The increasing presence of women as entrepreneurs has led to significant business and economic growth in the country. Women- owned business enterprises are playing a prominent role in society by generating employment opportunities, bringing in demographic shifts and inspiring the next generation of women founders.

The pandemic has revolutionised the use of the internet, pushing small and medium businesses alongside their larger counterparts to utilise the power of tech. Sirisha, now with her vast experience in sales and management of SaaS products and also in CRM, media advertising, business development, digital marketing, retail analytics and online advertising is bridging the gap between Indian businesses and the internet.

“I believe in being ethically strong and creating a safe environment which can only be done by maintaining high moral standards and communicating clear expectations. By maintaining high moral standards means a commitment to fairness, instilling confidence that both the companies and their employees will honour. Similarly, by clearly communicating the expectations, blindsiding people is avoided and thus I ensure that everyone is on the same page. In a safe environment, employees can relax, invoking a higher capacity for social engagement, innovation, creativity and ambition”, says Sirisha.

In an exclusive interview with Women Entrepreneur, Sirisha Naidu talked about her significant role of leadership casting light on her journey, the company and the challenges.

Give us a glimpse of your formative years. Who were some of the early influences in your life and how did they impact you in the long run?

My personal life and the situations I had faced inspired me to work and stand alone in every situation. I always got motivated by believing in myself, my own efforts and hard work. Having said that, I don’t think anything can inspire us better than our parents. They have worked hard, made many sacrifices for me and kept motivating me throughout my journey. I made sure that the struggle they faced should not be wasted and to do something big in my life to make them proud.

Tell us about the diverse work experience that you bring to the table? How do you align yourself with new roles & industries?

I am more into developing relationships with people so that I can truly understand who they are as individuals. This helps me to know how we can engage and work together in a better way. My ambition has led me to take on roles of leadership whenever necessary that are not just limited to my area of work but in various other aspects of the company as well. Also, I strongly believe that organisational growth is as important as personal growth.

From my 22 years of experience in sales and business, I have worked mainly on new concepts and products that helped me in developing the ability to anticipate roadblocks and create efficient alternative plans.

Throw light on some of the most critical challenges you face as a business leader. What steps do you take to overcome the roadblocks that you face?

I believe it can be quite easy sometimes to let the success go to your head, so I make sure to stay humble. The best way to do this is by believing that the business does need you but you don't make up the whole business. Every team member is essential to the business's success. Also, there is challenge of developing the relevant skills of the team such as time management, prioritization, strategic thinking, decision-making and being more efficient at work. All these can be achieved by effective team engagement and by being self-motivated.

In your opinion what are some of the most significant milestones that you have achieved throughout your professional journey? What has been the driving force behind your success as a professional?

Being client-centric and hearing a customer, vendor or co-worker say, "You really know your stuff, thanks for your help, and we trust you”, this holds more value for me than anything else.

"I believe in being ethically strong and creating a safe environment which can only be done by maintaining high moral standards and communicating clear expectations"

Every morning when I get out of bed, I am excited to reach the office and embrace the day. I look forward to interact with my clients and hear feedback about how our services created a positive experience and impacted their business in a positive way.

What is your take on the low representation of women in top leadership roles across geographies and industries? In your opinion how can we bridge this gap going forward?

Men have a better shot at leadership positions as there are higher standards for women and lack of readiness by companies to hire women for top positions. Other reasons, such as family responsibilities, inexperience to balance work-life, cannot take up challenging assignments because they cannot travel, they are emotional and women not being tough enough are cited frequently as significant barriers to female leadership.

We can help overcome structural barriers with mentors, sponsors or female leadership programs. Such programs give professional women greater insight into issues and offer them strategies and solutions.

What were some of the key learnings brought along in the last year? What is your roadmap for the year 2023?

A valuable life lesson learnt at work during the COVID times is that those who always strive to learn more and continue to progress through times of stagnation are those who succeed.

My roadmap is to improve value communication for customers and increase market share as communication is important for all members of a business, including its customers. Value communication is telling the customers what the service can do for them that can eventually create a positive impact on their business.

Sirisha Naidu, Chief Sales Officer, You Express

Sirisha is highly experienced in building effective sales team, developing go-to market, operating plans and identifying revenue growth opportunities through strategic analysis. Her greatest value is her ability to work independently, planning time to focus on the needs of the business and strategize accordingly.