What happens when finance and psychology cross paths? You get LaxmiGyaan!

In the bustling city of dreams called Mumbai, Priyanka Acharya is weaving a different kind of dream — one that upholds financial literacy for every household in India. For a country that often regards its women as the ‘Laxmi’ of the family, she came to the startling realisation that women are hardly ever part of the family’s financial decision-making process. Identifying this crucial gap was the first step towards Priyanka’s journey to entrepreneurship, but it wasn’t without its own set of hurdles to overcome. When financial constraints left Priyanka’s dreams and aspirations in a bind, Mahila Money loan opened an avenue for greater success.

Apply for a Mahila Money Business Loan of up to 25 lakhs.

Childhood Interest Finds a Brand New Calling in the Adulting World

Passionate about psychology as a young kid, Priyanka’s interest found its purpose in financial education as an adult. Armed with an MBA in Finance and experience working in roles like Business Analyst and as a faculty member at the Bombay Stock Exchange Institute, she identified two critical challenges — the lack of health insurance education and the need for financial conversations within families in India.

One could say this was Priyanka’s own eureka moment. The insight particularly became the driving force behind her journey to establish a platform that not only decodes the many complexities of finance but also helps bridge the gap in financial literacy. Priyanka’s solution? Her brainchild, LaxmiGyaan.

With an out-of-the-box approach, LaxmiGyaan offers courses like ‘MBA’ (Medical Business Administration) tailored for health insurance agents alongside various financial education programs, primarily targeting women to initiate financial conversations in households. This was innate to the business’ identity, where Laxmi refers to the goddess of wealth and fortune in Hinduism, while gyaan translates to knowledge. Proudly calling herself a ‘Laxmi’ to her two families, she draws inspiration from her late father and mother-in-law, who is a retired police inspector. “My father has always taught me that earning money is easy, spending money is easier, but the whole art lies in managing your finances,” she reveals.

“I am not talking about financial independence,” the entrepreneur clarifies. “Once you educate a woman about finance, she will go on to become financially independent.” — Priyanka Acharya

Every Entrepreneurial Journey Is Marked by Challenges

Despite the success and vision, Priyanka faced challenges common to entrepreneurs, including the dilemma of choosing the right business idea and the struggle to balance networking and immediate results. However, the major obstacle that Priyanka had to overcome was getting access to capital.

As a relatively new company, LaxmiGyaan still had a long way to go with one goal in sight — To accelerate the business. All Priyanka needed was someone to help give it a head start. Her journey took a pivotal turn when she discovered Mahila Money while surfing social media.

The entrepreneur felt a personal connection to the name ‘Mahila Money’ itself as it highlighted her own work in the space of women and financial education. But what truly prompted Priyanka to apply for a loan was the reliability and authenticity of the app. During the initial phases, it isn’t uncommon for a start-up to avoid taking on debt, generally due to the unpredictability of how the business will progress. Even so, Priyanka points out that it’s important for businesses to leverage financial resources for their growth at different stages. However, building credibility, especially for emerging businesses, can be a challenge. “A platform like Mahila Money is a big help to women entrepreneurs to fulfil their dreams and sustain it too.”

Business Acceleration with Mahila Money Loan

Priyanka’s loan application was smooth, with INR 5 lakhs being quickly approved. She used this strategically, dedicating nearly INR 2 lakhs to marketing and the rest to creating pre-recorded courses, developing the LaxmiGyaan app for digital scaling, and expanding the platform’s reach. Earlier, the educator used to dedicate her time to executing programmes and conducting workshops in person. However, splitting up time and efforts to develop a digital and physical presence at the same time had been quite challenging.

The Mahila Money loan became a catalyst, accelerating LaxmiGyaan’s business growth pace by around 6 months!

Content creation, the heart of LaxmiGyaan, is now being produced in multilingual formats. This, in turn, has pushed their reach further, helping build a wider audience.

“Initially, when you look at a new app or a new name, your knee-jerk reaction is to question its authenticity. Not only was the Mahila Money app’s design appealing and easy to follow, but the loan application process itself was seamless,” Priyanka recalls happily. Plus, the verification check was carried out with an ample number of questions, which made the entire experience very transparent and pleasant.”

LaxmiGyaan noticed up to 25–30% increase in its revenue. With the assurance that they were building a presence outside Mumbai, Priyanka’s venture eventually moved to 4 cities and has now expanded its reach to 12 cities. The financial educator sees leverage as crucial for business growth and acknowledges the importance of financial support in planning and executing new ventures. Staying true to its financial celebratory nature, LaxmiGyaan also went on to launch a 9-day Navratri Special micro-learning series. The comfort of having capital gave Priyanka the space to ideate and plan the next steps for her business. Now, not only could she design new products LaxmiGyaan could offer its customers but also continue to reach a larger audience.

Entrepreneurship Is an Ever-evolving Process

In her daily routine, Priyanka values constant observation, prioritising 3 P’s:

Passion

Purpose

Professionalism

Between publishing a book, releasing new podcast episodes every day, and ideating unusual concepts for LaxmiGyaan, all of Priyanka’s mornings are dedicated to building her business. Evenings are better spent with family — Striking a work-life balance we all seek. For Priyanka, financial literacy goes beyond earning and building wealth; it’s about bringing prosperity to households and empowering individuals to consider the holistic well-being of their families. She envisions nationwide impact, aiming to redefine financial education in India. She encourages women to actively participate in financial decisions, eliminate generational gaps, and wholly embrace their identity as a Laxmi of the family.

As Priyanka continues to guide individuals on their financial journeys, she exemplifies the transformative impact that access to financial resources and the right support can have on economic growth, creating a ripple effect of positive change within communities. Her #JiyoApneDumPe story inspires those aspiring to follow their dreams and create lasting change in their lives and communities.

If you are a woman entrepreneur who wants to take your business to new heights and is in need of working capital and entrepreneurship resources, come speak to us on Mahila Money. For more such #JiyoApneDumPe live conversations, download the Mahila Money App on Play Store or visit us on www.mahila.money