The US Small Business Administration (SBA) has awarded 27 organizations Program for Investment in Micro-Entrepreneurs (PRIME) grant awards. The PRIME business grants equate to a total of $5.2 million.

Micro-Entrepreneurs Awarded $5.2M in PRIME Business Grants

The PRIME grant awards are designed to support nonprofit organizations focused on helping entrepreneurs on low incomes get sufficient financing to establish and expand their business. The organizations provide small business owners with direct technical assistance. They also provide capacity-building training for organizations that provide capital to undeserved small businesses.

PRIME Grant Selection Process

PRIME was established by Congress as part of the Program for Investment in Microentrepreneurs Act of 1999.

Small businesses across the US have been hit hard by the pandemic, making it more vital than ever they have the right resources and training to help nurture growth. This is especially prevalent in economically-deprived communities that often lack the right facilities for growth.

The PRIME grant funds are designed to help bridge such gaps, funding nonprofits so they are better equipped to assist small businesses that may be struggling.

This year’s selection process was especially centered on projects that will provide training and technical assistance to help strengthen businesses that are economically disadvantaged.

Special emphasis was also given to organizations that provide services to entrepreneurs located in rural areas, and those in Opportunity Zones. Opportunity Zones provide a tax break in which investors can use capital gains to support long-term economic development in almost 9.000 designated low-income communities throughout the US.

Emphasis was also given to those in HUBZones, which are historically underutilized business zones.

As SBA Administrator, Isabella Casillas Guzman, comments on the focus of the PRIME grant selection process:

““The Biden-Harris Administration and Congress have worked together tirelessly to ensure our nation’s small businesses have the resources they need to survive this pandemic and build back better.

“This year, SBA focused our PRIME grant selection process on our nonprofit partners who can best bring federal resources to life, especially in the regions and communities where they are needed most. I look forward to partnering with these organizations as they help us connect America’s entrepreneurs with the capital they need to start and grow their enterprises,” Casillas Guzman said.

A total of 101 organizations applied for PRIME grants in 2021. Out of the 27 recipients of the PRIME grant awards, 15 provide services to Opportunity Zones. 12 provide services in HUBZones.

The grant awards range from $75,000 to $250,000. Recipients are typically required to provide at least 50% in matching funds or in-kind contributions.

Grant funds will be made available on September 30, 2021.

Image: Depositphotos

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Originally Appeared Here

“DETAILS”

STEVE WASTERVAL

They say it’s the little things in life that can make the biggest difference. Just think of a relaxing routine you do on the weekend. Maybe you get to sleep in a little later, then mix yourself a cup of warm tea while you sit outside and simply take in the morning.

Taken alone, none of these actions seem particularly amazing. But combining a series of small steps can create the soothing, calming atmosphere you need after a busy and stressful week. Those small details add up to something much bigger than the sum of its parts.

The same is true in business. When entrepreneurs pay attention to detail, it can completely transform the customer experience. In this case, the little things could be to key to helping you build lasting customer relationships.

Minimize Errors

Like it or not, mistakes happen in the business world. The less detail-oriented your company is, the more likely you are to have major issues that negatively impact the customer experience.

Communications can be one of the biggest stumbling blocks for new entrepreneurs.

As Lynette Reed writes for Business.com, “Effective communication is the cornerstone of a successful business. Attention to detail in communication reduces errors, which streamlines the workloads and timelines. Employees who effectively communicate with attention to detail are more likely to enhance the success of your organization. Effective communications occur when an employee accurately shares information with other members of the team. You can encourage attention to detail by ensuring that employees communicate who is accountable for specific parts of a project and for keeping timelines updated.”

As your company’s leader, the responsibility ultimately rests with you. You need to create an accountable culture where everyone pays attention to the small details and communicates effectively. How you communicate with your team sets the tone for how they communicate with each other — and your customers. Communicate regularly and make sure everyone understands their responsibilities.

Keeping track of data can be another detail-related challenge. If you don’t have an effective CRM system in place, you may have trouble responding to customer requests or fulfilling orders in a timely manner. Worse yet, you could leave a customer email unanswered for weeks or send them the wrong product. Automation platforms can help you stay organized so crucial details don’t slip through the cracks.

Creating processes and utilizing tools that allow backend processes to go smoothly ensures that you’ll be able to better serve your customers. Having a stress-free transaction (without the need for customer support calls) is the expectation for customers — and your attention to detail makes that possible.

Create A Memorable Experience

Attention to detail doesn’t just apply to the back-end of your business operations. It can also help your brand make a stronger impression during each customer interaction.

As Miriam Brafman, founder and CEO of Packlane explained in an email conversation, entrepreneurs should look for ways to personalize each step of the buyer experience. “Your branding should come through with every possible interaction. Even the packaging that is used to deliver your products tells a story to the customer. A custom box showcases your e-commerce brand’s personality and creates a fun and exciting unboxing experience for your customers. Crafting distinct and individual experiences will delight your customers and get them wanting to come back for more.”

In fact, a report from McKinsey reveals that 80 percent of shoppers now expect personalization in their interactions with retailers. Many retailers use advanced analytics tools to make this possible — like grocery store chains tracking customer purchases and then sending personalized coupons for the items an individual buys most often.

As Dayna Winter writes for Shopify, Hawaiian swimwear brand Kaikini does this by offering extensive customization before someone makes a purchase:

“Swimwear fit is tricky—a size 8 swimsuit will fit my frame much differently than on another size 8 body. [Kaikini founder] Taryn Rodighiero quickly recognized this challenge. While a fit quiz would help her customers select the best size or style for their bodies, she took the personalized experience one step further by adding custom-made swimwear to her lineup. On the product page, customers can build suits by plugging in their own measurements and preferences (like more or less coverage). […] And if it doesn’t fit perfectly? Alterations are free.”

There are many other ways you can personalize the buying experience at each step of the process. Even for an online transaction with no face time, attention to such small details helps customers feel valued.

Making The Most Of The Little Things

While there are certainly some “details” to your business that you can automate or outsource, entrepreneurs should always be mindful of the little things. By doing your due diligence to ensure that all work lives up to customer expectations and then finding ways to personalize their experience, you create a distinctly positive interaction.

Those small details are often what will stand out to your customers — and get them to come back to you in the future. Attention to detail could very well make all the difference for your bottom line.

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Originally Appeared Here

Alderman James Vos pictured with some of the programme’s women graduates.

The City of Cape Town and tech incubator the Cape Innovation and Technology Initiative (CiTi) are calling on women entrepreneurs to apply for a spot to join their business programme.

Facilitated by CiTi, the Women in Business programme helps female entrepreneurs scale their business with top tech tools. It provides them with strategic support to implement and adopt digital platforms and programmes to drive business growth, and promote inclusion in the digital economy.

In addition, participants receive strategic support, mentoring, peer-to-peer learning and networking opportunities with other female bosses.

In the past, the programme has supported over 1 000 women entrepreneurs in and around Cape Town, according to a statement.

“Women entrepreneurs are significant job creators in South Africa, with up to 90% of business-owning women stating in a recent survey that creating employment was an important factor for them in starting their enterprises,” says alderman James Vos, mayoral committee member for economic opportunities and asset management.

“Through supporting this programme, the City of Cape Town is therefore boosting not only the leaders taking part, but the people they employ.

“Having met many of the entrepreneurs who have gone through this course, I’ve been fortunate enough to see how invaluable the sessions were for them,” he continues.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the programme will run online over a 10-week period.

Lara Rosmarin, head of incubation and entrepreneurial development at CiTi, expresses the importance of continuing the programme during the pandemic. “Despite recent events, the CiTi team is determined to deliver a successful Women in Business programme. We’ve adapted a sizable portion of our programme to an online format to play our part in social distancing to limit the spread of COVID-19.

“For economies to grow, women need equal access to the skills, knowledge and contacts that will help them to grow their business footprint. I encourage the women bosses in and around Cape Town to apply now for this enriching and empowering programme at CiTi.”

To apply, click here.

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KATHMANDU, Sept 7: The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) President Shekhar Golchha concluded the 5th International Women Entrepreneurs’ Trade Fair 2078 BS, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on Wednesday.

Addressing the closing ceremony of the virtual fair on Monday, President Golchha, who was also the chief guest, said that the exhibition aimed at uplifting the economy, which has been hit hard by the pandemic, would further help in capacity building of women entrepreneurs.

“Despite various problems faced by small and medium enterprises due to the pandemic, the Federation of Women Entrepreneurs Associations of Nepal (FWEAN) has set a perfect example on how to keep the economy afloat,” he said. “This trade fair has not only developed the economic potential of women, but  also set an example of how women can drive economic activity.”

Similarly, FWEAN President Reeta Simha said that the federation has succeeded in continuing the development of women entrepreneurship as the umbrella organization of women’s associations across the country. Stating that the fair is a new endeavor in the context of present day Nepal, she said that more than one hundred thousand people had visited the fair till Monday.

“The fair has provided ample opportunities for national and international women entrepreneurs to sell their products. Digital marketing of the products, data collection through e-portals and easy sales distribution have also been emphasized in the fair,” she said.

FWEAN First Vice President Niru Rayamajhi said that 82 stalls from all over the country were participating in the exhibition. Stating that the exhibition got good response from home and abroad, she assured that the products produced by women entrepreneurs will help in expanding the internal market and promoting export trade through online marketing.

Likewise, Second Vice President of FWEAN Shova Gyawali said that the fair has succeeded in lobbying, advocacy, network expansion, information flow, capacity building and marketing for the transformation of women’s economic and social empowerment.  “The federation not only developed the fair as a modern platform but also addressed the needs and challenges of women entrepreneurs due to the difficulties seen in the market expansion and access,” she said. “The entrepreneurs have developed the morale of the industrialists including marketing and management of their products as the ordinary public is also attracted towards the digital market due to COVID-19 crisis.”

FWEAN General Secretary Sunita Bandya Shrestha infomed that women’s associations from 24 districts including Kathmandu participated in the fair. Stating that emphasis has been laid on the delivery as per the demand of the goods, she said that the recent work of the federation has provided a new opportunity to the women entrepreneurs.

The fair was supported by various organizations such as International Labor Organization, FCA, the Asia Foundation, the UKAID, Visa Foundation, and Women’s Bank with the technical support of Dolpha Solutions. The fair was sponsored by National Life Insurance, Jyoti Vikas Bank, Sanima Bank, Nepal College of Travel and Tourism Management, Srinagar Agro, Global IME Bank, Laxmi Intercontinental, Citizen Bank, Nimbus, Pashupati Food Industries and the Embassy of Bangladesh in Kathmandu.

The fair showcased 80 stalls including stalls of handicraft products, items made from natural fiber, Dhaka and handmade paper products, wooden products, organic foods, jewelry and decorative products, among other things. These included stalls belonging to 57 women entrepreneurs, representing 30 district women entrepreneurs’ associations.

The products of women entrepreneurs were also promoted through social media such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and email. Delivery service was provided to the cities in Banepa, Panauti and Dhulikhel of Kavrepalanchok district and three districts in Kathmandu Valley. At the fair, 1,130 items produced by women entrepreneurs were put into four groups, namely handicrafts, agriculture and food, trade and services.

This online virtual trade fair held for the first time in Nepal has created an environment for women entrepreneurs to promote their products and build a proper network with customers as well as other entrepreneurs. 

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The rapid spread of COVID-19 and the consequent lockdowns caused massive disruptions for many businesses in the country.

Archana Vohra

A Facebook Future of Business study, conducted with the World Bank and the OECD, showed that women-owned small-medium businesses (SMBs) were more likely to report closed due to COVID-19, even when considering the business size, sector, and geography.

The study also that women are disproportionately bearing the burden of domestic responsibilities. Access to finance has also been a critical challenge for the MSME sector, and the same report revealed that almost a third of small businesses in India expect cash flow to be a challenge in the coming months.

At the same time, the studies also found that women business leaders showed a greater degree of flexibility in their business models in response to COVID-19 and were more likely to make more than 50 percent of sales through digital channels.

Keeping these studies in mind, Facebook sprang into action and enhanced its focus on business skilling initiatives during this period.

Leveraging social media

In an interview with HerStory, Archana Vohra, Director – Small and Medium Businesses, Facebook India, outlined the different programmes initiated to help businesses cope and sustain during this period.

She explains, “Our Managed Partners Program helps mid-tier businesses scale and grow through account management support from our third-party partners. This is available free of cost to customers, and we have enabled 16X more businesses since March 2020.

“Another flagship programme, the Advertiser Bootcamp, offers deep business learning support through masterclasses and custom content in Hindi and English, and has reached out to 15 million customers on the platform. Our VC Brand Incubator Program, which works with venture capital funds to scale young brands, just finished two years during which time it has tied up with nine VC funds and scaled more than 200 early funded businesses.” 

Archana says the inability to secure timely credit has been a massive impediment to the growth of small businesses.

“The pandemic has been challenging for small businesses, especially women-owned ones. At the same time, insights from our apps indicated that women were showing tremendous resilience, leadership, and optimism during these times. In 2020, women created twice as many fundraisers on Facebook as men did and made twice as many donations, with 64 percent of total funds raised from women.

“Women have also led the way in growing communities and rallying resources, creating 2.7X more COVID-19-related groups than men, with four times more members. And most importantly, despite challenges and uncertainties, women continued to start their businesses – 20 percent of Instagram Business profiles created since November 2020 have the words ‘female/women owned’,” she adds.

Increasing sales and building communities

Kanika Gupta Shori of Square Yards, Vasavi Polimer of Studio Shreshtha, and Anju Srivastava of Wingreens Farms

Women entrepreneurs did not have it easy, but found different ways to pivot, increase sales, build a strong community of users on Instagram and Facebook, and find new customers.

Anju Srivastava, Founder, Wingreens Farms, a brand that offers sauces, mayo, chips, herbs and seasonings and other products, saw the focus shift from sampling in stores to utilising social media to have a direct line of communication with customers.

Anju explains that the product mix needed to be diversified to empower consumers to cook gourmet meals at home. “Since the pandemic struck, Wingreens has launched over 30 new products spanning five different categories. All of these products/categories have been curated keeping in mind not only ‘taste’ but also ‘easy gourmet cooking at home’.”

“Facebook and Instagram became our primary channels for brand awareness. These platforms not only allowed us to keep in touch with our customers and generate awareness for our new products but to create a tight-knit community in which the entire Wingreens family can share and grow together,” she adds.

Kanika Gupta Shori, Co-founder and COO of real estate and mortgage platform Square Yards, explains that the first step was to immediately utilise their energies and tech capacities to build an integrated online platform to enable a home buyer to search, view selected projects, and even book and make payments for the desired unit from the comfort of their homes.

“Within days of the lockdown, we were able to pull off a digital platform and evolve our business model in a way that the April to June 2020 quarter ended on a high. As opposed to an expected slump in business, Square Yards ended up capturing 20 percent of the total market share during the quarter, making it one of the best quarterly performances to date,” she says.  

For Vasavi Polimera, Founder, Studio Shreshtha, an Instagram-based women’s ethnic wear label, the business was already doing well online before the pandemic struck.

“While the pandemic brought in challenges, there was also a silver lining. Since physical marketplaces were shut, we were under the impression that this would lead to a manifold increase in online shopping. What we didn’t consider was that the pandemic would also affect people’s purchasing power, and that would, in turn, affect our business,” she explains.

This translated into the business losing sales significantly – the pandemic had started a chain reaction. Vasavi says while some customers wanted to shop occasionally, they were unable to buy from the store, as its Instagram handle could not aid purchases.

“This is where WhatsApp Business came to our rescue. We adopted WhatsApp Business to ensure that if our customers could not reach us, we reached out to them. The catalogue feature ensured the smooth launch of new product offerings and showcased existing clothing lines in a concise display of offerings. This drove traction, further generating sales due to ease of purchase,” she adds.

Growth during a pandemic

The shift in marketing and social media strategies seems to have paid off for these entrepreneurs.

“Our overall business has grown beyond what it was during pre-COVID times, and the ecommerce revenue has grown more than 30X of what it was pre-COVID, largely due to advertising on Facebook and Instagram,” Anju says.

According to Kanika, Square Yards’ market grew 3-4X. She claims transactions outperformed the industry by 80 percent and the company’s global ambitions were on point, with international businesses contributing to almost one-third of the total revenue.

“The complete online re-modelling of our business meant that our traffic on www.squareyards.com jumped 4X+ to 3 million-plus monthly visitors in 2020. At a time when the economy was badly hit, and business in the real estate sector had suffered losses to the tune of 30-40 percent, we recorded double-digit growth with a double-digit EBITDA margin,” she says.

Though shopping via online channels was already on the rise, the adoption and onboarding of technology sped up post-pandemic, Vasavi says. “This influenced a rise in revenue for us. As time progressed and the pandemic came under control, it translated the shift in consumer behaviour to sales. Being on WhatsApp Business helped us scale up the brand reach and ease the shopping experience for our customers.”

Optimistic about the future

Anju has big dreams and ambitions for Wingreens and on top of the D2C brand’s list is product expansion.

“You can come to us for Wingreens dips and sauces, RAW juices, almond milk, and protein shakes, Appitas pita chips and other healthy snacking products, The Impatient Baker ready mixes, Spice Rack international herbs, seasonings and Indian spice mixes, breakfast muesli – we will soon have a full range of organic products under Organic Country, fruit yoghurts, cheese, oat milk, regular milk, bread, tea, coffee…the list is endless!”

Square Yards kicked off FY22 by clocking a 50 percent year-on-year growth in revenue at Rs 100.8 crore, with a positive EBITDA run rate, while its Gross Transactional Value (GTV) was up 80 percent at Rs 2,197 crore, as compared to Q1 FY21. Its property transactions also witnessed an 80 percent on-year jump at 3,916 deals during the quarter ending June.

“Despite continuous investments in ramping up distribution capacity and building blocks of new business segments, corporate profitability for Square Yards also held up strongly at 32 percent with positive EBITDA margins. Most importantly, our marketplace has continued to gain momentum with 4.5 million monthly traffic run rate and 50k+ active agents,” Kanika says.

Vasavi is in the process of revamping Studio Shreshta’s website to make it easier for customers to shop through its WhatsApp catalogues that can be accessed directly from its website.

Archana emphasises that Facebook is committed to supporting women-led businesses in India.

Apart from its Small Business Loans Initiative, Facebook, in collaboration with The Nudge Centre for Social Innovation, incubates and accelerates early-stage women-led nonprofits. In its second phase, the initiative awards six grants of up to Rs 50 lakh for each non-profit to scale its work.  

Created in 2016, Facebook’s #SheMeansBusiness Initiative supports women’s economic empowerment through training in digital skills and providing avenues to expand their business connections and networks. 

“Last year, together with the CSC Academy, we upskilled 2.5 lakh rural entrepreneurs on digital tools related to digital marketing and online safety across 25,594 villages in 12 states. At least 70 percent of the people trained were first-time internet users. The average income of women village level entrepreneurs increased by ~20 percent quarterly,” Archana says.

Edited by Teja Lele Desai
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Originally Appeared Here

Creating and selling bluetooth speakers, handmade chocolates, customised printed accessories — 41 government school students in East Delhi started nine entrepreneurship ventures and raised small profits in six weeks, using seed money provided to them by the Delhi government.

The seed money project, part of Entrepreneurship Mindset Curriculum, was introduced in the School of Excellence in Khichripur for class XI students in January. Each child was given

Rs 1,000 and could either use it individually to start their own ventures or pool together their seed money for group ventures.

In six weeks, the final projects and their profits were: ‘Home 2 Creations’ created homemade chocolate and handicrafts from waste and made Rs 9,580 profits; ‘Mobisite’ sold refurbished phones and phone accessories and made Rs 21,000; ‘Ink Family’ sold customised printed T-shirts and accessories with Rs 3,830 profits; ‘Craft Cottage’ sold handmade jewellery and made Rs 2,000; ‘Tap and Draw’ sold portraits and sketches and made Rs 11,840; ‘IONALTS’ created a business around OTT platform password sharing and made Rs 6,950 profits; ‘Divine Creations’ sold paintings and made Rs 22,335; ‘Hebi Naturals’ sold compost and made Rs 3,580 profits; and ‘Speakersters’ produced and sold bluetooth speakers and made Rs 5,650 profits.

When the project was introduced, best friends Sheeza Ali and Sakshi Jha decided to use the curriculum’s primary refrain, ‘Try to be job providers, not job seekers’, as their starting point. They conceived of a venture creating handicrafts and homemade chocolates, with the idea of scaling it up to provide employment to housewives. Sakshi said she visited several local bakeries around her home in Trilokpuri to observe how they made chocolates.

“In the market, youngsters and boys can get jobs but there are housewives who want to support their families but have too many responsibilities and can’t spend the whole day in the office. We decided to provide jobs in their homes. We want to scale up now as we have enough profit to pay them in advance; we can make videos to teach them how to make these products,” said Sheeza.

Deputy CM Manish Sisodia said after this pilot, the seed project is going to be implemented in all government schools from Tuesday with Rs 2,000 per child.

“The seed money project is so that children learn how to invest, lose the fear of starting a business, and learn and experience how to make a profit… in just six weeks, these students have showed that with some hand-holding and support, government school kids can become successful business-people,” he said.

Students’ own experiences gave birth to some other ideas. For example, the experience of their worlds moving online prompted the idea to sell low-cost but high quality bluetooth speakers.

“While attending online classes, we found that the audio from phones is not always enough and using earphones for a long time can irritate the ears. We did market research and found that big companies had speakers in the Rs 3,000-Rs 5,000 range, and decided to produce low-cost speakers of high quality. Our own product is for Rs 299,” said Yash Gupta.

Yash, group leader for Speakersters, said there is a factory which manufactures speakers near his home and he spent time there to learn about the creation process, while Sukhsagar, group leader of Mobisite, said he picked up skills and techniques from a friend of his who does mobile repair work.

A bigger challenge than creating products was selling them.

Tap and Draw organised their team into different roles. They had their two artists, Abhishek and Sakshi, create portraits of their clients. Another team member was in-charge of getting the material and handling deliveries; yet another was in charge of their social media handles which they used for their marketing, taking orders and doing the management work.

“We all were drawing salaries from the company. Other than that, if I would get an order, 20% would be my commission money so all four of us were trying to get as many orders as possible,” said group leader Mayank Shukla.

Ink Family found that while buying T-shirts for printing in bulk was cheaper for them, they did not want to take the risk of doing so in case they could not sell their products. They decided to buy single T-shirts and price their products slightly higher since they were printing them on demand.

“Those in charge of marketing were responsible for reaching out to customers, the research team had to do surveys in nearby markets to find out the best prices… We used the advance money from customers to buy the raw material and used the seed money to do the deliveries,” said group leader Yash Patwal.

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Originally Appeared Here

Rural women increasingly are running their own enterprises, yet their socio-economic contributions and entrepreneurial potential remain largely unrecognized and untapped.

These hard-working women who, despite their humble beginnings, have overcome all the odds to chase their dreams and soar high.

These women have been recognized as an important source of economic support to their families. They not only have got themselves out from utter poverty but were also able to create employment for others. However, they still represent a minority of all entrepreneurs.

Rising Kashmir’s Misabah Bhat spoke to the two women entrepreneurs who had a dream and the determination to succeed.

Nahida Parveen, 24, from Baramulla started her Kirana shop in 2018. 

After dropping out of school at an early age, Nahida was determined to do something on her own and help her family financially.

“Our financial condition was not good. We had no money and were very poor. I took out a loan and with the assistance of the Umeed scheme to set up a small shop to make ends meet,” she said.

Nahida is now doing well as the Kirana shop is fetching her decent living.

“I have an eight-year-old kid and am able to strike a balance between my shop and my family affairs.” she said.

Nahida’s husband has been encouraging her.

“I had full support of my family and they are happy also as our financial conditions which were bad changed for good.”

Nahida lives in a joint family and all her family members are dependent on the kirana shop and she is handling it quite well.

“I am glad I took the decision of opening my shop though it was not easy but I somehow managed. Initially I was sceptical whether it is going to be beneficial or not. There were many questions doing rounds in my head, but it turned out well,” she said.

Nahida brought stability to her family in a short span of time because of her zeal and commitment towards her work.

“I have worked hard to reach where I am today. The journey has not been simple, there have been many ups and downs,” she said.

Nahida believes a person should be honest and true to himself and his work.

“We need to have faith and I believe there is a challenge at every point of time. We need to overcome it and not succumb to our fears,” she said. 

Nahida said “I have seen very difficult times and when I remember those, I get tears in my eyes. Seeing your family in a miserable condition tears a person apart. Life is unpredictable but you need to hold on and grab the opportunity. A person cannot sit in one place and keep regretting.”

Another unit holder Hamida Banoo, 28, from Ganderbal also dropped out of college after completing higher secondary.

Hamida started a dairy farm business in 2013 with the help of Umeed Scheme. She just started with one cow which gradually grew into a milk processing unit under the banner “Asli Dahi”.

Owning a small piece of land was a blessing for her which helped her ideate the business.

“We had land of our own and currently I own several cows. I look after them myself,” she said.

Hamida’s traditional processing and packaging unit fetched her good returns.

“I didn’t go for plastic packaging. I chose clay pots for my product. In the old days, we used to process curd in clay pots which were very popular and tasty. I introduced it once again to keep our culture alive and to avoid plastic hazards. Customers are appreciating it,” she said.

Hamida Banoo has big plans for the future and is hopeful of being successful in it.

She has worked very hard to gain popularity in the area and believes the success comes gradually without any shortcuts.

Her pricing is very competitive as she sells milk at Rs 30 to Rs 35 and yogurt at Rs 50 to Rs 60 as per the size of the pot.

Hamida gets orders for weddings and other functions as well.

“Currently, I have gained a customer base in Nishat, Shalimar, Brein, Harwan, Illahi bagh, etc and I deliver it to their doorstep” she said.

Hamida has got immense support from family.

“My family has supported me in my venture, and they also assist in milk and yogurt making.

Apart from devoting time to dairy, Hamida is also a skilled artisan.

“I also do Sozni embroidery to earn more money during my leisure time and it is good to keep yourself busy,” she said.

Due to Hamida’s hard work, her family has been able to upgrade the Kachha house to a Pucca house.

“The business venture has brought a complete change into my life. I didn’t have any bank account but today I have a savings account and I have availed different types of loans amounting 5 lakh which I utilized towards my livelihood and for the livelihood of my brother,” she said.

Hamida believes there should be desire and determination to do something in life.

“Women are the torch bearers of society. There is no such thing she cannot do. Some women are still there in our society who need encouragement and guidance to realize their dreams,” she said.

 

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Originally Appeared Here

By Mary Spio, Founder, CEEK VR

In today’s global economy, racism is not only ignorant, it’s costly. Just ask Facebook, which has lost billions in advertising revenue amid calls to eliminate hateful rhetoric from its platform.

Hopefully, this will ring the alarm bell for others who are snoozing under the blanket of “business as usual.” People are not just going to go away quietly this time. If they’ve been willing to risk their lives during a pandemic to protest for equal rights, the uprising will continue. It’s time for a real shift, and that includes a genuine effort to nurture and elevate Black founders to a position where they can access the capital needed to introduce new and profitable ideas to the marketplace.

The sticking point is that too many companies and investors view supporting Black entrepreneurs as a matter of social impact or charity, rather than good business sense. What needs to happen now is for those who control the purse strings and equitably spreading the wealth cease viewing business in black and white and simply let an entrepreneur be an entrepreneur.

In the interest of hastening change, I’ve laid out answers to several questions even the most well-intentioned would-be allies might be asking themselves. The moment to let Black entrepreneurs be entrepreneurs begins now.

What do you mean when you say, “Let a Black entrepreneur be an entrepreneur”?

The message is: Let the Black entrepreneur be an entrepreneur, not somebody you think you’re giving charity to. It’s business. A lot of times, when you’re Black, that precedes everything, but when you think of a great painter, you don’t say it’s a great white painter. You just say it’s a great painter.

Is donating to organizations for Black causes the same as investing in Black entrepreneurs?

A lot of businesses, when looking to close the diversity gap, say, “Oh, well we’re going to do a charitable donation or give to a nonprofit.” But we’re bringing in opportunity. See the person as an entrepreneur, not a charity case. Give the funds to the black founders so that they can build their companies. An example of this thinking is a well-known VC, Jason Calacanis, who invested in the likes of Uber and Calm and recently posted on Twitter that he is going to hire engineers to build a Facebook clone and donate the proceeds to black founders. This thinking assumes that black founders: A) are not engineers and B) are charity.

Story continues

These funds that will take all this money that Google, Pay Pal and SoftBank want to use to solve the issue need to invest directly in the black founders. Otherwise, what they’re saying is, “We don’t want to give the money to you.” The people putting these funds up for VCs to distribute need to understand that what they’re coming back to them with is a bunch of baloney.

How can I better ensure funds meant to nurture Black businesses are being best put to use?

My solution is for the Googles and PayPals and SoftBanks to make sure that when they’re dealing with the VCs who are going to be in charge of the money they decided to set aside for Black businesses, to treat the businesses as an opportunity that’s coming to them.

If SpaceX is an opportunity, you’re going to put massive amounts of money there. If it’s an act of charity, you’re going to put $5,000. If I’m Google, I say to Andreessen Horowitz and all these other companies that I want them to find companies unlocking opportunities within these communities. Then, they cannot come back with excuses to take these funds and put them somewhere else. When you invest in underrepresented founders, automatically, they’re going to open doors for you to places you are not even aware are there.

What’s an example of lucrative black opportunities that narrow-minded business leaders and investors missed out on?

Forever and ever, we’ve been saying that when you go to the makeup aisle, you get a powder that’s too light for your face or too dark for your face, so people have to improvise at home by mixing. You have a whole market, but no one was listening. Rihanna said, “You know what? I see my mom doing that, and I have to do that myself,” so she launched Fenty Beauty, which has completely transformed the industry, and now everyone’s running to catch up.

It’s the same thing with Black Panther. It’s again about serving an underserved market, not going into it as a charity or checking a box. Rihanna happens to be a celebrity, but it’s about the fact that she got the money to open that door, because we don’t get the money to open those doors. There are a ton of us out there who know where a lot more doors are.

How have VCs continued to raise the ceiling for Black founders and lower the floor for privileged entrepreneurs?

A lot of times, you have one person who has $336 million and another person who is struggling to put everything together. In a field where you’re judged by daily active users, one person might have 10,000 people, and the other person with $336 million might have 10 million people, but you’re being judged by the same metrics.

So investors will say, “Well, we’re gonna go find a Black Jason Goldberg with 10 million users,” and then come back and say, “Well, we didn’t find anyone with 10 million users. We found nice people who are trying really hard with maybe 10,000 users, so we’re now going to take this money that you’ve allocated specifically for them and go put it somewhere else.”

You’ll be hard-pressed to find an entrepreneur with 10 million users or generating that much revenue because the seed hasn’t been planted to allow them to get to this high ceiling. You can’t compare oranges and apples in that way, and that’s another system that’s in place to make sure no new entrants get in there and justify continuing the status quo.

What about the argument that there is a pipeline issue when it comes to Black and brown talent and skillset?

People are graduating. People are coding. People have ideas. Knowledge is not genetically encoded into people, it is acquired. It’s just about the right opportunity. People are going to go where they’re valued. When you look at a company like Facebook, and you don’t see one single Black face on their board or their leadership retreat they’re posting pictures of, you’re not going to want to go there. It’s not a pipeline problem. It’s just a blockage at the entrance keeping minorities from coming in.

Is most of this unconscious bias, or something worse?

It’s baffling to many people why the diversity gap in business is not closing, because you have companies that are saying, “Hey, help us close the gap.” But somehow the bridge is not being built. We have made a lot of progress, but not far enough. There’s still a lot of redlining of black entrepreneurs, even at the growth stage. A lot of black founders will build the company, people are excited about it, and when it’s time to go from seed to growth, you’ll see the headline, “Bubl raises X, then Sean Ramsay out” or, “Kairos secures Y then Brian Brackeen out or “Hopstop raises Z, Chinedu Echeruo out.” It’s a redlining. When you like the food but you don’t like the farmer, you want to come and take the farm and put the farmer out, and it happens over and over again.

What is the very next step I should take if I want to make more money with a wider variety of founders?

There are two ways to look at investing in underrepresented communities: It’s a great opportunity to open up new markets or a way to sustain and take care of your current customers. Imagine if the top Black athletes, influencers and musicians with more than one billion followers combined left the platforms that don’t have any Black people in their leadership or have racist algorithms and went to platforms where they’re valued and appreciated? People are sick and tired of dealing with “isms.” They simply want a fair chance, but if they are kept from accessing heaven here on earth, they’ll raise hell.

This article first appeared on Entrepreneur.com

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Here’s our exclusive wrapup of upcoming events happening across North Carolina in September. Included are the latest meetups, conferences, workshops, application deadlines and networking events happening in Asheville, Charlotte, the Triad, Wilmington and other parts of the state.

Many events will be held in person, as some organizers are returning to live events.

If you’d like to suggest an event to be added to TechWire’s statewide events calendar, feel free to reach out to me here.

1 Million Cups Lake Norman

Sept. 8, 7:30-9 a.m. (online)

Every Wednesday morning, entrepreneurs in the Lake Norman area join to present their companies to mentors, advisers and other startups. Join to meet new people and collaborate with fellow entrepreneurs.

1 Million Cups Charlotte

Sept. 8, 8-9 a.m. (online)

Held every week, 1 Million Cups Charlotte features a presentation from a local startup followed by a Q&A from the community.

1 Million Cups Robeson County

Sept. 8, 8-9 a.m. @Givens Performing Arts Center, UNC Pembroke

In this monthly event, entrepreneurs local to Robeson County will present their products/services to peers and network with the startup community.

PitchBreakfast

Sept. 8, 8:30-10 a.m. @Venture X Coworking

Every month, a handful of Charlotte-area companies headline PitchBreakfast, pitching their products and services for five minutes, after which they will answer questions from the audience and a panel of entrepreneurs and experts. This month’s event will be held in a hybrid format.

1 Million Cups Wilmington

Sept. 8, 9-10 a.m. (online)

This weekly event brings together entrepreneurs in the Wilmington and Cape Fear community to gather for coffee, casual startup pitches and conversation.

Marketing Outside the Box

Sept. 8, 12:30-1:30 p.m. (online)

HUSTLE Winston-Salem’s weekly Marketing Outside the Box series offers innovative marketing strategies for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Learn how to attract and retain customers and increase your revenue.

CRO Career Conversations

Sept. 8, 5:30-7 p.m. (online)

In this virtual event, attendees will hear from contract research organization (CRO) industry professionals as they discuss their career paths and responsibilities.

synerG On Tap

Sept. 8, 5:30-7:30 p.m. @Elsewhere Museum

synerG Young Professionals and the Greensboro Jaycees are hosting a networking event at the Elsewhere Museum in downtown Greensboro.

Get2Know NC TECH Webinar

Sept. 10, 9-9:30 a.m. (online)

This free monthly interactive webinar provides participants with an overview of NC TECH’s activities, resources and member offerings.

Startup Weekend Davidson

Sept. 10-12 @The Hurt Hub at Davidson

The Hurt Hub at Davidson College is hosting a Techstars Startup Weekend, convening local innovators for a 54-hour startup development challenge.

The Hurt Hub at Davidson Innovation Week

Sept. 10-17 @The Hurt Hub at Davidson

The Hurt Hub at Davidson is hosting a week of networking, panel discussions and activities for the local entrepreneurial community, kicking off with Techstars Startup Weekend.

13th Annual Ag Innovation Showcase

Sept. 13-14 (online)

The Larta Institute, in partnership with the NC Biotechnology Center, is hosting an innovation showcase focused on the rapidly evolving landscape of agriculture and food.

2021 synerG Lead Your City

Sept. 14, 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. @UNCG Elliot University Center

synerG Young Professionals is hosting an event at UNC Greensboro to bring together young talent to build ideas and make new connections.

Privilege Walk: Stepping Stones Toward Awareness & Action

Sept. 14, 9-10 a.m. (online)

This online event hosted by NC TECH will feature a self-reflection exercise and panel discussion centered around the concept of privilege.

Launch & Learn: Getting Your First Sale

Sept. 14, 12-1 p.m. (online)

The Small Business and Technology Development Center is hosting a virtual lunch and learn with Supportedly CEO and Start100 General Partner Tom Ryan, who will help businesses learn who their ideal customer is and how to reach them, what drives customers to their product/service, and more.

Start Up From a Pain Point: Build Solutions to End the Headaches

Sept. 14, 5:30 p.m. @Myrtle Beach Train Depot

This event in Myrtle Beach will host Wilmington-based entrepreneurs, OpiAID Founder David Reeser and Electronic Lab Logs Co-Founder Daniel Summers, to share how they built their startups by identifying a problem first.

Hatch Homecoming

Sept. 14, 6-8:30 p.m. @Hatch AVL

Hatch AVL and Venture Asheville are hosting a networking and pitch event for the Asheville startup community. Join for food, drinks, connections and presentations from local companies.

LaunchLKN Infinite Possibilities Series

Sept. 14, 6:30-8:30 p.m. @Joe Gibbs Racing

LaunchLKN is re-launching its Infinite Possibilities series, starting with an event on NASCAR racing technology, early successes, and the connections between the military’s R&D apparatus and local area automotive talent.

1 Million Cups Lake Norman

Sept. 15, 7:30-9 a.m. (online)

Every Wednesday morning, entrepreneurs in the Lake Norman area join to present their companies to mentors, advisers and other startups. Join to meet new people and collaborate with fellow entrepreneurs.

1 Million Cups Charlotte

Sept. 15, 8-9 a.m. (online)

Held every week, 1 Million Cups Charlotte features a presentation from a local startup followed by a Q&A from the community.

1 Million Cups Wilmington

Sept. 15, 9-10 a.m. (online)

This weekly event brings together entrepreneurs in the Wilmington and Cape Fear community to gather for coffee, casual startup pitches and conversation.

NC TECH Awards Finalists Announcement

Sept. 15, 9 a.m. (online)

In a virtual broadcast, the North Carolina Technology Association (NC TECH) will reveal the finalists for this year’s 2021 NC TECH Awards in November.

Application Deadline: NCBiotech Flash Grant Proposals

Sept. 15, 12 p.m.

The North Carolina Biotechnology Center is accepting proposals for its next round of Flash Grant funding. The program funds innovative research ideas in life science technologies. Up to $20,000 may be requested for short projects in the areas of agtech, marine tech and ecology and natural environments research.

Marketing Outside the Box

Sept. 15, 12:30-1:30 p.m. (online)

HUSTLE Winston-Salem’s weekly Marketing Outside the Box series offers innovative marketing strategies for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Learn how to attract and retain customers and increase your revenue.

NCSEA Making Energy Work Webinar Series

Sept. 15, 2 p.m. (online)

The North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association is hosting its Making Energy Work webinar series throughout the spring and summer. This session will focus on clean energy market opportunities and legislative updates.

CLT Alliance Young Professionals Meeting

Sept. 15, 5:30-7 p.m. (online)

The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance is hosting a virtual event focusing on how young professionals can experience broad levels of success in corporate and entrepreneurial organizations.

Mainstreet IoT

Sept. 15, 5:30-7 p.m. @Gig East Exchange

Hosted by RIoT at the Gig East Exchange in Wilson, this event will offer strategies on how startups can advance their businesses in today’s data- and IoT-driven economy.

NEXT Venture Pitch 2021 Conference (Greenville, SC)

Sept. 16, 1-5 p.m. @Greenville ONE Center

This half-day pitch competition convenes entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and speakers in Greenville, South Carolina, to hear pitches from promising startups across the Southeast.

NC IDEA 2022 Fellows Program Information Session

Sept. 20, 4-4:30 p.m. (online)

Join this info session to learn about NC IDEA’s two upcoming fellowship opportunities for graduate students interested in engaging with North Carolina startups and entrepreneurs. Applications for the fellowship programs are due on Nov. 5. 

Carolina Health Innovation Summit

Sept. 20-22 (online)

RevTech Labs is hosting a three-day summit focused on the latest trends and emerging technologies in health care. It will also highlight the work of local organizations, companies and health systems in the region.

NC Chamber Health Care Conference

Sept. 21 (online)

NC Chamber’s virtual Health Care Conference will offer strategies to improve health care quality, bridge health inequities and address mental health issues.

1 Million Cups Lake Norman

Sept. 22, 7:30-9 a.m. (online)

Every Wednesday morning, entrepreneurs in the Lake Norman area join to present their companies to mentors, advisers and other startups. Join to meet new people and collaborate with fellow entrepreneurs.

1 Million Cups Charlotte

Sept. 22, 8-9 a.m. (online)

Held every week, 1 Million Cups Charlotte features a presentation from a local startup followed by a Q&A from the community.

1 Million Cups Wilmington

Sept. 22, 9-10 a.m. (online)

This weekly event brings together entrepreneurs in the Wilmington and Cape Fear community to gather for coffee, casual startup pitches and conversation.

Marketing Outside the Box

Sept. 22, 12:30-1:30 p.m. (online)

HUSTLE Winston-Salem’s weekly Marketing Outside the Box series offers innovative marketing strategies for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Learn how to attract and retain customers and increase your revenue.

Wilmington Intro to Investors & Clients in Charlotte & Raleigh Ecosystems

Sept. 23, 4-6:30 p.m. @Ironclad Brewery

This event will convene investors and startup ecosystem leaders from Charlotte and the Triangle to discuss how Wilmington entrepreneurs can engage with the two largest markets in North Carolina. Speakers include Dan Roselli of Packard Place and RevTech Labs, Keith Daniel of Resilient Ventures, Craig Stone of Triangle Angel Partners and Hire Networks, and William Bissett of Portus Wealth Advisors (moderator).

NC TECH Virtual Summit for Women in Tech

Sept. 23-24 (online)

NC TECH’s virtual Summit for Women in Tech will feature executive-level women and community leaders from across North Carolina delivering insights through keynotes, panels, networking and more.

Application Deadline: AdvanSE Life Sciences Conference PitchRounds

Sept. 25

Held during the 2021 AdvanSE Life Sciences Conference in South Carolina next month, PitchRounds invites seed-stage companies to present their solutions across biopharma, digital health, diagnostics, medical devices and more areas. Applications are open now.

Application Deadline: Waypoint Accelerator

Sept. 26

Applications are open for Mountain BizWorks’ Waypoint Accelerator program, which provides mentorship and advising to up to 10 early-stage outdoor-focused companies in Asheville and Western North Carolina. This year’s cohort will begin on Nov. 4.

AI + Machine Learning: Is Your Organization Ready?

Sept. 28, 10-11 a.m. (online)

This virtual panel discussion and Q&A will convene CEOs, COOs, CIOs and IT directors to learn about the ways to take advantage of AI, machine learning, and data and analytics.

AI and Electric Power Summit

Sept. 28-29 (online)

The Electric Power Research Institute’s virtual AI and Electric Power Summit will convene leaders in the artificial intelligence and electric power utilities industries to discuss how both sectors can match challenges with solutions.

1 Million Cups Lake Norman

Sept. 29, 7:30-9 a.m. (online)

Every Wednesday morning, entrepreneurs in the Lake Norman area join to present their companies to mentors, advisers and other startups. Join to meet new people and collaborate with fellow entrepreneurs.

1 Million Cups Charlotte

Sept. 29, 8-9 a.m. (online)

Held every week, 1 Million Cups Charlotte features a presentation from a local startup followed by a Q&A from the community.

1 Million Cups Wilmington

Sept. 29, 9-10 a.m. (online)

This weekly event brings together entrepreneurs in the Wilmington and Cape Fear community to gather for coffee, casual startup pitches and conversation.

Virtual Tech Job Expo 101: How Does It Work?

Sept. 29, 9:30-10:15 a.m. (online)

This webinar will lead job seekers and employers through a tour of Premier Virtual, the platform NC TECH uses to host its online career events, including its upcoming Virtual Tech Job Expo on Oct. 20.

Marketing Outside the Box

Sept. 29, 12:30-1:30 p.m. (online)

HUSTLE Winston-Salem’s weekly Marketing Outside the Box series offers innovative marketing strategies for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Learn how to attract and retain customers and increase your revenue.

Fort Bragg Career Summit

Sept. 29-30

This career fair, presented by Fort Bragg, will connect military job seekers with regional and national employers.

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Originally Appeared Here

Model and wellness enthusiast Malaika Arora recently launched her investment company, Malaika Arora Ventures, which has invested in lifestyle and wellness start-ups such as Sarva and Nude Bowls. While Bollywood‘s leading ladies might be in the spotlight for their films and glamorous fashion outings, there’s more to them than meets the eye, for starters most of them have great business acumen and are investing their time and money into projects that go beyond filmmaking.

From setting up funding ventures to starting their own businesses, the industry’s new wave of women entrepreneurs are making all the right moves, here’s a round-up of some popular actresses who are boss babes in their own right:

Alia Bhatt

With a career spanning almost 10 years, Bhatt has been a part of some spectacular films and brand endorsements. Last year, the 28-year-old launched a sustainable clothing line for children ‘Ed-a-Mamma’ catering to the age group of 2-14 years. The actress has invested in companies like Stylecracker and Nykaa and has also launched a platform ‘Coexist’ that works towards animal and ecological welfare.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas

From opening an Indian restaurant ‘Sona’ in New York to launching her own vegan haircare brand ‘Anomaly’, there’s no stopping this global trendsetter. A production company under the name, the actress has delivered two successful hits Ventilator and The Sky Is Pink. That’s not all; the superstar became the face of dating app Bumble in 2018 and invested in the start-up as well. You go, girl!

Katrina Kaif

She kickstarted her innings as an entrepreneur in 2019 with the launch of her make-up brand ‘Kay Beauty’, in partnership with beauty giant Nykaa. The elaborate range of cosmetics is primarily aimed at catering to the Asian skin tone and texture. It also happens to be the country’s first beauty line to emerge out of Bollywood.

Anushka Sharma

At 25, Sharma set up a production house ‘Clean Slate Filmz’ with her brother. Known to have produced some incredible movies and web series, she is actively involved in the process, from selecting scripts to finalizing the cast. The 33-year-old also launched her apparel line ‘Nush’ in 2017, which is an extension of her distinct style. A champion of animal rights, the actress has also opened two rescue animal shelters outside Mumbai with her husband Virat Kohli.

Deepika Padukone

With a super successful career, more than a dozen brand endorsements and an exciting international work graph, Padukone is on top of her game. In 2017, she set up her own investment venture ‘KA Enterprises’ which has invested in Epigamia — a brand of yoghurts, hobby-based start-up FrontRow, electric taxi enterprise Blu Smart and aerospace start-up Bellatrix. Padukone made her debut as a producer in 2020 with the release of her film “Chhapaak”.

Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here

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Originally Appeared Here