Budding businesswomen learn the art of entrepreneurship in Bangalore

Sitting in a high ceiling room, 25 women in different age groups are listening with rapt attention to a session on how to pack products like food items, textiles, handicrafts, etc so that they appear pleasing to a buyer’s eye.

This day-long session at a conference hall in Rajajinagar industrial estate in Bangalore is aimed at grooming these women, many of whom are venturing out of their homes for the first time for work, on the essence of packaging.

Amidst the conference, Deepthi M, a woman in her early 20s, is trying to sell steel plates painted in bright hues and decorated with lamps. Being the only breadwinner in her family of four, which includes a younger brother, aged father and her one-year-old daughter, Deepthi is focused on growing her business.

Having lost her husband sometime ago, the lanky girl who has studied up to class 12, was compelled to use her creative talent in churning out a living.

She makes 500 plates per month, and a few miniature Ganeshas by joining two betel nuts, and sells them for `150 and `10, respectively outside temples in the IT city.

“I am able to support my family from the money I make,” says Deepthi, who is trying to grasp some packing techniques, as till now she has been selling her wares either in thin plastic bags or just loose.

Like Deepthi, Uma C Shekhar, a housewife for 16 years, is also keen on learning packaging methodologies. The mother of three, who makes leather hand-bags, wallets, conductor bags and gloves, says being just 10th pass, she requires external guidance and support on how to run her business and sell products.

“Packing the products in attractive covers can increase sale. Sessions on this and other aspects of running a business are needed by us,” says the proprietor of Thrishul Leather, who started her enterprise with `50,000 given by her mother.

“We make 40-50 different items in a month and supply them to government showrooms,” says Uma, who was married off at 16.
About two hours from Bangalore, in the sugar town Mandya, 200 women from 10 self help groups are getting coached on how to market products like biscuits, vermicelli, noodles, etc which they make from maize.

These women, most of whom are class 10 pass, were just housewives before they got trained to make the products.
“Today we earn an income after selling in local stores. This coaching will help us understand how we can market our products in a better fashion and reach more customers,” says Jayasheela Gowda, who works thrice a week from morning till late afternoon to make corn papads and condiments.

Dhanavanti Jaiin, president, Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Karnataka, which has organised the seminar and coaching, says that regular training sessions need to be conducted for budding entrepreneurs to guide them on setting up businesses.

“We keep conducting workshops on costing, branding, marketing, packaging, how to register a business and so on. Moreover, providing an interface between those wanting to set up their ventures, government officials, bankers is necessary to help them understand the process to avail loans, register their businesses, etc,” says Jaiin, whose organisation reaches out to over 2,000 entrepreneurs per year.

M Sugnanamurthy, joint director, district industries, Mandya, says that budding entrepreneurs also needs support in the form of exhibitions which can help increase their sale.

According to Prof Anil K Gupta from IIM Ahmedabad, who established the Grassroots Innovation Augmentation Network, smalltime entrepreneurs and innovators are plenty in the country and they need support to grow and get themselves established.

“Entrepreneurs need not be just the big guns out to make fast bucks. There are countless people who come with unique ideas and are not just making their own living, but also creating employment for others,” says Gupta.