Business confidence among women needs a push: Workshop

Islamabad:It is not very easy for women to become successful entrepreneurs as lack of confidence, want of finance, shrinking opportunities and diluted knowledge is keeping them from development, speakers at a workshop said.
They said that women can make successful entrepreneurs for which they need to learn basic business skills, become innovative, work jointly and develop a trait to take calculated risks.
Proper training can help women to become successful, compete in the market and become economically self-sufficient, said trainers at a workshop organised by Islamabad Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Maria Umar, Founder and President of Women’s Digital League and Bryce Barrows, founder of an online HR firm said that successful entrepreneurs don’t have a different genetic makeup, they don’t operate from a different vantage point but they have ability to take right decisions at right time.
Taking advantage of an opportunity is an essential element for the progress in business without which advancing the entrepreneurial process is impossible, they said.
“You can achieve whatever you want by changing perceptions; you have all the ability to run successful businesses, provide employment opportunities and take a leading role in the economic development,” Maria told business women.
She informed participants about the basics of planning, entrepreneurship, selling, bookkeeping, keeping goals reachable, basic math, and financing a business.
Arranging finance, marketing and a lack of adequate computer and Internet knowledge were identified as main issues.
At the occasion, Samina Fazil, founder President, IWCCI said that strong technology skills and expertise in a key area helps a lot but these are not defining characteristics of entrepreneurship.
Instead, she said, the key qualities include creativity, the ability to keep going in the face of hardship, and the social skills needed to build great teams.
Alia Akram, president IWCCI called upon the participants to enhance customer engagement ability, employ social media strategy and try to expand beyond businesses through Internet.
VP FPCCI Mirza Abdul Rehman and Chairman Media FPCCI Malik Sohail were also present on the occasion.