5 MSME Business Ideas For Women Entrepreneurs

 

Image: Charles Forerunner, Unsplash

Jaswantiben Jamnadas, a 91 year old woman, received the prestigious Padma Shree Award this year. Who is Jaswantiben Jamnadas? She's a super successful business woman, one of the co-founders of Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad. It reminded me of the popular Lijjat Papad advertisement on Doordarshan. 

It's wonderful to see women opting for their own business and doing it with confidence. I have seen women working as successful entrepreneurs since my childhood. My mother, Nili Verma, used to be a professional photographer. She owned a studio. She even developed the negatives in her dark room. I used to accompany her sometimes. It was so fascinating to see the negatives transform into images. She used to visit girl's college and hostels to capture the various fuctions and the famous Saraswati Puja, and I'd manage her studio that day, feeling terribly uncomfortable. 'I don't even know how to click photos.'

'You don't have to. Par studio band nahin hona chahiye.' She said.

But as the smartphone era arrived, she realized photography was not a very profitable business so she turned her studio into a boutique and still runs it successfully and confidently. 

Covid has hit hard financially but MSME certainly acts as a big strength. The Government has specifically launched Women entrepreneurship support to encourage women who wanted to create something or start their own business. Over here the Government provides financial help, counselling, and training to women to help them manage their business better.

So what business ideas are eligible for MSME?

1. Beauty Parlour and Boutique.

One of my aunts, Nupur Chhanda Sinha, owns a beauty parlour called 'Shringar' and honestly she is one of the best in our small town {Bhagalpur} in Bihar. She also runs a training center.

She has registered for MSME, and says it was really helpful. It falls under the Mudra Yojna Scheme by the Government, especially for women entrepreneurs. 

2. Travel & Transport 

I read about two successful women entrepreneurs who run this business in a very unique and thoughtful manner. {Source: Internet}

Hey DeeDee: It's an all woman delivery service founded by Revathi Roy. It operates in several cities in India and is a huge team of Hey DeeDee women riders. This successful company has tied up with several big companies like Amazon, Subway, Pizza Hut etc.

Planet Abled:

It's a very thoughtful and innovative idea by Neha Arora. It's a travel agency that makes travel easier for people with different kinds of disabilities. A platform where people with any disability and people without any disability can experience the joy of traveling and adventures together.

3. Handicraft: 

When it comes to art, your uniqueness makes you stand out. Many years ago, one of my aunts used to run a small handicraft business. Apart from creating different kinds artworks like crafting on aluminium sheets and clay art, she taught flower making and quilling art. Her small studio used to buzz with excited murmurs of her students.

As an artist, I understand it's not very easy to make money. So widen your horizon. Try different things, like conduct classes, collaborate with the brands etc.

4. Catering: 

Our house {in Bihar} is almost adjacent to the only Girl's College of our town. Consequently, there are so many girls' lodges in our area. The college offers mess service but everyone living away from home yearns for home made food. One of my aunts started the catering service. Although, she couldn't continue the business for a long time mainly because it was too much work to do alone and she couldn't afford workers. But it's a good idea, I think. 

The Government offers Annapurna Scheme if one wants to start a catering unit.

5. Agriculture:

Anita Devi, a Home Science graduate from Bihar, runs a successful Mushroom farming business. She's also called 'Mushroom Lady of Bihar'.

It's good to try different things, irrespective of the field. One can avail Dena Shakti Scheme offered by the Government, if you take up farming as a business. 

Keeping the MSME benefits in mind, it seems like the right time to start your business.

Let's work on interesting ideas and grow as successful women entrepreneurs. Our growth is going to bring positive changes to our society.

Written for Growth Matters Forum. Growth Matters Forum is a community for business owners to explore ideas, streamline growth and create an impact. Join the community here.