When Ajmer’s Sushila Mehra dared to venture into the garment manufacturing business a year ago, she ensured that her products were listed on every available online selling platform. “It is convenient to use established platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, and Meesho rather than putting time and effort into building one,” she shared, talking about her decision. “I chose to list all my products on these platforms so that my business could start generating revenue to cover the expenses.”

However, despite her initial planning, Sushila struggled to keep the business afloat. Competing with the industry’s more prominent and established players had been much more difficult than she had expected. But rather than being overwhelmed, the 41-year-old chose to face this challenge head-on. Sushila’s next plan of action was to work on her business expansion, buy more fabrics, and eventually register the company for export.

But ‘capital’ was a bigger roadblock to tackle in her business pursuit.

Having spent four years running a boutique selling ladies’ garments before stepping into garment manufacturing, the business experience itself was new, yet it carried a sense of familiarity. For one, the assistants working alongside her at the manufacturing unit were the same group of people who started out at her boutique. “Even so, running a boutique was way more fun. Managing a manufacturing unit can be challenging at times,” she pointed out.

Her monthly expenses, which were close to ₹1,00,000, included employee salaries, fabric purchases, and embellishments. Being a seller at some of the biggest e-commerce sites also requires keeping up with the latest fashion trends. This meant buying more fabrics to meet the necessary requirements. Getting the business registered for export later would be an obvious step in the right direction to build the company’s credibility and reach. Sushila turned to the internet to find a solution for her capital needs.

“One of the raw materials I used to achieve business growth is the Mahila Money loan.”

Her search soon enough led her to the Mahila Money app. A collateral-free digital application process catering to women entrepreneurs was exactly the capital match Sushila had been on the lookout for. She applied for a loan and was quickly approved for a loan amount of ₹2,00,000. With the financial aid she received, Sushila invested in fabrics and started work on the necessary documentation to register her business for export. With the remaining loan amount, she is now ready to take big orders and match the level of the big players in the industry. Increasing her inventory on the e-commerce platforms has also given the business a financial boost of up to 30%. “With capital by the side, my business is back on track, and steadily growing bigger by the day,” Sushila added with a smile.

Sushila’s journey highlights the power of accessible financial resources and its impact on women entrepreneurs’ lives. “Don’t let any kind of hurdle stop you from reaching your goals—Jump over the hurdles, if you must, or even crawl through it. Just never stop! Only when your attitude and actions speak #JiyoApneDumPe, will your outcome reflect the same.”

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