Women showcase their entrepreneurial skills

Eighteen months ago, Asha Satish began making ‘Aashi Masalas’ with a meagre `500. But the turnover last year was a whooping Rs4.5 lakh.

The teacher-turned-entrepreneur thus proved that her cooking skills could tickle taste buds and bring in cash.

“Over the last year, I have worked really hard. However, it is important that a woman interested in becoming an entrepreneur should first analyse what she is interested in and start business on a low key. For instance, she can begin by selling her products in her neighbourhood. Profit is secondary,” she said. Women entrepreneurs participating at the three-day exhibition-cum-sale organised and hosted by the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) had similar success stories in handicraft, paintings, food products, garments and bags.

From ‘chessboard’ candles to Christmas chocolates, hand-made purses, dip and colour paintings, and snacks, all the items displayed and marketed at the show were made by women.
K Shiva Shanmugam, vice-president, FKCCI, said that though such artistic products have always been made by women, it is in marketing them that the problem starts.

“There is a huge market to be tapped by women in the micro and small industry sector,” he said. Women should be more aware of various schemes formulated by the government for encouraging the sector. “Women should form groups to avail loans,” he said. The exhibition will be held every two months over the next year.

This is the second time such a show is being held. “For the previous show, there was not much publicity. However, for future shows, we will give more publicity,” said Shanmugam.