Talking business

Indian Business Women Network

We are not just another ‘women’s group’.

So say Sonal Dang and Ginny Kohli Gulati, founders of the Indian Business Women Network Inc. (IBWN) in Melbourne.

IBWN is a not-for-profit organisation that was created to foster professional, business and personal networks among a diverse group of Indian businesswomen.

“We do more than just business card swaps,” President Sonal, a real estate agent, told Indian Link. “We network, educate and celebrate success with a view to sustainable and inclusive development.”

IBWN embraces businesswomen of all ages from the Indian subcontinent from various industries and professions as long as they bring to the table drive, commitment and a supportive attitude.

It is designed as a platform to elevate and enable, according to Vice President Ginny, the sole agent for Australia and New Zealand for natural products and skincare as well as owner of Charismatics Events.

“Our aim is to understand the specific barriers Indian women in businesses face, provide solutions to address them and support each other to create strength, collaborate and take risks,” said Ginny.

Created in March 2017 with a handful of like-minded women, IWBN has managed to attract a strong response from the community within no time.

A new committee of volunteers has recently been selected to manage its expansion. Shwetali Sawant (Marketing Manager), Prerna Joshi (Business Development Manager), Maddhu Kapoor (Administration Officer) and Nitu Grover Ahuja (Marketing Manager) will help steer IBWN’s success.

Sonal and Ginny claim that they encountered several objections whilst creating IBWN with speculations that ‘this will not last long’ or it will be just another ‘women’s club’.

“This is exactly the mindset we wished to change,” said the two unanimously.

“We are amazed at the diversity of business that Indian women are involved in,” said Sonal. “From print experts to landscape artists to food equipment providers, our members are into a variety of ventures and it is inspirational to see their courage and commitment.”

“Our meetings, held every six weeks, provide opportunities to share experiences and to discuss a range of topical issues,” added Ginny.

In an increasingly complex market, many Indian businesswomen find it a challenge to achieve commercial success through marketing. Sharing experiences, ideas and expertise at this new platform has helped them in providing innovative and creative solutions to their marketing needs.

“We provide a platform for these entrepreneurs to connect and share knowledge. We encourage the recommendations and relationship building that results in mutual growth,” continued Ginny.

Their visions of a successful trajectory also include recording referrals, as the whole premise of IBWN is to build relationships through networking and brand promotion.

Member engagement is increased through guest speakers, motivational talks, life coaching and the recently initiated IBWN Entrepreneur/Business of the Month nominations.

Rohini Saini, proprietor of Fork & Fingers and Shwetali Sawant founder and owner of the Indian Bazaar have been recognised for their innovative efforts in recent months.

At a recent event, keynote speaker Barinderjeet Kaur, Founder/Director of Empower Your Destiny, defined growth as ‘helping others grow’, a thought that reflects IBWN’s main focus. Another dynamic speaker Diksha Khanna from Branded Chocolates and Confectionary and Amazeology Australia shared her insights into how to systemise the business in order to scale it.

These events went down well with members. Maddhu Kapoor of Sparkle Health & Beauty, observed, “I have learnt a lot from each meeting I’ve attended, from the inspirational journeys of women around me. I am thankful to IBWN for offering a platform for women like us who are hungry for their dreams to come true.”

Another member, Ritika Sablok Saini of Print Experts & Plants N Petals echoes these thoughts. “It is inspiring and motivating to see like-minded women entrepreneurs from our community. I really enjoy attending the meetings as I get something new to learn each time. A big thank you to the committee panel for making these meetings so interactive and informative for all of us.”

It’s not all work and no play as the members often get together to mark special occasions such as Christmas and Mother’s Day, holding social eights and end-offinancial-year events.

Currently all the meetings are held in the western suburbs of Melbourne; however, there are talks to expand to other metropolitan areas in future.

Word of mouth and social media are responsible for a networking platforms growth, however IBWN’s core strength lies in its participation.

It thrives due to the involvement of an enthusiastic group of individuals brainstorming strategies, overcoming macho culture, encouraging and empowering each other.

We certainly hope IBWN will be able to create entrepreneurial space for Indian women to make valuable connections, share advice and move forward together.

Indian Professionals Victoria

The recently launched Indian Professionals in Victoria (IPV) aims to have the answer to the key questions of What, When, Why, How and Who, when it comes to navigating career challenges.

IPV was created to provide a learning roadmap that will help Indian professionals in Victoria to fulfil their career aspirations.

With more than 165,000 Indians living in Melbourne Indian professionals and entrepreneurs contribute significantly to the Victorian economy.

As the new generation hits the workforce and embraces the shifting nature of jobs, it is critical to find a sustainable way to build capacity for the future.

This not-for-profit organisation’s vision is to mobilise this development.

“Indian professionals are known in Australia for their technical prowess and acumen, reliability and hard-working nature but there is a lot more that is needed to create and lead a successful and settled life,” President Naishadh Gadani told Indian Link

According to him, IPV aims to help Indian professionals through mentoring, workshops, seminars, networking events, entrepreneurship programs, etc., to ensure that they establish a firm foothold in their new home here and have a support system to rely on.

IPV’s target audience are recent arrivals to Australia. Many members have young families, a mortgage to pay and kids to educate. IPV also attracts international students.

Naishadh is perfectly suited in his role as president here, given he is Project Coordinator/team leader at Skillinvest Limited and founder of Your Career Down Under, a coaching service for migrants. His expertise lies in personal branding and resume services.

“As someone who has overcome many challenges to succeed in a new life in Australia, my career path has equipped me with a unique set of skills that I can now leverage to help others help themselves,” Naishadh revealed.

The IPV team comprises of Indian professionals who volunteer their time and expertise with a focus on developing noncore (soft skills) for Indian professionals.

“We have recognised that Indian migrants have the technical skills required to complete workplace tasks, but often lack the equally valued soft skills, such as communication, public speaking and leadership, to excel at work. Soft skills are key to building relationships, gaining visibility, and creating more opportunities for advancement. IPV provides professionals with a platform to fortify these skills.”

He added, “If you have an idea, we will help you to make it viable,” said Naishadh, elaborating on IPV’s vision. “Our USP is a dedicated team that is very clear on its objectives and capable of providing logical solutions.”

The platform is not a unique idea; the IPV model is based on a similar organisation in South Australia.

“There are many networking organisations like ours out there,” shared Naishadh. “Initially, we looked at the Indian professionals in Adelaide and realised that it was an idea that was already working, so there was no need to reinvent the wheel. We decided to cater state-wide rather than just Melbourne because Geelong and Ballarat are slated to become major hubs and our network should incorporate regional Victoria.”

Preeti Jabbal