Noida: Female entrepreneurs taking charge and leading the way

Entrepreneurship has long been a male dominated field. However, it is about time that women start taking charge and lead the way in the businesses as well. In Noida, there are several women entrepreneurs who are running businesses from their homes while taking care of their home and family.

Ashita Pant, a resident of Amrapali Princely Estate, Noida Sector 76 & a mother of two runs a grocery business. Before starting this business, she was working in the banking sector for 14 years. When Ashita got pregnant with her second baby, she left her job which required her to work in internationnal shifts. She took a break of two years after the birth of her second child and then got back at working.

"I did a digital marketing course and restarted working as a digital marketer in a marketing company. However, as the Covid hit us all, I too lost my job like many others. However, I got another job offer and then it hit me that if I can work for others, why can't I start something of my own? This was the starting of 'chakki on the wheels', my company. Now I own a business and I handle my marketing, branding, promotions, and everything else. I personally communicate with my customers." says Ashita pant.

Also read | Female entrepreneurs of Noida, breaking barriers and leading

Ashita, through her business, sells exclusive and exotic grocery products which are not easily available in the market. She says that she wants to build a brand and take her business to great heights.

She says, "As I am from Dehradun, I sell Chakrauta rajma, which I directly get from the farmers of Dehradun. It is the purest form of rajma, which is organic and takes less time in cooking as compared to the rest categories of rajma. In Noida, one cannot find this rajma at local shops, it is only available on amazon or with me”.

She also keeps a good stock of spices which are 100 % adulteration free like coriander powder, amchur powder, jeera powder. Ashita says that initially, she tested her products with restaurants, friends and family and then took them out in the bigger market. Apart from grains and spices, she also deals in dry fruits.

While talking about how her family supported her through her journey, she says, “My husband is very supportive. He also helps me with my business.”

For other bussing female entrepreneurs, Ashita says, "You just need to believe in yourself and keep going. Don't let anyone take you down."

Kavita, a resident of 5th avenue, Gaur City, is a mompreneur and the founder of 'Creative Cookery Classes'. In her own words, “Being from a very small town, I was always taught that completing studies and get married are the only things girls have to do. However, I always had a deep desire to do something big in my life. When I shifted to Noida, I saw people rushing to their work every morning. Looking at them, I always thought where they are all running and why am I stuck at home? That triggered something inside me to start working.”

Kavita is an expert in Baking fondant cake, normal cake, doughnuts, more than 30 courses of baking, cooking cuisines like Chinese, Mughlai, Italian, sandwiches, parathas everything. She excels in cooking party snacks, fondant workshop, professional icing, cookies like atta cookies, coconut cookies, chocolate cookies, nan khatai, digestive biscuits, Karachi biscuits, choco-chip cookies, tier cakes, muffins, tea time cake, and many such things.

Even before she got married, she always loved to cook. However, she was confused about where and how to start her career, that's when her husband suggested her to learn cooking professionally and start a career around it.

Kavita's life was not devoid of challenges. There was a time when her husband's job was in danger and she stood up to support her family. She started to give cooking classes. She says, “My students were happy with me. That gave me energy and hope, especially in the time of crisis. ”

She introduced more courses and diplomas in her classes. Students from across Noida started tp reach her. Now, she has several students in different batches. Kavita even opened an institute in the market, however, she had to shut it down due to Covid.

Today, she has 50 + courses and many recipes to teach to her students. The best part of her cooking classes is that people have learnt from her have started their own businesses. Women who attended her classes are now taking orders.

Kavita also does one live session free of cost on Facebook live & she is loved by her students. Kavita says, "I want to convey my message to the budding mompreneurs that please be strong, I request the families to support them & do not doubt their capabilities.”