Hatch concludes “KICKASS” women’s biz-dev bootcamp
Hatch Colombo set out to mould women entrepreneurs to take on challenges in the entrepreneurial world.
To celebrate March 2020 with women in business, Hatch launched a one-month-long business development programme to support 13 women founders in Sri Lanka. It was led by Naomi Gunnels, a global business and digital marketing strategist who also contributed to YouLead which is a USAID-funded youth skill development and entrepreneurship project that started in 2017.
What is KiCKASS Bootcamp?
The entrepreneurs who were at different stages of their business received mentorship, knowledge and practical experiences to get to the next step in their journey. It covered essentials such as how to pitch your idea, marketing, finance and negotiation skills. What’s more, the sessions didn’t falter even with the curfew but continued with steady vigour virtually.
“Studying business theory and applying it in your business is very different. This session really helped bring out the practical side of running a business and gave us an idea of what standard we should reach out for,” said Teesha Wickramatunga who runs workout.lk, a health and fitness platform that inspires active living.
“The best part was listening to everyone’s experiences and suggestions,” says Aatiqah Jayah, an aspiring entrepreneur who felt prompted to think differently based on the feedback she got.
“I hadn’t kept proper financial records and after analysing cash flows and future projections, I realised I needed to make a big change in my business model,” says Nadeesha Paulis, Founder of Happy Bleeding which advocates the menstrual cup as a sustainable alternative for sanitary napkins.
Is being a woman entrepreneur difficult?
In addition to the challenges that all entrepreneurs face such as lack of funding, resources and skills, women tend to be burdened with extra challenges.
Balancing business and family life, not being taken seriously in the industry, not having confidence and cultural attitudes that demotivate women when they try to take charge are challenges for women in business in Sri Lanka.
“Sourcing material for my business is difficult. There are times when I have to go to Pettah to buy things and I’d be asked not to go alone because almost everyone there is male and it’s very uncomfortable to deal with them,” says Safiya Sideek relating to some experiences that she had to go through. Safiya who is an artist planning on launching her own brand of art supplies learnt how to create a plan and strategies for her business.
“One of the biggest problems is people not taking you seriously,” says Naafiya Saleem who co-founded PlushBox, an artisan gift studio that curated gift boxes. “Being a woman, we’re expected to be soft and flexible, and sometimes people try to exploit it and are not at all professional. They try to ‘be funny’ with us,” she adds relating to instances when she even had to get a male counterpart to accompany her when getting something done.
“What is your age?” and “Are you married?” are annoying and uncomfortable questions that women get asked even in a professional setting when they try to deal business. Additionally, being intimidated and not being heard are other issues that women face in the business world in Sri Lanka.
“We have to be confident in our presence, project our voices, and talk business. If someone doesn’t deliver and refuses to cooperate, we have to do what any other business does, and that is to fire them and hire someone else,” says Naomi addressing these concerns.
Shameema Shajahan, a self-development and transformational coach who took part in the Bootcamp said “I learnt how to stand up for myself and what I believe in. This beautiful community helped me find strength in my vulnerability,”
Additionally, three of the entrepreneurs in the programme; Night Shades Stationary, Plushbox.lk and Elements by Safiya collaborated in offering a combined product.
“As women, we’ve been given unique gifts, most notably that gut instinct that tells us when something is or isn’t right even if we can’t quite define it right this second. We also empathise more and thus understand our customers a little better. As we use our gifts, stand tall, and let our voices be heard, we add incredible value to the marketplace,” adds Naomi.
“As women in business, our aim is to support each other and lift each other up while paving a path that others can follow easily,” says Naomi whose tactics and mentoring focus on growing and supporting the business owner as much as the business itself.
