- 26
- Jan
ENTREPRENEURSHIP OVER JOB
Jan 26, 2024After completing her bachelors’ level education, Ms. Manisha Koirala from Mahottari District did not want to pursue a job, instead she chose to be an entrepreneur. Her interest in craft making led her to doll making which she initially started at home and later got it officially registered as a business. She shared that she always wanted be a person of her own destiny. After learning the craft of doll making and basic parlor training, she set it up as a profession.
From the onset Koirala was supported by her family members when she told them that she wanted her own business over a full-time job. When she began, she sold her products to her circle of friends, neighbors and relatives to get the business recognized. She faced tough competition in her vicinity. Businesses like hers sold dolls at lower rates than hers. Yet, she never felt discouraged, in fact it gave her the impetus to produce better quality products. She slowly started collecting a good number of customers.
“Being an entrepreneur makes me really proud. There are a lot of people who acknowledge and recognize me now. Everyone gives me positive feedback and gives me the credit of being an independent and self-earning woman,” she stated with pride in her voice.
She was informed about the ENCOMPASS assessment and the virtual program by WEAN Mahottari as she is also a member there. She expected that the sessions would be informative and useful for her business and readily joined them. “I learned about management skills, dealing with the customers, qualities one should possess as an entrepreneur. Also being informed about the bank and government loan schemes and policies, how to access those loan and documents required to apply was truly helpful,” she shared. She has been applying those learnings in her day to day practice. She wishes to bring those to effective use once the lockdown is lifted and the business starts to operate smoothly.
Attending the virtual sessions for the first time, she found it quite effective. She wished that other trainings organized physically would be more effective and desired for skillful trainings to be organized which would enhance the skill of women entrepreneurs.
She is very thankful to the organizing team for such informative sessions and wishes to participate in such sessions in the future as well. Koirala feels that such trainings are always motivational to perform better and improve the business in the future. The networking with the other entrepreneurs which these virtual sessions made possible and their stories also inspired her a lot. She states that it was a pleasure for her to be part of such informative sessions.