Business owners often have inspiring stories to share. How they began their business, the journey that brought them to where they are today, all the obstacles they overcame and growth they experienced. This is even more so for women, as so many female entrepreneurs have had to overcome far greater challenges than their male counterparts to establish themselves.
In an ideal world, there would be as many female business owners as there are men. However, this is rarely the case. Analysis by Boston Consulting Group has shown that if women and men participated equally as entrepreneurs, global GDP could ultimately rise by around 6%, that’s $5 trillion!
Here in Bangladesh, women only make up a small portion of registered business owners. In most cases, these are small businesses and start-ups, which are known to be vital for any economy.
Small businesses generally work hard to keep their operations local, and female-run businesses in particular have been seen to give back to the local community. This often means working with and supporting fellow small businesses, using as many local goods as possible, training the local population and also sharing their profits through community endeavours. This helps stimulate local economies and also benefits the community as a whole. This is important because although big businesses may dominate the stock market, it’s the small businesses and startups that keep the economy moving and the local community thriving.
There is so much to learn from these female entrepreneurs! We spoke to three up-coming businesses in fashion, beauty and art to hear their insights and stories.
How would you describe your business?
BAHAR is an online clothing company that focuses on making beautiful ethnic, fusion and very importantly, practical clothing for local women and men. Our range extends from everyday casuals to evening and eventwear. We have quite an eclectic collection which not only reflects our love of colour and expression, but also functionality. As two very busy working women who are frequently on the go, we wanted to put together outfits which would make us effortlessly look great and were also were easy and functional, without compromising on the visual impact.
How did you come up with your business idea?
BAHAR was founded by myself and my partner. While I had a background working in the garment sector and was familiar with the operational and quality control elements of production, my partner had over 10 years experience in design and development. What we shared in common was love for creativity and decided to combine what we were good at with our passion for making wonderful things.
Each BAHAR outfit is made with fabrics that are easy to maintain, breathable and transitional, so you could wear them during a casual or semi-casual event without seeming over or under-dressed. They are designed in such a way that they can be easily paired with different bottoms and dupattas. All our outfits come in a mix and match style, meaning all our tops and bottoms work well together so they can even be mixed up for a whole new look. Oh, also, very importantly, they come with pockets too!
Can you highlight something cool about your business?
When we launched BAHAR, we promised to always uphold three commitments which we believed were integral to our business ethics.
The first was supporting local businesses. Most people in our circle would opt to fly to India to buy clothes, which is such a shame because there is so much talent and scope to make beautiful, affordable clothes right here in Bangladesh!
Our goal therefore, on the production side was keeping things as local as possible. That meant sourcing fabric and trims from local sellers (we never directly import!), working with local artisans, cottage industries, packaging companies, etc. and in doing so, we made a commitment to support other local businesses as much as possible.
We also made a commitment to support and build young talent. By bringing together younger professionals (especially women) with more experienced mentors, we were able to build our teams’ skills and capabilities. Although, initially, this was time consuming, the long run rewards have been great!
Finally, we also made a commitment to the environment. We don’t use single-use plastic in our packaging or production process and never will. All of our packaging, labels, tags, etc. is recyclable. We are also in the process of developing our own biodegradable polybags too, to ensure all garments are delivered in pristine condition without harming the environment.
How did you manage your business during the pandemic?
Managing the business during the pandemic was very tough in the initial stages! We had invested considerably on a pop- up stall which we had to then close due to the recurring lockdowns. On top of that, we kept our production facility closed to protect the workers. All our workers received their full salary despite the closure and drop in sales!
It’s been tough, but we believe that the choices you make during difficult times like this define you as a business and we wanted to ensure that we were thinking of the whole BAHAR team first and our profits second.
You can find our more about BAHAR by visiting their pages:
www.instagram.com/bahar.clothing.bd/
www.facebook.com/bahar.clothing
How would you describe your business?
I am a textile artist and I specialise in making one of a kind embroideries and tapestries, which I sell online through my Insta page at AETAS Art
How did you come up with your business idea?
To be honest, I have to give some credit to the pandemic and its never-ending lockdowns for being the ultimate catalyst to me picking up needlework again. I used to sew when I was a kid, and for years I have been meaning to get back to it but, for whatever reason, it never happened till now.
Can you highlight something cool about your business?
Well, making textile art in itself is pretty darn cool in my opinion. Textile art often does not get the recognition it deserves and is seen as more of a craft than art, and I hope I can change that mindset when people see my tapestries.
The amount of work and skill that goes into creating each and every tapestry is the same as when one paints or sculpts, and I hope people are able to appreciate the value of this art form, which is too often overlooked. In terms of being more green and eco-friendly, AETAS Art avoids using plastic wherever possible. The packaging is largely recyclable and my process is considerate and conscious of the environment.
What have you done that has been very effective in helping to grow the business?
I have to spend a lot of time researching different forms of textile art, designing the apparatus that I need in order to make my artwork. Right now, I’m in the process of constructing a weaving loom, which has been quite challenging to design from scratch. I’m always experimenting and figuring out ways to use different materials and incorporate locally sourced textiles. I try to explain my process and inspiration behind each tapestry to my customers online, detailing each step of the way so they can see and understand all of the elements that come together to make each and every work of art.
Social marketing is consistently being written about in the small business space. Has it worked in generating business for you?
Social media marketing is all I know! It is the primary platform through which I promote my artwork and find new clients and commissions. So far, it’s been great and for this day and age, it is absolutely indispensable to starting small businesses anywhere in the world really.
What are your plans for AETAS Art for the future?
Well, I’ve been trying to figure out a way to make thread out of discarded fabric, which I will be using for my tapestries in the near future. In addition, AETAS Art will also be expanding to other mediums besides textile so do give us a like and follow AETAS Art on Instagram and Facebook, and keep an eye out for the latest artwork!
You can find out more about AETAS by visiting their pages:
www.instagram.com/aetas.art/
How would you describe your business?
What started off as Soul Fix in my bedroom during the first COVID -19 lockdown, eventually grew to become Gaea Botaniques. I focus on helping people find ease in life through self care and self love, through creating products made from all natural ingredients which everyone can use.
How did you come up with your business idea?
Just before the COVID -19 pandemic hit Bangladesh, I had also been dealing with some personal losses in my family, as well as the tough business climate (at the time I was working with my family’s freight forwarding business). Months of worrying made me realise, I was losing a lot of hair and I had balding spots. Immediately, I recalled my late mother’s habits of mixing seeds and herbs in her oils, which she would apply on her hair to improve the quality and prevent hair loss.
I myself am an avid lover of natural remedies for everything possible! I decided I was going to take matters into my own hands, with the belief that I could recreate and improve my mother’s formulations. After some trial and error, I created my first product, the Queen of the Night hair oil. After much experimentation, when I realized it was working wonders, I asked my friends if they wanted to try it, which they did and once I saw that they were benefiting from my product, I decided to launch Gaea Botaniques.
What were you doing before this? Is this your first business?
I was managing my family’s freight forwarding business before, but I wanted my own business identity. This led me to create my products, Queen of the Night (hair oil), Rosalune (face mask). My small company is now turning a year old and I aim to keep on researching and educating myself on the many herbal remedies and formulations out there so that I can improve my products and create new ones.
Can you highlight something cool about your business?
When I started my business, I wanted to provide products with organic ingredients all sourced locally. That was very crucial to me. I could have sourced prettier packaging and labelling from abroad, I also had the option of importing concentrated essential oils of the ingredients I would use, but that would only benefit me. As I began researching what I would need, I found local markets outside Dhaka where wholesalers sold fresh ingredients.
I found bottle suppliers who could customize my containers for me as well. A close friend of mine designed all my brand content for me, starting from my logo to my labels. I feel grateful and indebted to these people who all came together to help me set up Gaea Botaniques and want to keep continuing to promote them for as long as I can. Building relationships is also very important to me for maintaining authenticity.
Are there specific advantages or disadvantages to being a woman business owner?
As women, we still have to work a tad harder than our male counterparts to be taken as seriously. However, although we have it easier now than say ten years ago, it is an uphill battle, and we collectively need to keep moving forward, raising other women up as often as we can.
Tell me, do you consider your business green?
My products are all formulated and created with natural ingredients, minimising wastage as much as possible, but that’s as far as I have been able to take it when it comes to being green. The reason is packaging. I have yet to find durable, sustainable packaging which can be delivered at my customer’s doorstep without any damages, which is still a challenge today.
I did begin with glass containers, but sadly could not continue due to losses in the form of breakage. The dream is to be completely sustainable in the long run, and it is something I prioritize whenever I make any decisions regarding my business.
You can find out more about GAEA Botaniques by visiting their page-
www.instagram.com/gaeabotaniques/
www.facebook.com/gaeabotaniques