It is a race for survival for most of us. Very few people out there dare to follow their heart’s calling and explore the difficult path called Entrepreneurship. On Friday last week, we met one such exemplary woman. Humble and informed, and a lovely conversationalist, Gowri Mukherjee left us enlightened and thinking at the end of an hour. (In case you missed this edition of IWI Talk, you can view it here) She had left her cushy corporate job and set up CreditMantri, along with the other two co-founders, for the underserved section of consumers who require credit but cannot access it. Her years of corporate experience helped. Even we were elated when we heard about how one of her customers managed to get his daughter married after CreditMantri intervened to get him credit for his business!

Our biological clocks and economical clocks work against each other, she so aptly pointed out, highlighting the challenges women face in their careers. So what should an entrepreneur be aware of, when starting off? The most important thing to keep in mind, according to Gowri, is that entrepreneurship is a long ride, and you need to brace yourself for it! Familiarity with the industry, trustworthy and understanding peer groups,and the right cofounders are very critical. Trust comes when professional and personal yardsticks are well aligned and entrepreneurship can be a lonely and daunting journey. The ability to know sources of capital and access/ avail it is as important as understanding the business. We should have a financial vision for the company.  

How important is financial planning for women?  Financial planning requires discipline, says Gowri, and is hard to stick to. It is a combination of self and circumstances. We need a vision for our finances, whether for the business or for self. It is important to save enough for a rainy day or a specific goal.

The pandemic has had its effect on her work, considering the industry CreditMantri is operating in. At an individual level, remote work, Gowri points out, is taxing! Whiteboarding and brainstorming are a lot harder on screen.

In one word, Gowri describes herself as Energetic. Success to her is when she is able to help someone do something better on their working life.   

Our best wishes to Gowri and her team for realising their vision of reaching more consumers and making an impact in their lives.  

Author

Nithya Rajagopal is Manager – Content & Community at Incredible Women Of India.