On the fifth day of the Women Economic Forum conference, where women from different backgrounds came to discuss a wide array of subjects, Anna Aberg, CEO of Anna Aberg Group in Sweden, and Poonam Kumar, owner of Priceless Possessions in India, held an interesting session on ‘why women are designed to succeed online and survival tips for start-ups and entrepreneurs’.
Aberg began the session by reciting a line from Red Tent by Anita Diamant, urging women in the audience to tell their stories. “We have put the weight on men, to tell our stories, our works. Men can’t carry that weight. We have to take it back, and stand up and tell our stories, and stand up for our works. And as female business owners, we are telling the stories, and we are creating platforms for telling the stories,” said Aberg, who teaches female small-business owners how to succeed.
In an interactive session, Aberg aimed to empower women to “find their superpower” and inform them about why they are designed to succeed online, by telling them about their power of making connections. “Women are designed to succeed online, because we know how to create connections, we know how to nourish relationships, we know how to interact with other people. And we have the internet as a wonderful platform, as a structure that can hone interactions and relationships. We as women infuse our businesses with who we are, and through the internet we infuse the world with who we are,” she said.
With regards to online businesses, Aberg said, “I only teach online businesses as it creates freedom, geographical freedom and it creates freedom in time. I only teach what I know works, and when I learn something, I incorporate that in my programmes. My superpower is to create more freedom and more impact in the world, and to see business as a practice. Business is one of the highest essential practices that you can do.”
Poonam Kumar gave tips on how to manage start-ups and deal with the ordeals of entrepreneurship. “Having knowledge is key. Know your industry, do your homework, know the drawbacks and risks, and look within yourself to see if you have what it takes,” said Kumar.
She then stressed on the importance of innovation, and stated that “finding what you can do uniquely, is key to setting yourself apart, for which you have to look within and outside”. “Change is constant,” she said, urging women to be prepared to adapt, as she did to new technologies like social media after running a PR firm for 17 years. Kumar reinstated the importance of technology, saying that “sooner or later we have to adapt to better, newer technology”, and that in this online, connected world, “no barrier can stop you from achieving what you want.”
“Your own attitude is what makes you matter. Be positive. Business means taking risks. Take calculated risks after doing your homework well. Be prepared even if something goes wrong. We have support systems, so don’t feel dejected. Be confident, just take risks and go for it,” added Kumar, ending the session on a positive note.
BW Reporters
The author is correspondent at BW Businessworld, he has a keen interest in sustainability and environmental economics