When your job title reads Founder and CEO, you have access to great opportunities and exciting problems. I’m often asked about the challenges of being a female entrepreneur. I think the question in itself actually underscores the discrimination women face. My male contemporaries, when being interviewed usually answer questions about their journey and how they overcame obstacles than about challenges they face as a male entrepreneur.It doesn’t really matter if you’re male or female, the big hurdles are similar for all of us choosing the startup path - is the concept going to work or not, how are you going to convince investors to fund your idea, how can you hire the best team and keep them happy and motivated, how is the company going to sustain an exciting growth trajectory - every entrepreneur deals with all of this on a daily basis.
My entrepreneurship journey is not defined by my sex. This is not to belittle the many, often insidious and dangerous forms of discrimination women face regularly. Things have to change. They only change if we all show up and carry on undaunted, and when the discussion becomes about accomplishment, instead of simply gender.
I don’t believe in earning merits just because I’m a woman. Under-representation of women in tech, of women in the workforce is a damning reality all over the world. Because there are so few female founders around - we do get an advantage as far as visibility goes. Political correctness works in our favour at times, but I would like to reach a point where it is actually not required. I would like to see female founders get awards for the ‘Best Startup’, not just the best ‘Female-Run Startup’. True progress will only happen when all of us are competing for the same things on level playing field. I would like to believe that it is a matter of time. I see so many driven and brilliant women in my own company, in senior management roles who want to make a mark. They represent a new wave - I hope they will achieve amazing things!
Running your own business is no easy feat, to do so while raising two kids is even tougher. My weekdays start early and usually end pretty late. My weekends are for my family. But the best part of my job is that no two days are the same. It also helps that I absolutely love my work and I am passionate about impacting millions of users every month!
Becoming an entrepreneur is not my accomplishment alone. My family, too has learned to live this crazy life - they have made all this possible. As for my work-life balance, it’s a myth. It is something I try to work towards. At any given time, I prioritise what is important. Randi Zuckerberg in her book ‘Pick Three: You Can Have It All (Just Not Every Day)’, asks you to choose what are the three most important things out of five - work, sleep, family, friends and fitness. For me, it’s currently work-family-sleep. I try and swap sleep with fitness when I can but then it does not always happen.
It’s a great time to be an entrepreneur in India. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else or do anything else other than what I’m doing at the moment. I am incredibly grateful for all I have, happy healthy kids and family, a thriving company, and a fruitful life that I truly enjoy. It’s not easy, but then nothing truly worthwhile ever is.
