Women Achievers – Rashmi L Gururajarao, Abhiwins Pvt Ltd

I feel more safe when on field than in a cubicle

Q. Could you tell us something about your professional achievements and career progression?

I have 17+ years experience in financial planning, sales strategy and business development across industries like retail, IT, Mechanical engineering. Stepping into new, unknown areas and setting up a function from zero is something I am able to do well.

Q. What are the attributes that helped you to reach where you are in your career?

Constant desire to learn new things, stepping out of comfort zone and perseverance have helped me to grow personally as well as professionally.

Q. How far have you succeeded in challenging the stereotypes?

An example is the best way to answer this. When I joined Manleo, I realized unlike IT the ratio of women is less and when it came to stepping into the field for client visits, it is even lesser. We could hire people for marketing easily but when it came to field sales, challenge is high. Personally, I feel more safe when on field than in a cubicle and wish we have more women jumping the bandwagon.

Q. How can women entrepreneurs broaden their horizons and become inspiring leaders of tomorrow?

learning new skills, participating in events, building network through forums like LinkedIn, associations will give insights that are key to emerge as leaders and entrepreneurs. Also, being in touch with reality especially closely interacting with customers will help you address market demands, create new products and solve problems that matter. Knowledge and human interactions will be the differentiators.

Q. In both essential & digital functions, women suffered the repercussions of the economic and social effects of the pandemic. Your comments?

Covid impact is regardless of gender. Though it has been hard for all, we have also witnessed maximum innovation, out of the box thinking. I know women around who have risen to the challenge, shown resilience and doing very well.

Q. What’s the message you want to send to young working women?

My message is in the beginning of career focus on learning as much, as that gives confidence and ability to branch out to follow your dreams in subsequent years.