Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Without any family background in business, three women from the city decided to launch their own enterprises and achieved success on the basis of hard work and grit. Now, they have bigger ambitions.
In the run-up to International Women’s Day, which falls on March 8, Free Press spoke to three successful first-generation women entrepreneurs who shared their journey. Excerpts
High-end realtor
Ekta Ranjan (48) is not just another property broker. She enters deals of less than Rs 1 crore and her area of operation is whole country. She entered business in 2016. “It is a male-dominated and high-risk sector, where there are no fixed work hours,” she said. An ex-Delhi University student, she joined a Bhopal-based college as a placement officer after she shifted from Hyderabad to Bhopal in 2013 after marriage.
Her husband succumbed to Covid in 2021 that forced her to slow down to take care of their twin daughters, aged 7. Having dealt in properties costing up to Rs 15 crore, Ekta has brokered real estate deals in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Dubai. She is the first woman to head the central zone of National Association of Realtors India.
Success mantra: Have fire inside you
Caring for elderly
With help of her 80-strong team of physiotherapists and care-givers, Innomitra, an enterprise founded by Ruchi Sood (42), has provided care to over 2,000 elderly citizens in their homes. Launched in 2022 with just two staffers, the firm now has an annual turnover of Rs 80 lakh. “I saw my maternal grandmother suffer for want of professional care. That made me opt for this field,” she said.
Ruchi has clients in Bhopal, Indore, Vidisha, Sehore and Itarsi. Soon, she plans to have a pan-India presence. “We try to give elderly a meaningful and quality life. We provide them care with dignity and respect,” she says. Her husband, a physiotherapist, is not involved in the venture.
Success mantra: Believe in yourself, never stop learning
Supplying healthy food
Gargi Bharadwaj (32) started a business of supplying healthy food named, Self Care, seven years ago. She provides fruit boxes, coconut water, juices, sprouts, shakes, sandwiches, vegetables salad, smoothies, protein meal boxes at the doorstep of her clients. She also provides sprouts all over the state through Reliance Stores. She also plans meals according to the diet of people.
“While dating my hubby before marriage, I felt city lacked healthy food options. This is how I got the idea to start business of providing healthy food to people,” she said. She started business with 20 subscriptions and now has 300 clients with a turnover of more than Rs 50 lakh annually.
Initially, she had to do everything alone be it production, packaging, delivery and marketing. Now, she has hired staff. “I am first member in my family who is doing business. But I get huge support from my family members especially my hubby Arjun Gupta who wants me to be a successful women entrepreneur,” she said.
