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Great Companies: How did you get your idea or concept for the business? Jaya Mary: I wanted to be independent and create my own lifestyle and conditions. Also wished to be doer of my life. Great Companies: What are the various services provided by CJ Konsultants Jaya Mary: We provide 360 degree business consulting services, growth expert and create strategies for Sales, Marketing, Branding n Human resources. Great Companies: What makes CJ Konsultants different from hundreds of other similar service providers? Jaya Mary: Once any client associates , will go at least 5 years. We go extra mile and wins the trust of the client. Great Companies: What were the struggles and challenges you faced and how did you overcome them? Jaya Mary: Many have asked for background like family in business or any great financial partner etc. Importantly lot of people did body shaming. Since I'm slightly plump. But later with my efficiency and results, they have ignored. I ignored all fat shaming and moved to give them results Great Companies: How do you plan to grow in the future? What does 5 years down the line look like for CJ Konsultants? Jaya Mary: I'm aspiring to work globally. I'm delighted to be featured in Forbes. It should be the best place for people to work. Great Companies: If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be? Jaya Mary: Consistency is all that required.

Name: Anooja Bashir Business Name: Oureansoul Pvt Ltd Location: Kerala, India Establishment (Year): 2017 Category/Industry: MarTec Profession/ Specialty: Strategic Marketing ,Branding & IT supports Website: www.anoojabashir.com Social Media: LinkedIn Company Detail: Ourea is a prominent 360-degree business solution providing company in Kochi, India providing strategic business solutions to B2B & B2C Clients. Ourea focuses on branding & designing, strategic marketing, web development solutions along with world-class corporate solutions in HR & Corporate Training. It work alongside firms as their most dependable branding & web development partners so that they could focus on the bare business essentials. In nutshell, They are one stop solutions for your business & professional needs. Unique Selling Proposition or Competitive Advantage: Ourea offers top notch services in branding & web development services along with strategic marketing, corporate training & HR services tailored specifically to meet the B2B & B2C customer service needs. Its pitch perfect strategies and long term visions along with proper utilisation of resources has promoted the business and made it one of the best business consultancy in Kochi. Challenges Faced During the Journey: 2003 - Started a career as a Civil Engineer in a leading Civil construction company 2010 - Migrated to India, started a career in academia with an Assistant Professor profile and worked in leading Engineering Colleges. 2013 - Began the idea of the venture "Ourea" as a finishing school concept of HR & training solution providing company. 2015 - Ventured, failed and began her career as the marketing head in leading corporations. 2017 - Re established Ourea as a 360 degree business management company providing all types of corporate solutions right from branding to marketing to IT to all HR & Training solutions. 2019 - Co Founded Flexicloud, a managed cloud hosting company with Vinod Chacko along with adding IT to Ourea. 2019 - Started mentoring and coaching startups & consultancy support to organizations from the experience gained from the previous industries she served in. 2020 - Developed an edtech Platform, a learning experience for graduates, startups and organization thereby connecting the industry closely. 2021 - Serial & successful entrepreneur managing 2 companies, 4 initiatives and handling more than 1000+ clients all across the globe. Advice for Women Entrepreneurs: Entrepreneurship is not everyone's cup of tea. She would always advise to believe in yourself as entrepreneurship can be challenging but having self-confidence in your abilities is crucial. Secondly it is always important to find a mentor. They can offer guidance and support, and provide insight into the challenges you may face. Networking is another suggestion I would give. Be resilient as entrepreneurship is a journey full of ups and downs. Be prepared to face obstacles, setbacks, and failures, and learn from them. Always focus on your strengths. Delegate tasks that are not your strengths and hire people who compliment your skill set. Also stay true to your values. Stay true to your values and principles, and build a business that aligns with them. Keep learning. Stay up to date with industry trends, learn new skills, and be open to feedback.

Name: Pooja Jajodia Business Name: Bored.Gamers.In Location: Kolkata, India Establishment (Year): 2022 Category/Industry: Professional and other Business Services Profession/ Specialty: Board Game Events, Library & Retail Social Media: Instagram Company Detail: They offer board games for your private parties and corporate events, sell board games and puzzles, and have a library from which games can be rented. Unique Selling Proposition or Competitive Advantage: They offer Indian and international games and puzzles. Their selection of board games is unique and not offered by any other provider. Challenges Faced During the Journey It was difficult to deal with certain India-based board game manufacturers as they were more interested in supplying cafes than someone like us. They convinced them that they could capture a larger market through their board games that they hosted in various cafes. Advice for Women Entrepreneurs: She advises: do not be discouraged if a deal does not materialise. You can keep trying to improve, and those who initially rejected your deals will come back to you on your terms.

Name: Neha Pramod Karekar Business Name: Neha Karekar & Associates Location: Thane, India Establishment (Year): 2010 Category/Industry: Legal & Accounting and Finance, Insurance Profession/ Specialty: Company Secretary Website: https://nehakarekar.com/ Social Media: LinkedIn Company Detail: Neha Karekar & Associates is a firm of company secretaries who help in the formation of companies/LLP's, they also take care of ROC and secretarial compliance for companies/LLP's, also provide services like registration of dues, ROC search reports and due diligence reports for banks. They provide digital signatures for their customers. They perform trademark and MSME registrations. They meet the requirements for secured/unsecured loans. They offer their professional expertise for FLA, FCGPR filings and valuation of shares. Unique Selling Proposition or Competitive Advantage: They offer customised and personalised services to their clients. They add a personal touch and a more approachable attitude to the professional services they provide. They complete their tasks in record time and help their clients with any compliance issues they may have. They act as a single point of contact for their clients for their compliance, financial and legal matters. Challenges Faced During the Journey According to their code of conduct, as company secretaries, they are not allowed to advertise their services, making it difficult to reach the target audience. People do not know about their services. There are also organizations that provide their professional services at a very low cost by hiring entry level professionals who have no experience in providing quality services. They has made it a point to reach out to its target audience by increasing its network and offering the best services to its clients so that their dream business is not affected by low quality services at a low price. She has earned a good reputation over the years and will continue to enliven her profession. Advice for Women Entrepreneurs: Her advice to the young women out there is: do not wait for your prince to take care of you and protect you. Stand up for yourself, take control of your life, do what you love, become what you want to be, be financially independent and your own boss. You can do it! Our job is not only to take care of our family, but also to create our own identity!

Great Companies: How did you get your idea or concept for the business? SATEESH NUKALA: Belonging to a customary, farming background of Andhra Pradesh, made me visualize the struggles of farmers, as a kid. I acknowledged that farming is reckoned as an inconsequential profession’ by my fellow kids who had their ménage involved in farming, hence I went on to pursue higher education and do something ahead of the usual walk of life. What else can a person desire, when he has achieved sovereignty, gone global, and accorded multiple patents, but? I wasn’t complacent amidst the exuberant lifestyle offered to me; I always felt a VOID... A void that led me to cause a disruption in the industry of agriculture. Of course, it takes time to reflect, accept and admire where one verily belongs, especially when one is stuck in a complexity of duty and desires. I sensed that I had conquered everything, but an unrealized void’ remained.... So, I kept thinking until I was taken aback by my childhood memory where the subconscious realization of kids not being proud of their farmer, struck me! So, I decided to go back to the ‘roots’ and was set on to disrupting the Agri-space so much, that the child must feel proud of their father, who is a farmer, using all my experience and knowledge. Great Companies: What are the various services provided by BIGHAAT AGRO PVT LTD.? SATEESH NUKALA: BigHaat is India’s largest digital agri ecosystem with a mission to deliver excellence across the agricultural sector by enabling farmers to make informed decisions during their entire cropping cycle. We provide holistic farming services across the Agri value chain that includes agricultural inputs across seeds, crop protection and farm implements, farm advisory, financial services, market linkages, sustainable farming practices, and much more. In the pursuit to make the lives of farmers more valuable and with the objective of shaping a better future, BigHaat empowers them by the democratization of GAP (good agricultural practices) through multiple channels and enables them to take data-driven decisions for their agricultural practices. Great Companies: What makes BIGHAAT AGRO PVT LTD different from hundreds of other similar service providers? SATEESH NUKALA: We are the first in the Agri space to disrupt the Agri supply chain and deliver doorstep delivery to the farmers. Our B2C model is apart from any other agri tech that reaches out to retail outlets operating in the market. Our business model is designed in a manner that serves farmers with the best information, Agri inputs, and more at their disposal. Technology is the pillar of BigHaat powered by data-drivendecision-making abilities that have helped us to penetrate the rural masses of the country. Through the BigHaat application, we can serve the farmers with authentic Agri inputs, credit and insurance facilities, and free agronomical advisory services right at their fingertips. With over 80+ crops digitized, and 17,000+ pin codes served, we have now impacted more than 17 million+ farmers. Technology innovations have enabled farmers to reduce the cost of cultivation by 25%.. Moreover, unique features on our app like Crop Doctor (instant crop diagnosis for plants infected with diseases), Kisan Vedika (a farmer community platform to interact, share, and disseminate information among farmers), Kisan Sandesh (a platform to get access to news, Agri tips, videos, and blogs), Crop care & Crop Nutrition (helps the farmers get a weekly guide to take care of their crops with expert recommendations) protect crops from any disease and pest attacks. Agri store that hosts over 10,000+ SKUs from 400+ brands offering various authentic manufacturers to serve farmers with the best inputs for their farming needs. The business model is futuristic keeping in view the demands of the farming sector in India. With years of experience and an in-house team of agronomy experts, we can predict the cropping patterns in different parts of India and are able to serve them with good agronomical practices. The business model is evolving with the right technology supported by AI/ML based technology that is continuously training the system to feed and deliver accurate results. Great Companies: What were the struggles and challenges you faced and how did you overcome them? SATEESH NUKALA: As I finally found my purpose and set sail on it, but back then in 2015, the peers didn’t accept my vision, since the agriculture industry was highly chaotic and ‘no technology penetration’ in the rural masses of the nation was thought to put a thwart in my course of action. But I firmly believed that very soon, technology will overrun the rural zones, and that’s where endurance played its part. Any great idea requires capital to scale, and today each investor fancies keeping a pie of agriculture in his portfolio, but the investment journey had been very challenging for us, as when we hit the market with the model in our mind with all the credentials we held, we were miserably questioned, and people had a notion that we’re punching above the weights, and many didn’t support us, but that didn’t let us forgo the vision of revolutionizing the Agri-industry. We kept at it and reached out to multiple peers, and then investors who could potentially help us build a strong foundation, and then scale the process adding more value to it. I was backed by a few colleagues from my previous organization, Honeywell, and that gave me much more confidence towards building a product for the Agri-industry, which would revolutionize the thought process of the farming community, and we raised our first round of investment and immediately took the help of technology and got built, a mobile application which was simple enough to be used by the farming community, and it successfully enabled the horticultural farmers to avail doorstep delivery of quality inputs (seeds). With time and more believers in the vision, the team size kept increasing through hiring's in multiple domains and the services also expanded their reign. As we can see today, BigHaat has been able to transform the agriculture value chain from pre-harvest to post-harvest leveraging science, data, and technology, and with the help of a tech-enabled farmer-centric platform, and we’re addressing the challenges posed by conventional retailers, thereby helping farmers to make informed decisions. Great Companies: How do you plan to grow in the future? What does 5 years down the line look like for BIGHAAT AGRO PVT LTD? SATEESH NUKALA: India has approximately ~140 million farmers and BigHaat in its 7+ years of journey, has been able to touch 10% of these farmers’ life. Until 2020-21, BigHaat was patiently building its technology, and thereafter with the outbreak of Covid and penetration of Reliance Jio, BigHaat witnessed a huge spike in its MAUs from <100k in FY'21-'22 to 3.5 Mn in FY'22-23. This is a significant surge in the number of farmers engaging every month on the BigHaat platform. Going forward in 5 years, BigHaat expects a higher surge in terms of engagement on the platform, resulting from the following factors: Penetration of 5G in India, whereby some reports suggest that 2/3rds of the growth in internet users in the next 4-5 years would come from rural India BigHaat has also started developing its content platform, which is likely to scale up in the next couple of years. Great Companies: If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be? SATEESH NUKALA: Since resilience is critical in agriculture as a sector, keep rectifying and improving with the desire of turning Agri from livelihood to business. WebSite: https://corporate.bighaat.com/ Social Media: Facebook | YouTube | LinkedIn | Instagram

Great Companies: How did you get your idea or concept for the business? Devarshi Pathak: This is my story. It was winter of 1987 at Rajkot, Gujarat, India. My friend and I visited a renowned photographer of our region. It was my friend’s desire to make a career in photography, I had just Accompanied him. He put forward his desire to him and asked for an assistantship, with which he could train himself. It came as a shock to both of us, when he was refused to assist; giving reason that he did not possess any artistic qualities. I felt bad for my friend and argued to defend him. I too was termed as ‘non-artistic’ human being and was advised not to take any profession related to art. It was a bad night for both of us. My friend accepted the ‘verdict’ and chose another path. Though I was not inclined to photography or any other art I spent sleepless nights thinking “what was lacking in me that all artists had”?. I told myself, if I did not have an artist in me, I will create one. To pursue my new dream I started assisting a local photographer, free of cost, but learning the technique of good photography. I also went to a local coaching studio for theoretical knowledge, but soon left it as I had started believing that true school of photography was out on the streets, amidst mountains, in jungles and among millions of people around me. I left my ‘teacher’ after three years and started my journey as an Independent professional photographer. After 20 long years in this profession I now head a team of 15 people, comprising of photographers, videographers, technicians, light boys etc. yet I feel, I am still a student Great Companies: What are the various services provided by Shree Hatkesh Photo? Devarshi Pathak: Video Ad Shoots, Corporate Films, Promotional Videos Short Films, Music Video Event, Videography Event, Photography Product, Photography Industrial, Photography Restoration Work, Children Photography, Aerial Photography & Videography. 360°virtual Tour- Real /3D, All Type of Photo and Video Production Live Streaming ON Social media Like Face book & YouTube. MULTIMEDIA, LED Screen Rental PLAZAMA Webcasting. Great Companies: What makes Shree Hatkesh Photo different from hundreds of other similar service providers? Devarshi Pathak: I took photography as a profession just to see the world thru my leneses and show it back to the world its real pictures. To capture creations of God & Man, both so beautiful and absorbing be it mountains, rivers, wildlife or even centuries old archaeological monuments to modern day architectural marvels. At time I feel Man is competing with the Creator by achieving higher & higher standards of marvelous creations but of course only to loose in the race in the end.

Great Companies: How did you get your idea or concept for the business? L Sowmyanarayanan: I was in the Corporate World working the usual 9 to 5 job. Regular routine work .During my stay in the US for a project, I used to spend my weekends with my fellow roommates from various companies we used to share our ideas on technology. Startups often struggle to realize their dreams; Tescribe Consulting was founded to help them do so by providing digital support and presence. Great Companies: What are the various services provided by Tescribe Consulting? L Sowmyanarayanan: Under the umbrella of Tescribe Consulting we offer solutions for complete Digital Assets which include Content Writing & Creating, Social Media Optimation & Promotions, Creative Video Making Web & Mobile App Design & Development, Software Testing, and Brand Strategy & Implementation. Great Companies: What makes Tescribe Consulting different from hundreds of other similar service providers? L Sowmyanarayanan: We are very strong in the Content Space and with a combination of cutting-edge technology powered with industry insights, and backed by experience and a passionate team. We ensure that our clients receive the best possible results. Our personalized approach to each client enables us to develop tailored solutions that address their specific requirements. Furthermore, we provide a wide range of services, from strategy to implementation, to ensure that each client receives the best solution for their business. Great Companies: What were the struggles and challenges you faced and how did you overcome them? L Sowmyanarayanan: Securing clients and convincing them to use their services was a challenge due to the lack of brand recognition and the competitive nature of the market. Finding a business model that would provide a steady stream of income and ensure long-term profitability was a challenge. Great Companies: How do you plan to grow in the future? What do 5 years down the line look like for Tescribe Consulting? L Sowmyanarayanan: Currently we have expanded our wings across the world. We would like to spread our wings across other countries and bring in a sizeable revenue that will take us to next level of growth both in terms of our financial stability and also in our technological efficiency. Great Companies: If you had one piece of advice for someone just starting out, what would it be? L Sowmyanarayanan: Dare to Dream. My Mother always used to say "Keep your first step the second will follow you". It's your dream make it count and make it large. Finally, remember that it takes time and effort to achieve success, so be patient and don’t give up!

Name: Devi Nataraj Business Name: TAARIKAA Location: Chennai, India Establishment (Year): 2000 Category/Industry: Legal & Accounting and Finance, Insurance Profession/ Specialty: Advocate Website: https://taarikaa.com/ Company Detail: TAARIKAA - is a legal consultant founded and run by professionals with the background of legal and psychology. It has the pride of raising its concern with social oriented thoughts and is aimed to bring an awareness about the prevailing family laws in India, its merits, rights in resolving the family oriented problems legally and amicably. The consultation are offered by professionals practising advocates and qualified psychologist/counsellors in various aspects of family law and personal law. Unique Selling Proposition or Competitive Advantage: Quality services Challenges Faced During the Journey Gained the confidence of people to reach to this place Advice for Women Entrepreneurs: Work hard be consistent in what you do put in 100% effort

Name: Bhavana Mittal Business Name: Bert Labs Location: Bengaluru, India Establishment (Year): 2017 Category/Industry: Information Technology Profession/ Specialty: IT Services, AI- IoT Powered energy solution company Website: https://www.bertlabs.com/ Social Media: LinkedIn Company Detail: At Bert Labs we've built Artificial Intelligence - Internet of Things powered Platform Solution for Energy Efficiency Improvement & Production Efficiency Improvement, for Factories, Manufacturing Plants, Production Facilities, R&D Facilities and Commercial Buildings in FMCG, Pharmaceuticals, Cement, Automobile, and other heavy engineering industry verticals in Developed & Developing Markets. And for Supply Chain Planning & Logistics Efficiency Improvement. The Bert Platform Solution is AI–IoT powered, 360 degree, fully automated, integrated Control solution, where Bert Maximus - Bert Qrious - Bert Nova - Bert Optimus - Bert Geminus work impeccably with each other to bring a) 40%+ Energy Efficiency Improvement for manufacturing plants and commercial buildings, b) 3%+ Production Efficiency in Process Lines c) Improvement in life of Process Equipment by 2 years d) Supply Chain Planning and in-bound & out-bound logistics Efficiency resulting in 5% reduction in freight. Unique Selling Proposition or Competitive Advantage: Bert Labs is the Digital Transformation Partner of choice where leading foreign and Indian MNCs in Pharma, FMCG, Chemical, Pharma, Automobile, Cement is choosing Bert Platform Solution). Company has signed/is signing contractual agreements with 50 odd clients, where the total contractual value is US$ 3.4 Billion (Bert Platform Software Solution Development & Deployment Fees at the time of PO + Bert Platform Software Solution Development & Deployment Fees during ROI period + Bert Platform Solution Annual Recurring License Fees for 10/15 years term of the agreement). While Annual Cost Savings (Energy Savings + Production related savings + Supply Chain related savings) committed to the client as part of the agreement is US$ 4.5 Billion. Challenges Faced During the Journey Any career journey for any person will not be bereft of challenges from the start of their life to the point they can be a role model for others. I lost my dad when I was 2, and saw my mom, a PhD, balancing both work and home to raise me with the right education and values, along with my grandparents. I bring with me more than 24 years experience across organizations and industries. I have been constantly challenging the norms be it by working across countries and cultures at Accenture to being the only women in the Procurement team or taking additional responsibilities of CSR from a purely marketing/media domain earlier to becoming a trainer for Practical Coaching at Workplace at GSK to managing communications along side media at RB to working with diverse businesses at RPSG. At Bert Labs, building an AI-IOT company, I am again in an absolutely new field of technology for energy efficiency, production efficiency and supply chain efficiency. I travel to factories and plants where there is no other woman in sight for miles. Outside of work, I have managed to do a certificate in Photography and teach Yoga being a RYT200. Finally, I got married at the age of 45 to a person who I had met a week earlier, just because I finally knew it was ‘right’. I wish that I can empower more women to challenge their limits and be self-reliant and not get pulled down by societal norms so that we can really ‘be the change’. Advice for Women Entrepreneurs: Be patient, have gratitude towards everything you have. At the same time, you need to have the sense of purpose to realize your dreams. Believe in yourself and the power of your dreams. To realize your dreams, you need to wake up 😊 Keep your support system strong, it takes a village to raise a child… or build a business. At the time, have faith and confidence in yourself. It is very easy to get pulled into an impostor syndrome. At that time, just remember what is meant for you will come to you, nothing can stop it. Be humble, but always take the recognition in what you have achieved so far. Push yourself but don’t be too hard on yourself. As a woman, you will realize that there having an entrepreneurial journey is a bundle of contradictions, which we as women can take in our stride.

Name: Dr. Shweta Singh Business Name: Ennoble IP Location: Noida, India Establishment (Year): 2017 Category/Industry: Professional and other Business Services Profession/ Specialty: IP Services Website: https://www.ennobleip.com/ Social Media: LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube Company Detail: "Ennoble IP is a global professional services provider offering IP Research, Analytics, and Legal and Prosecution services. We are Market leaders in Research and Analytics, and Legal services including Patent, Design and Technical Intelligence. Being the market leader in the IP and R&D services industry. The Ennoble IP team includes experts such as patent analysts, innovation intelligence specialists, technical specialists, licensing analysts, patent agents, and IP docketing specialists who work diligently on intellectual property search, intelligence, prosecution solution. Our primary goal is to improve the accuracy of patent searches and analytics with the help of our IP experts. Ennoble IP has a large team dedicated to improving digital and industrial intellectual property prosecution services. Ennoble IP is an IP Consultancy firm with a simple goal of helping CORPORATES, STARTUPS, SMEs, UNIVERSITIES & RESEARCH INSTITUTES to unlock and protect the value of their Intellectual Property (IP). We are committed to facilitate delivery of high quality and cost effective Intellectual Property services. We are viewed as a market leader in raising the awareness of IP among Indian Universities, SME’s and Startups and protecting their IP through best solution at reasonable cost. An “En-Noble” lends greater dignity or nobility in innovation through novelty that triggers the journey of an idea en route to a path breaking Innovation. At Ennoble IP, we endeavor to encourage, protect and commercialize Innovations. Our mission is to become one-stop solution for all kind of IP & research services of the highest quality at reasonable cost. Our customers can recognize their IP asset and relish the worldwide protection of their IP rights. We Individualized legal advice, assistance, generating value for customers and the company alike. Behind these goals stands the philosophy that the key to our success is the experience gathered, the stability that accompanied the consolidation of our business, and the young, driven and innovative spirit that characterizes our undertakings. We protect your intellectual assets and help increase their value." Unique Selling Proposition or Competitive Advantage: CONFIDENTIALITY Employees bound by strong confidentiality and IP contracts, applicable both under the India and United States laws. Employees cannot work for competitors on the similar projects strong policies and technical firewalls among teams working in India. We never give out your name or your client’s names to anyone. HIGH HIRING STANDARDS FOR CANDIDATES Hiring from campus, the bar and placement consultants. Written test, drafting test, interviews and group discussion for candidates. INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT Ennoble IP provides extremely great facilities and infrastructure for employees in India. Computers, Faxes, Air-Conditioning, Conference call facilities, Software like Windows, MS Office, Adobe Acrobat, Norton are provided free of cost to each joining employee. Free of costs lunch and snacks are provided for office employees. HIGH RESPONSIVENESSS Hiring from campus, the bar and placement consultants. Written test, drafting test, interviews and group discussion for candidates. TRAINING We provide weekly in-house training to employees on different subject matters – IP, Contracts, E-Discovery, Database-Handling, Litigation Support, etc. for certain projects, we provide for tickets & stay of employees to us to get training. NO RISK & EASY EXIT Flexible Engagement Models; act as back office on fixed fees. this arrangement helps our customers to retain their margins and commitments with their customers. Challenges Faced During the Journey As a female entrepreneur, I can attest that no matter what path we take in life, women encounter numerous problems in business, including access to financing, gender bias, work-life balance, a lack of network and mentorship, stereotyping, and workforce challenges. Access to cash is a key barrier for many female entrepreneurs, who frequently struggle to secure loans and funding to expand and scale their enterprises. Gender bias and discrimination can also play a role, making it more difficult for women to obtain finance, form partnerships, or hire personnel. Balancing business and personal life is another common problem for female entrepreneurs, particularly working mothers. Furthermore, It's harder to get a genuine network of professional contacts and mentors, limiting their access to resources, opportunities, and guidance. Women entrepreneurs may confront misconceptions about their ability and commitment to their enterprises as a result of stereotyping, which can create extra barriers to success. Advice for Women Entrepreneurs: It can be really hard to be a female entrepreneur and can be really hectic at a time as I have face myself, so here is my mantra or one can say a small to-do list/step-by-step guide for all my fellow sisters who either are an entrepreneur or aspiring to become one Establish a concise perspective: Begin with a clear knowledge of what you want to achieve with your business, the problem you want to solve, and the market you want to serve. Conduct your research: To gather insights and make informed decisions, research your industry, competitors, and future customers. Build relationships and network with people who share your interests to receive knowledge, resources, and connections. Accept mentoring: Having a mentor may help you overcome problems and make the best decisions for your business by providing essential guidance, support, and insights. Become resourceful: Entrepreneurship may be a rollercoaster ride, and having the tenacity and determination to weather the ups and downs is essential. Constantly gain knowledge: Stay current on industry advances and trends, and always look for methods to increase your skills and knowledge. Keep concentrated and prioritize: Distractions will always occur, but it is critical to stay focused on your goals and prioritize what is most necessary for the success of your business. Align yourself with a collaborative team: Putting together a group of people with diverse abilities and opinions can help you grow and flourish. Lose gracefully: While failure is an unavoidable part of the entrepreneurial process, it can also be a wonderful learning experience. Accept failure, learn from it, and use it to propel you forward. And keep on growing!

Name: Rashmi Nagarcenkar Business Name: PropertyCare Location: Pune, India Establishment (Year): 2015 Category/Industry: Construction, Real Estate and Architecture Services Profession/ Specialty: Property Management Website: http://www.propertycarepune.com Company Detail: PropertyCare serves as a complete “Property Management Service” for all the non-resident property owners of Pune, India. The package is owner-focused and provides services like renting out, tenant management, cleaning, monitoring, maintenance, enhancement, utility payment, rent tracking, and legal matters, provided with regular updates. Unique Selling Proposition or Competitive Advantage: An owner focused Property Management Service specially for NRIs Challenges Faced During the Journey : Since this is a niche service in India as yet, Rashmi had the feeling of reinventing the wheel on many occasions. She also mentions team building as another major challenge. Advice for Women Entrepreneurs: The speech marks Rashmi left for women entrepreneurs is, “Success is shabby!! Don't try to be perfect in everything you do. Else you may delay your progress.”

Name: Manjiri Gokhale Joshi Business Name: Maya CARE Foundation Location: Pune, India Establishment (Year): 2014 Category/Industry: Social Enterprise and NGO Profession/ Specialty: NGO Website: https://mayacare.org/ Social : LinkedIn Company Detail: Maya CARE set out on its mission to provide older people with free intellectual, logistical, medical, and emotional care in 2009. Its volunteers visit the elderly and help with doctor appointments, paperwork, picking up medications from the store, going for garden walks with them, assisting them with video calls, reading and writing for them, playing games of recreation, and planning various events for them in their own homes and care facilities. Via its project Bindu, the Maya Care Foundation is renowned for its dedication to recruiting and educating people with disabilities (PWDs) (which means "focus" in Sanskrit). It hires PWDs from various geographical origins who have never worked for pay or experienced corporate work culture. Unique Selling Proposition or Competitive Advantage: Maya CARE is the only organization in the world that offers older people free support while also improving their physical and mental health. Its "Project Bindu" is likely the only programme of its kind that addresses the issues facing two marginalized groups in society: the elderly who are in danger of dying and the disabled who are confined to their homes, lacking a sense of purpose and relying on their families for support their entire lives, resulting in low self-esteem. All other programmes for the elderly are either for-profit or targeted at particular regions, castes, faiths, or time periods. Since 2009, Maya CARE has offered this healthcare help without charge in 66 Indian cities and 5 UK cities. Challenges Faced During the Journey For the first eleven years of its existence, my husband Abhay Joshi and I provided 92% of the money out of our personal salary. We came to the conclusion that this financial model was unsustainable as we followed our own careers in diverse sectors of the corporate world. We were forced to choose between closing Maya CARE and making a risky move as we got closer to our own retirement age and didn't come from financially stable households. Advice for Women Entrepreneurs: Establishing a company or charity can be difficult. It's critical to have faith in your skills and concepts. Make sure you are well-versed in the industry and your rivals. Meet people from your organization or sector in the real world. Attend networking gatherings, sign up for trade associations, and make contacts with business owners. It might take a while and be challenging to launch a firm. Be ready for failure, but don't let it demoralize you.