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It is essential for budding women entrepreneurs to look at the trading and service sectors while setting up enterprises, according to Dr Madhura M. Chatrapathy, Trustee Director of ASCENT (Asian Centre for Entrepreneurial Initiatives).
She said this while inaugurating a Corporation Bank seminar on women entrepreneurship at the Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) in Mangalore on Thursday.
“When people talk about entrepreneurship they only look at industry. It is also essential for them to look at other sectors such as trading and services,” she said.
Stating that it is essential for women to spot trends, Dr Chatrapathy narrated the story of a woman from Hubli who started her career as an entrepreneur at a very young age. She provides security services to many companies in her town through her entrepreneurial venture.
Quoting another example, she said a woman entrepreneur in Bangalore provides janitorial services to two major temples.
Though women entrepreneurs have a significant share in the total number of enterprises in the country, a data bank on women entrepreneurs was sorely lacking. It is essential to have a data bank of women entrepreneurs.
She urged the financial institutions to look at the trading and service sectors while providing financing to emerging entrepreneurs. Most financial institutions preferred the industry sector while extending loans to entrepreneurs, she added.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr B.R. Bhat, General Manager of Corporation Bank, said the bank is ready to conduct another meeting of women entrepreneurs in Mangalore where they could make presentations on their ventures. If feasible, the bank would extend financial assistance to such projects. The seminar would help them take a decision on their plans, he said.
Welcoming the gathering, Mr G.G. Mohandas Prabhu, President, KCCI, said it was for the first time in its seven decades of history that the Chamber had taken the lead in organising a seminar on women entrepreneurs.
Ms Latha R. Kini, Vice-President, KCCI, introduced Dr Chatrapathy to the gathering.
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