To be really successful, every conference deserves a session like the panel discussion on \u201cWomen, empowering retail \u2013 Leading Innovation\u201d \u2013 it provided a dash of spice and humor \u2013 just the right touch to liven up proceedings and add several layers of grist for the post-event mills. <\/b><\/p>\n

$\"DSC_0169\"$ <\/a>
From L-R: Caroline Papadatos, Senior Vice-President, International, LoyaltyOne; Ivana Perovic, CEO, AP Group; Anisha Singh, Founder and CEO, mydala.com; Vikram Bakshi, MD (North & East), McDonald’s India; Priyadarshini Rao, Director, Mineral Fashions Pvt Ltd; Natasha Shah, Founder, The Nature’s Company and Megha Poddar, Promoter and Director, Siyaram Silk Mills Ltd<\/p><\/div>\n
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Panelists included Anisha Singh, Founder and CEO, mydala.com; Ivana Perovic, CEO, AP Group, Priyadarshini Rao, Director, Mineral Fashions Pvt Ltd; Natasha Shah, Founder, The Nature’s Company, Megha Poddar, Promoter and Director, Siyaram Silk Mills Ltd.. The panel was moderated by Vikram Bakshi, MD (North & East), McDonald’s India.<\/p>\n
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The discussions were around how stereotypes with reference to the roles that women play are evolving. While some of the typical gender based stereotypes are alive and kicking \u2013 for example \u2013 almost all the panelists and the moderator spoke about \u201callowing\u201d women to work, and the usual \u201cfamily vs work\u201d conflict , the new words in the women entrepreneurs dictionary are \u201cfocus\u201d, \u201cfight\u201d, \u201ckeep pushing\u201d, \u201cdeal with guilt\u201d, \u201cbe tough but fair\u201d.<\/p>\n
One aspect that has not changed is the need for a supportive ecosystem \u2013 be that friends, husband, or extended family.\u00a0 Shah\u2019s admission that her husband is not just a CEO in his own right but \u201cthe real mother\u201d to her twins, had the audience applauding.<\/p>\n
Does gender open doors<\/b>? The view was \u2013 it probably does \u2013 because, of the \u201cface value\u201d factor(See pic!) \u2013 but as Perovic put it \u201cWhat you do after that door is opened is upto you. The door may open faster but the benchmarks against which your performance are measured are higher\u201d. \u00a0Similarly, Rao\u2019s comment that gender can be a disadvantage when dealing with the government \u2018babu\u2019s\u2019 because \u201cthey won\u2019t take you seriously\u201d struck a chord with the audience.<\/p>\n
Does gender keep financiers at bay? – <\/b>\u00a0It depends on who the financier is. If you are looking to raise money from traditional PSU banks and financial institutions \u2013 the answer is probably yes. Sample Perovic\u2019s telling comment on one financer who held back because they \u201cwere looking at who the promoter is\u201d.<\/p>\n
$\"Women$ <\/a><\/p>\n
If your potential funder is a VC \/ PE entity \u2013 then gender is not really a factor \u2013 as Singh put it \u2013 \u201cyour business case matters more\u201d.<\/p>\n
Is there a glass ceiling? \u2013 <\/b>The view was \u2013 unequivocally \u2013 \u201cYes, especially in retail\u201d.\u00a0 The reasons are simply that employers won\u2019t risk it, there will be questions on stability and the ability to deal with and balance pressure from multiple stakeholders both on the home and work front.<\/p>\n
How do you deal with the \u201cfamily vs work\u201d conflict?.\u00a0 <\/b>There were no easy answers but the view was that \u2013 \u201cyou deal with it\u201d.\u00a0 Singh\u2019s \u201cWe are all guilty mothers and so we are good mothers\u201d probably summarized it best.<\/p>\n
Advice to young women entrepreneurs? <\/b>Poddar\u2019s comment – \u201cTell her to think independently and have enough space from her husband and his thoughts \u2013nurture her own individuality\u201d summed it up best.<\/p>\n
The best part of the panel discussion was the repartee between the moderator and the panelists.\u00a0 To sum it up \u2013 when asked \u201cAs a woman, do you feel aggrieved at the years of oppression that women have had to suffer at the hands of men and do you want to get back at them?\u201d \u2013Singh\u2019s patient answer was \u201cVikram \u2013 we are women, we don\u2019t do it like that. We are nice and evil and we know better ways to get back<\/b>!\u201d.<\/p>\n
Jai Ho!.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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