Shakila Makandar is a passionate entrepreneur. Having divorced at a young age and stepping out of an abusive relationship backed by religiously opinionated people, Shakila decided to withdraw from such false life. Pursued her studies that was halfway through and completed Diploma in Electronics and Telecommunications. Her passion for studies was too high but scope of getting sponsored for higher education was extremely low. Therefore, as she kept working, she completed her arts graduation with specialisation in history: the love for stories. It was a big shift but the bigger one came when after spending few years in corporate world, when she started her own venture. Today, she runs Orane Intelli Solutions with more than 60 employees and her Delhi based Marketing venture called Bromide, it is an end-to-end marketing solutions provider. Her journey so far has been inspiring to lot of people from various parts of the country and organizations she’s engaged in over the decade. She believes in individuality and equality that is as important to self-esteem. Excerpts from her interview with Opinion Express.

You have been an entrepreneur for more than a decade. What led you to taking that first step and setting up your own business?

I have been entrepreneur by birth, its in my head that I am an entrepreneur but it took me many years to discover. I kept exploring new avenues during my initial days of writing, poetry, traveling, and everything that meant nothing those days. Just passion of being on my own. I don't have more than four years of working experience. In perseverance of freedom of thought and action, I set foot in Mumbai to do something on my own will, something very independent, something that doesn't bind me. Initially, I was just trying to pick the work I enjoy doing but very soon I figured out that a venture of my own would make good sense. It was too early for the times that I started. I say this thing because I couldn’t find ways and means of independent women into technology business per say. Looking back, I feel it was a right decision because there's a lot of experience that I have gathered. And it truly makes me feel very nice that I'm an entrepreneur eventually.

Tell us something about your journey as an entrepreneur

Over the years, especially the past decade has been a roller coaster ride. I've had a true entrepreneurial journey, like they say, a full life cycle from start to fall and rise high. And then to see all the dark sides that one would anyway experience in business, some bad decisions, some bad influences, some unnecessary sacrifices, unforeseeable troubles etc. For example, in initial years, I thought having  people with lot of experience, coming from big companies and with sound professional background in your team meant value addition to the organization in terms of more business, systematic and process driven execution etc., that was naivety but today, I am a mature entrepreneur, I have very passionate resource contributing a lot more to the company even though they don’t carry experience in their profiles or degrees holders from IIMs and IITs are naturally part of team now. My only determination is, “I can do it”. And I did it with almost little or no experience just by driving the team passionately towards quality service. Today we are self-sufficient and self-reliant organization working with same passion and enthusiasm, mixed set of team and happy associations internationally.

For me, a project is means working on a fast track mode. No project means a holiday for the entire team. Efficiency and process-oriented methods on a project delivery is critical. These are few things that I follow.  These are my key learnings. I am happy and proud that every single team member who have been with us ever since, have settled in very good places, organization and positions in life.

What were the major challenges you faced as a young woman entrepreneur?

In my head, I was just another human being who wanted to do something on her own.  But the world made me realise I was woman and that too a young woman. I’ve been sized and gazed upon many times. The funniest question I was once asked was, “how are you doing the business, you're too young to be doing an IT business?”. In, 2010-11 nobody even thought that somebody who's never been in business, hardly worked and has been living a free lifestyle in Mumbai would think of a serious business like IT, but I had to, and I did. Second thing they couldn't believe is the size of projects that we use to execute. Like, large manufacturing units, large retail conglomerate, some of the world's top companies. We did not make great margins, but they were some of the finest projects that we executed. In all these years I realised that being an entrepreneur itself was challenging but more so for a woman entrepreneur. And now I think it's all subsided because I have learned to tell NO, to stick to business conversation, talk work and leave the rest for another day.

On the international levels, it was worst.  People had issues in understanding how I am so open minded, I'm too straightforward.  I could tell men straight on their faces - can we just get straight to business? Or, sorry, I am not interested in any conversation. It's okay. I don't need your business. I've been that straight. Therefore, we do not have great number of prospects perhaps. Nonetheless, whatever we've done, is good and so far, commendable for the whole team. My ideology on success is executing each project to its glory, every project is as important as my first client. I've had my own share of hurdles being a woman entrepreneur, but today I’m sure it’s a different story.

How has lockdown affected start-ups like yours?

I don't think so it's greatly affected us because our success is with success of project, not with the success of the market. We were able sustain and execute projects at the same speed as it did in the past. In fact, we've had increased quality leads and inquiries with least pressure on sales pitch. Our team has grown and had added much better team to work with. So not that COVID has affected us greatly. We have lost some very good projects that were part of the pipeline from the Middle East, Europe and other parts of Asia and Africa. But otherwise, regionally we’ve been performing well. COVID also has given ease of operations. I think, in fact, more and more start-ups have come in the market during this crisis.

What is your advice to woman who are planning to start business?

To all the women, I always say- We women are blessed. We are natural entrepreneurs. We are natural administrators; it comes to us from our homes. We have managed a lot of relationships, in our own ways without being charged, it's innate in us. The same qualities out in the market, people look at you as somebody very vulnerable. Personally, let me tell you that many times I have been offered lucrative, enticing, quick buck offers; coming from various places because I was a woman, and everybody thinks women are easier option to deal with. But I could not ever succumb to such offers. They tend to impose themselves and manipulate your inner self. So, for all the women entrepreneurs, all I have to say is, hold your head high, no matter what you're doing. You only have course correction, when you set your foot on the journey. You need to patiently do what you are already doing and wait. Keep learning during the course. Don't get succumb to any situation.  Work with open mind t known weakness, Self-motivate- I'm going to work on it. Gather your strength; Say- I'm going to be better at it. Every new business is important, but not every new person has to be important. So, keep your intuitions strong. Keep your gut feeling strong.

Shakila Makandar is a passionate entrepreneur. Having divorced at a young age and stepping out of an abusive relationship backed by religiously opinionated people, Shakila decided to withdraw from such false life. Pursued her studies that was halfway through and completed Diploma in Electronics and Telecommunications. Her passion for studies was too high but scope of getting sponsored for higher education was extremely low. Therefore, as she kept working, she completed her arts graduation with specialisation in history: the love for stories. It was a big shift but the bigger one came when after spending few years in corporate world, when she started her own venture. Today, she runs Orane Intelli Solutions with more than 60 employees and her Delhi based Marketing venture called Bromide, it is an end-to-end marketing solutions provider. Her journey so far has been inspiring to lot of people from various parts of the country and organizations she’s engaged in over the decade. She believes in individuality and equality that is as important to self-esteem. Excerpts from her interview with Opinion Express.

You have been an entrepreneur for more than a decade. What led you to taking that first step and setting up your own business?

I have been entrepreneur by birth, its in my head that I am an entrepreneur but it took me many years to discover. I kept exploring new avenues during my initial days of writing, poetry, traveling, and everything that meant nothing those days. Just passion of being on my own. I don't have more than four years of working experience. In perseverance of freedom of thought and action, I set foot in Mumbai to do something on my own will, something very independent, something that doesn't bind me. Initially, I was just trying to pick the work I enjoy doing but very soon I figured out that a venture of my own would make good sense. It was too early for the times that I started. I say this thing because I couldn’t find ways and means of independent women into technology business per say. Looking back, I feel it was a right decision because there's a lot of experience that I have gathered. And it truly makes me feel very nice that I'm an entrepreneur eventually.

Tell us something about your journey as an entrepreneur

Over the years, especially the past decade has been a roller coaster ride. I've had a true entrepreneurial journey, like they say, a full life cycle from start to fall and rise high. And then to see all the dark sides that one would anyway experience in business, some bad decisions, some bad influences, some unnecessary sacrifices, unforeseeable troubles etc. For example, in initial years, I thought having  people with lot of experience, coming from big companies and with sound professional background in your team meant value addition to the organization in terms of more business, systematic and process driven execution etc., that was naivety but today, I am a mature entrepreneur, I have very passionate resource contributing a lot more to the company even though they don’t carry experience in their profiles or degrees holders from IIMs and IITs are naturally part of team now. My only determination is, “I can do it”. And I did it with almost little or no experience just by driving the team passionately towards quality service. Today we are self-sufficient and self-reliant organization working with same passion and enthusiasm, mixed set of team and happy associations internationally.

For me, a project is means working on a fast track mode. No project means a holiday for the entire team. Efficiency and process-oriented methods on a project delivery is critical. These are few things that I follow.  These are my key learnings. I am happy and proud that every single team member who have been with us ever since, have settled in very good places, organization and positions in life.

What were the major challenges you faced as a young woman entrepreneur?

In my head, I was just another human being who wanted to do something on her own.  But the world made me realise I was woman and that too a young woman. I’ve been sized and gazed upon many times. The funniest question I was once asked was, “how are you doing the business, you're too young to be doing an IT business?”. In, 2010-11 nobody even thought that somebody who's never been in business, hardly worked and has been living a free lifestyle in Mumbai would think of a serious business like IT, but I had to, and I did. Second thing they couldn't believe is the size of projects that we use to execute. Like, large manufacturing units, large retail conglomerate, some of the world's top companies. We did not make great margins, but they were some of the finest projects that we executed. In all these years I realised that being an entrepreneur itself was challenging but more so for a woman entrepreneur. And now I think it's all subsided because I have learned to tell NO, to stick to business conversation, talk work and leave the rest for another day.

On the international levels, it was worst.  People had issues in understanding how I am so open minded, I'm too straightforward.  I could tell men straight on their faces - can we just get straight to business? Or, sorry, I am not interested in any conversation. It's okay. I don't need your business. I've been that straight. Therefore, we do not have great number of prospects perhaps. Nonetheless, whatever we've done, is good and so far, commendable for the whole team. My ideology on success is executing each project to its glory, every project is as important as my first client. I've had my own share of hurdles being a woman entrepreneur, but today I’m sure it’s a different story.

How has lockdown affected start-ups like yours?

I don't think so it's greatly affected us because our success is with success of project, not with the success of the market. We were able sustain and execute projects at the same speed as it did in the past. In fact, we've had increased quality leads and inquiries with least pressure on sales pitch. Our team has grown and had added much better team to work with. So not that COVID has affected us greatly. We have lost some very good projects that were part of the pipeline from the Middle East, Europe and other parts of Asia and Africa. But otherwise, regionally we’ve been performing well. COVID also has given ease of operations. I think, in fact, more and more start-ups have come in the market during this crisis.

What is your advice to woman who are planning to start business?

To all the women, I always say- We women are blessed. We are natural entrepreneurs. We are natural administrators; it comes to us from our homes. We have managed a lot of relationships, in our own ways without being charged, it's innate in us. The same qualities out in the market, people look at you as somebody very vulnerable. Personally, let me tell you that many times I have been offered lucrative, enticing, quick buck offers; coming from various places because I was a woman, and everybody thinks women are easier option to deal with. But I could not ever succumb to such offers. They tend to impose themselves and manipulate your inner self. So, for all the women entrepreneurs, all I have to say is, hold your head high, no matter what you're doing. You only have course correction, when you set your foot on the journey. You need to patiently do what you are already doing and wait. Keep learning during the course. Don't get succumb to any situation.  Work with open mind t known weakness, Self-motivate- I'm going to work on it. Gather your strength; Say- I'm going to be better at it. Every new business is important, but not every new person has to be important. So, keep your intuitions strong. Keep your gut feeling strong.