limitations, finances etc and select a pragmatic target to begin with. But do not lose sight of your grand plan as you are finally working towards that plan.
Shelly– Just follow two mottos: never give up and hard work definitely pays. Many times we came across hurdles that seem too big to cross. Lastly, keep abreast of latest developments in your chosen field.
Amita- Women entrepreneurs have to learn discipline, patience and perseverance. The last is all the more important for entrepreneurial ventures run as a home enterprise. It is important to keep track of goals and not be derailed or detracted.
As HR professionals, what kind of jobs and professions are ‘women specific’ by nature? Or in today’s world do you feel that one cannot draw a distinct line?
Shipra -In today’s world, there is nothing that a woman cannot do. You should have the fire in your heart to succeed.
Shelly – This is the kind of mindset we have to change, no job is women specific. Women are all rounder’s and can take on any job that they want to.
Amita– In today’s world, there is no distinct line to men only/women only jobs. Wizecareers has been recruiting for 4 years now and very rarely do we come across such profiles with gender specification.
What do you feel it takes to make your business succeed in such a competitive ‘man’s world’?
Shipra -I do not believe in such cliché as man’s world. Men and women are equal partners and this world can grow with collaboration between the two. Put in your best and nobody can stop you from achieving whatever you want.
Shelly– To succeed we need persistence and perseverance. We haven’t come across ‘man’s world’ in our line of business.
Amita- It is a competitive world and competence will define success. An effective conception and replicable execution of a business plan is what it takes.
Can each of you share a few parting thoughts related to managing your personal life and business or profession as women too?
Shipra – I maintain a balance between life and work. I take out sufficient time for my kids and family.
Shelly – Wizecareers would not have been possible without the support of our families. Balancing both work and family is like walking on a tight rope, sometimes work and home overlap into each other’s time but I aim at an end result of a happy home and professionally satisfying career.
Amita- This venture has disciplined me and urged me to have a fine balance of familial as well as professional commitments. There is ample support from family and business partners when family flows into business time and family support when business intervenes in family time. Wizecareers is an extension of me as a family woman.
