Our society has always been women inclusive, but there is no denying that, they have been perceived as being subordinate to men. A country’s sustainable growth has been viewed as being dependent on the advancement of its women. Women entrepreneurs are people who eschew tradition-al standards in order to meet their needs and achieve in-dependence. The entrepreneurial landscape for women is moving in a favorable direction, from woman-friend-ly businesses like cottage industries to cutting-edge startups, thanks to the rapidly expanding community of women entrepreneurs in India. According to recent sta-tistics, there are eight million women entrepreneurs in India, which is 14 percent of all entrepreneurs across the globe. A further 10 percent of formal businesses are held by women. A powerful Woman entrepreneur from Telan-gana, Geetha Madhavi, Managing Director, SMR Natures is a force to reckon with. Women Entrepreneur recently engaged in a one-on-one interaction with Geetha. Let’s hear from her.

What are some important features about your expertise as a business leader that you want us to highlight through the article?

Being an entrepreneur has allowed me to first-hand experience both the challenges and rewards of being a business sector leader. The difficulties I overcame on my way to establishing myself as an expert have made me the leader I am today. One of the biggest challenges I faced was India's lack of funding and support for wom-en entrepreneurs. Even though female-run businesses often employ less capital and generate higher profits, it might be difficult for them to obtain finance and support. However, persistence and hard work were rewarded. An-other barrier was the underrepresentation of women in leadership roles in India. In India's corporate community, women are still underrepresented. Finding role mod-els and mentors who can help young entrepreneurs and provide support becomes challenging for women as a result.

Additionally, I've learned a lot. The capability to take calculated risks is a crucial area of knowledge. Being an entrepreneur demands the capacity for risk-taking and creative thinking, which has aided me in being inventive and creative in my business. Another is emotional intelligence, which has helped me create strong bonds with stakeholders such as clients, staff, and employees.

Take us through your early educational journey and prior industry experience.

I graduated with a degree in Commerce from Andhra University, and after I got married and turned 30 I began working in the pharmaceutical industry. During that time, I learned a lot and got to know the market, and in July 2020, we thought about expanding into the cosmet-ic industry, which is how SMR Natures was born.

What motivated you to establish SMR Natures? Tell us about the underlying idea behind the venture and some of its most unique features.

I think the world revolves around beauty, and thus, was motivated to pursue this career. We eventually discov-ered, after speaking with many people and doing exten-sive research, that parabens and sulfates, which I don't want to promote, are present in about 90 percent of cos-metics and other skin- and body-care products. Because I value purity and safety, I believe that everything we use to care for ourselves today should come from nature. So I decided to create sulfate- and paraben-free products. This also provides me a distinct advantage in this cut-throat business.

What are the different responsibilities you shoulder as the Managing Director of SMR Natures? Throw some light on the most critical business challenges.

In addition to serving as a director, I also work for my company, and I treat each employee like family. My most important responsibility is to look after my employees, motivating them to care for the company. Like every oth-er firm, we went through numerous ups and downs along the way, but my crew never wavered. A difficult phase for the company was brought on by COVID-19. But we managed to succeed with the assistance of the workers. We avoided any layoffs, which was a significant accom-plishment.

"Setting specific, attainable goals that enable me to monitor my progress & recognize my accomplishments helps me to stay motivated & pay attention"

Tell us about some of the key leadership mantras or philosophies you leverage to be a successful business leader.

I've learned to use a few principles as compass points as I work toward being an authority in my area. Setting achievable, unambiguous goals is first and foremost nec-essary. Setting specific, attainable goals that enable me to monitor my progress and recognize my accomplish-ments helps me to stay motivated and pay attention. Maintaining your flexibility and willingness to adapt is also crucial. It's crucial to adapt to new opportunities and challenges because the corporate environment is always changing.

What is your take on Telangana’s business landscape? How do you see the business landscape in the state evolving in the near future?

Telangana is rapidly growing, with a lot of IT firms and start-ups. In the next few years, we anticipate Telangana to becoming a world-class economic hub for all indus-tries.

Drawing from your personal experience, what advice will you give to young women who aspire to become entrepreneurs in future?

Simply listen to your heart, fight for what you believe in, and you will succeed!

Geetha Madhavi, Managing Director, SMR Natures

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