Meet Manjula, an inspiring entrepreneur hailing from Mysore, Karnataka. She is the embodiment of resilience and determination. Despite facing numerous challenges throughout her life, she has managed to build and sustain multiple businesses, ensuring stability by augmenting the income for her family. Her household includes her husband, daughter, and son-in-law. While her husband works in the tourism industry, Manjula owns and manages two small businesses.
A journey of constant growth, adeptness and ambition
She started her career with a food delivery service and catering, with her brother bringing her contracts. But Manjula's passions lay elsewhere - in Bharatnatyam (a traditional form of Indian dance), music, and beauty. With the support of her husband, she was able to take the latter ahead, starting several parlours. Though her beautician journey faced roadblocks - such as the COVID-19 pandemic that saw the shuttering of some of her parlors, she persevered on.
Her parlour today is thriving. In fact, she runs another business - a kitchen-dining hall business (referred to in India as a ‘mess’) from the same building. Despite her husband's initial reservations about the risks associated with starting a mess, Manjula fearlessly ventured forth. Manjula says that the second business came about because of circumstance - she was unable to go outside her current town because of household responsibilities. Hence, she started something from the same physical space. This highlights her resourcefulness apart from her multitasking ability.
Along the way, Manjula has demonstrated considerable financial acumen. She used her existing savings to start her beauty parlour, and managed her house loan repayment by showcasing her transaction history.
A believer in learning and the power of community
Her life also underscores the importance of continuous learning and adaptation. Just before the COVID-19 pandemic, she dedicated an hour each day for six months learning how to become a beautician. This effort paid off as she opened her parlour and trained her daughter, who now assists her in the business.
Her journey is marked by her unwavering belief in the power of women coming together to support each other. She founded and runs a Mahila Sangh (women's group) where women discuss their work and life, sharing advice and encouragement. This collective spirit has been a cornerstone of her success.
Her dream project
Dreaming of establishing a high-tech unisex parlour, Manjula envisions a space devoid of gender discrimination, where everyone can avail themselves of aesthetic treatments. She believes in the viability of such parlours, citing recent trends in the industry. For Manjula, expansion and continual growth are paramount, driving her ambition to new heights.
Her story is also one of overcoming personal hardships, particularly when her husband's earnings were insufficient to meet expenses. These experiences fuelled her determination to become financially independent and support her family. She knows the value of high-quality education and desires her granddaughter to attend a private English medium school.
Manjula's story exemplifies what an Entrepreneurial Household is - taking measured risk, strong ambition, defying social norms, and constant re-invention. Like hers, there are 250 million such Entrepreneurial Households across India. Their demands for core solutions like quality education, healthcare and MSME financing represent a multi-trillion dollar business opportunity for investors and entrepreneurs to participate in their growth.
To read more about the EPIC Opportunity, download the EPIC Opportunity Report.