The glass ceiling is only built to be broken: Pooja Pathak, Media Mantra

On International Women’s Day today, the director of Media Mantra makes a strong case for women entrepreneurs.

“Only when I stepped up for myself, I saw a change in the world around and wondered why I didn’t earlier take off the ground”- Pooja Pathak

Before the 20th century, women were largely operating businesses as a way to supplement income. They were perceived as home makers with little to do with the economy or commerce and the term ‘entrepreneur’ was only reserved for men.

However, since the turn of the century, the status of women in India has enormously changed, largely due to growing industrialisation, globalisation, and social legislation. Moreover, the spread of education and awareness, have played a major role in encouraging women to shift from kitchens to higher level of professional activities. Today, women business owners demonstrate extraordinary economic prowess worldwide with one in 11 women (8.9 percent) involved in entrepreneurship across the globe, according to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM).

This trend is gaining ground in India too with women progressively putting their steps at par with men in the business showground. Women are increasingly striding in the corporate world, breaking through the barriers of social compliance to become successful entrepreneurs, with one of the most prominent fields being Public Relations. As per a recent report released by BNP Paribas, currently, India ranks on top for the highest percentage of women entrepreneurs. Therefore, it won’t be incorrect to say that a golden era for women entrepreneurship has begun that will lionise each effort in trade.

Now, let’s see what difference women can bring to the table:

A blend of emotional and practical approach

Women bring a mix of emotional intelligence and practical diligence at work. This deep blend not only conveys empathy but also the perfect amalgamation of street smarts and poise of steel. Consumers have evolved with time, forgoing brute display of power for a successful campaign done with finesse. It is often stated that a softer touch is needed to balance a hard-hitting effort and women entrepreneurs understand the psyche and accordingly mould efforts to ensure the best outcome.

Increased productivity through positive reinforcement

Women entrepreneurs are found to be better leaders and are known to get work done in an effective manner. Often productivity plummets due to lesser acknowledgement and a decreased rate of reinforcement. Women entrepreneurs are found to be more proactive and in-tune with the exact requirements of employees and the client, working on a well-woven system to maintain the balance. Through positive reinforcements and a knack for handling numerous issues with tact, women are experts in this arena.

Multitasking effortlessly

Since time immemorial, women are known to hunt and also nurture. Therefore, juggling between multiple tasks comes naturally to them. In this competitive era of satisfying needs and garnering attention, women have the perfect ability and potential to boost operations to an optimal level, fuelling growth and success like never before. They are known to annihilate competition by undertaking diverse responsibilities under their expansive wings.

Conclusion

Over the past few years the status of women in India has been subject to many great changes. They have remarkably changed self-perception and also how society perceives women. Today, the world has witnessed a sea of change with the influx of women participation in leadership roles.

On this Women’s Day, I would like to urge women to go beyond the confines of the house in order to explore the professional world; after all, the glass ceiling is only built to be broken.

(The author is Director, Media Mantra)