How One Female Entrepreneur Is Focusing The Lens On Successful South Asian Women
Building a business solo is no easy feat, and doing it full-time successfully is even tougher. But Priyanca Rao not only immigrated to the U.S. from India but built a sustainable business that is thriving today – and now she’s focusing the lens on other female entrepreneurs.
Let’s take a look at what we can learn from how she built her business, where she started, and how others can follow in her footsteps.
Collaboration Not Competition
“Often as business owners we are guarded and try to protect the goodwill we have built over the years. But by keeping a collaborative frame of mind we can all achieve much more,” advises Rao. She recently relocated her business to a new area and it reinforced her belief in the importance of collaboration. “I reached out to local photographers and introduced myself. When I visited them, we talked about business openly, sharing information that would help each other. I was able to give business to a colleague while he allowed me to use his space for my business needs.”
Too often people can get stuck in the mindset of competing. Sophia Nelson, author of The Woman Code, said it best, “From the time we’re little girls, we’re taught to compete. I need to be prettier, taller, smarter, my hair needs to be straighter, curlier, whatever it is. I need to get the better looking guy. I need to always be better than because we’re taught to come from a place of lack as women.” This is the mindset that we need to change, and in fact, do the exact opposite.
“Do not compare yourself to others. Be challenged by your own curve,” advises Rao.
Rao went one step further – she launched a project to showcase other women and their work, highlighting their achievements and the hardships it took for them to get to where they are today. “I thought a compelling project would be to photograph 30 to 40 revolutionary women of South Asian origin and showcase their stories – the adversities they face in their life and career, the paths they carve for themselves, and the ways they advocate for themselves. It was important to me to include a range of unique stories to inspire others. I used photography as a medium to bring it all together and make it powerful by showing women’s personalities, their scars, their colorful heritage, and who they are.”
“As women, we often set invisible barriers to achieving our personal goals – we may hesitate to not inconvenience others, we fear asking for help, or we feel like we have to prove ourselves to others. Instead share your dreams and talk about your challenges in a genuine way,” she adds.
“As an entrepreneur and fashion designer, I’ve learned that there is value and power in collaboration. It’s been a catalyst for my personal and professional growth, opening doors to diverse audiences and enabling scalability. Collaborations are more than just partnerships; it’s about mutual support, elevating each other’s businesses and navigating growth together. They’re an opportunity for fresh perspectives, ideation, creativity and innovation,” shares Megha Rao, Founder of HoliChic, a contemporary South Asian fashion label. Megha is featured in the Revolutionary South Asian Women photo project.
Setting Up Your Business For Success
One of the major benefits of forming an LLC for your business is that it separates your personal assets from the business. An LLC is a separate entity with its own rights, responsibilities and liabilities – giving business owners liability protection, flexible management, and tax advantages.
“Getting incorporated as an LLC early on takes away any personal liability and reinforces confidence in customers that you are here to stay,” says Rao.
It’s also critical to know your strengths and strategically decide who to hire or collaborate with to complement your own strengths and weaknesses. ”I outsource everything that I can pay someone else to do professionally so I can work on the things that I love,” says Rao. “Editing is something that I am good at but it is time consuming, and can easily be handled by another professional.”
Work-Life Balance
“It took me almost seven years to find a good work life balance. It meant giving up some jobs that paid well, but were overly time consuming. A job or task that can be outsourced should be given to someone who can get it done faster than me. Finding work-life balance helps avoid burnout and fuels the passion you have for your work. The early stages of trying to find that balance can be expensive,” adds Rao.
Know When To Say No
Realizing the importance of saying no when necessary is key– not every opportunity that presents itself deserves a yes. It’s important to determine if the opportunity is challenging enough, or whether it aligns with your brand. Rao shares important questions she asks herself when new projects surface. “Before taking on a new project I ask myself these questions: ‘Does this lend itself into a direction that I want to move?’, ‘Is this something that will teach me a new skill or introduce me to interesting people?’, and ‘If I’m doing pro bono work, does the project motivate me to find more purpose?’”
Mentorship
“I am a big believer in getting guidance from more experienced people in the industry at an early stage to fast track your career. Mentoring is important not only to improve skill, but in a small business setting, marketing skills are equally important.”
In fact, 75% of executives credit their success to mentorship, and 90% of employees with a career mentor are happy at work. 84% of U.S. Fortune 500 firms leverage mentoring programs.
Mentorship can give you insights and invaluable advice, not to mention boost your confidence. Rao shared these words to live by, “Believe in yourself fiercely, whether others believe in you is secondary.”
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