Vidarbha Industries Association Lady Entrepreneurs’ Wing conducted a Webinar on “Success Mantra for Women Entrepreneurs” recently with the guest speaker Dr. Vithal Kamat, Founder of Orchid Hotels, Mumbai under the able chairmanship of Manisha Bawankar, Chairperson of VIA LEW.
The guest speaker Dr Vithal Kamat, is a highly distinguished and well known eminent personality, a green hotelier and a very successful pioneer businessman with utmost concern for the environment, a conservationist, a person who values the elements of nature, an educationist, a art collector, an author, a globetrotter, a black belt holder in karate and a recipient of many national and international awards and involved in making of 647 hotels across the globe.
Dr. Kamat in his words of wisdom on success mantra for women entrepreneur, defined entrepreneur as one who takes risk and said earlier women used to be behind veil but now they are coming up at par with men in the field of business. He asserted that every woman in India should be self-sufficient and not be dependent. He opined that the behavior of the entrepreneur should be such that it should reflect ones identity and so it should always be excellent and stated that one should enter the business wholeheartedly after making due diligence on his interest, public needs, product marketability and current trends.
His guru mantra for budding entrepreneurs is “Start local and then be global” grow by taking one step at a time and while doing so build a team of your co-workers with the magnetic power of excellent behavior which will see your business through a long way to success and added that one should decide to do business by choice and interest and not by someone else’s wish. In his poetic style, he touched upon morality and ethics when he said “Khariddar chahe kitna bhi bada kyu na ho, tum bikau banna mat, dimakh chahe, dil na chahe, wo kam kabhi karna mat, daulat – daulat bahut kuch hai, daulat sab kuch nahi, bahut kuch ke liye, sab kuch khona mat, dimakh chahe dil na chahe, wo kam karna mat, kahata hai vithal kamat”, which he wants all to remember.
He laid importance on doing SWOT analysis for any product to be successful. He emphasized to take full support and confidence of the family members before venturing into business and equally stressed on taking suggestions and feedbacks which are very important elements for growth.
Dr. Kamat unfolded three formulas “Niyam, Niyantran aur Niyojan” (prior planning is must to prevent problems) – for the key to success, “Kam kharcha jada charcha” – to optimize the revenue of the business, 6P’s – Product, Place, Price (value for money), Packaging, Publicity, People for the successes of the business. He stated advertisement of your product is best made by the customers as “if you blow your bigul – it will be heard one time, but if other person blows your bigul it will be heard forty times.
Dr. Kamat quoted a thought of his father on how important people are for the organization which is “if you have a vision for one year – plant flowers, but if your vision is for ten years plant fruits, trees, but in business if your vision is eternity only plant people, people and people”.
He concluded by saying “Agar dekhna hai tumhe hamare udaan ka andaz to asman ko kaha de aur ucha ho jaye, as nothing is impossible, on the success he forecasts for the women entrepreneurs.
Dr. Kamat shared many interesting business experiences he gained on his path of success.
After the speech session was over, Prafullata Rode, Advisory Committee Member, conducted a very fruitful question answer session wherein many genuine practical business issues were addressed lucidly by Dr. Kamat which had the participants satisfied with an immense impact.
At the outset, Manisha Bawankar, Chairperson – LEW gave the opening remarks and welcomed the guests on in the e-session. Rashmi Kulkarni, Treasurer – LEW introduced the guest speaker. Poonam Lala, Secretary – LEW proposed vote of thanks.
All the entrepreneurs and participants took benefit of this program. Prominently present were VIA President – Suresh Rathi, Girish Deodhar, Chairman of VIA MSME Forum and VIA EC members, VIA LEW Executive members namely Sarla Kamdar (Founder Chairperson), Madhubala Singh, Sarita Pawar, all advisory committee members, Past Chairpersons – Saeeda Haque, Chitra Parate, Y Ramani, Neelam Bowade, Anjali Gupta, Anita Rao, Vandana Sharma, Shachi Malik, Immd Past Chairperson – Reeta Lanjewar, Vice Chairpersons – Indu Kshirsagar, Shikha Khare, PRO Yogita Deshmukh, EC Member Poonam Gupta, included in 165 participants.
