FEMALE FOUNDERS: SCALING BUSINESS WITH PURPOSE

Ajay Sharma - Managing Director, Valuation Services at Colliers India, set the context of the conversation. “As founders of a business, sometimes self-doubts, fear of failures, come about, which is natural but, the pressure a female founder gets even more. But, gradually, in traditionally male- dominated industries like real estate, construction, and infrastructure, we are seeing female founders breaking new ground.”

Co-creation today Co-creation today is far more than a is far more than a buzzword – it’s a buzzword – it’s a practical, multi-level practical, multi-level approach that brings approach that brings together customers, vendors, together customers, vendors, consultants, and even consultants, and even government bodies to build government bodies to build meaningful value. meaningful value. – Sarah Jacob

Nidhi Marwah, Founder & CEO, Ananta Karma Tattva India Pvt. Ltd. shared her own approach, “First, keep your vision simple, clear, and sacred – it can evolve, but its essence should remain unchanged. Second, treat your vision like a daily code of conduct that shapes your decisions and presence, even on the toughest days; and third, ensure the story you tell through your work is consistent with what you stand for – whether it’s luxury, wellness, or anything else, it should be evident in every interaction.” She added, “It’s important to keep things simple, stay true to your values, and be transparent in how you navigate situations and conversations. In a close-knit industry, building trust through honest, consistent interactions creates lasting relationships and reinforces your own conviction. At the same time, balancing optimism, experimentation, and caution allows you to adapt gracefully.”

Talking about her own way of balancing financial metrics and talent management with competitive market and the promoter’s vision, Hemamalini Uppoor,Chief Executive Officer, Nina Percept Pvt Ltd., stated, “As a founder and a professional, the roles are fundamentally different – founders define their own goals and vision, while professionals are accountable for meeting targets set for them and guiding their teams accordingly. In my organization, we manage this through a decentralized structure where clear profit margins and operational targets are assigned, allowing teams to act independently within defined boundaries, with flexibility only in exceptional cases. Despite operating in a highly unorganized sector like waterproofing – where labor availability fluctuates – we maintain consistent performance expectations and margin commitments. Even with quarterly ups and downs, we build a cushion into our targets and ensure that by the end of the financial year, we meet or exceed our overall goals as a team.”

Following only Following only established paths established paths lead to predictable lead to predictable results. However, it’s results. However, it’s creativity, innovation, and the creativity, innovation, and the courage to challenge the norm courage to challenge the norm that truly drives progress. that truly drives progress. – Nidhi Marwah

Sarah Jacob,Director, Trine Holdings spoke about managing client expectations and staying aligned with changing demands, “By engaging directly with diverse stakeholders across geographies, asset classes, and project types, businesses can better understand specific needs, innovate solutions, and differentiate themselves in a competitive market. Ultimately, when businesses actively listen, adapt, and build with their stakeholders, co-creation becomes not just a design tool, but a powerful strategy for growth and customer loyalty.”

As a second-generation of the family business Nidhi Aggarwal, Director, Signature Global (India) Limited recounted the advantages and challenges, “We inherit a successful legacy, but also face expectations to follow a set formula that may no longer fit a changing market. In our case, the founders, including my father and uncles, built a $2 billion business by sticking to a model that worked for their time. However, as markets, customer expectations, and governance standards evolve, we’ve recognized the need to adapt by introducing structured systems, engaging with external professionals, and listening to all stakeholders, including local authorities. I’ve seen this shift first hand through inclusive discussions and collaborative decision-making, where trust in legacy is balanced with openness to fresh perspectives – making co-creation not just a value, but a practical approach to future-ready leadership.”

“Follow a growth “Follow a growth approach that is approach that is steady, cautious, and steady, cautious, and rooted in long-term rooted in long-term credibility, making it easier credibility, making it easier to align your team and meet to align your team and meet goals.” goals.” – Hemamalini Uppoor

Insight-Driven Innovation
Today, we often find ourselves shaped by life-changing experiences while operating in a world increasingly driven by data and strategy – be it big data, blue ocean thinking, or detailed analytics. Shedding some light on how she balances hard data with human context, and sharing her view on whether one holds more weight or both can work in harmony, Sarah Jacob said, “Business intelligence and analytics can provide a solid dashboard showing performance metrics like sales velocity or customer footfall, but they don’t always explain why those numbers exist.

That’s where contextualization becomes essential – by engaging directly with customers and stakeholders, you gain deeper, more relevant insights that raw data alone can’t offer. For instance, two buyers with similar profiles might make completely different decisions based on factors like family dynamics, which would never appear on a dashboard; understanding those nuances creates meaningful engagement and leads to smarter, more grounded strategies. Ultimately, it’s the fusion of data and context – along with attention to non-financial metrics like ESG impact or construction quality – that builds a business with both growth and strong foundational values.”

“Developer’s “Developer’s compelling vision compelling vision for the future should for the future should be grounded it in past be grounded it in past achievements, though past achievements, though past success may support but success may support but cannot not guarantee what lies cannot not guarantee what lies ahead.” ahead.” – Nidhi Aggarwa

Nidhi Marwah added, “EPOC – originally a fitness term – can be reimagined for leadership. In this context, “E” stands for Evolve – not just evolving your leadership style, but also treating your SOPs as living documents that guide, not constrain. “P” is for People – the core of any organization – and also for Prosperity, which goes beyond profit to embrace holistic well being and purpose-driven success. “O” represents Observe, emphasizing the need to pause, notice the details, and read the undercurrents, while “C” stands for Culture, an often underestimated yet essential foundation that must be intentionally shaped to define how an organization feels, acts, and grows. Partnerships play a crucial role – they can either make or break an organization emphasized Hemamalini Uppoor, “When evaluating partnerships, it’s important to consider both tangible and intangible benefits.

Tangible value might include business contributions like patents, approvals, or market reach, while intangible value lies in alignment of values, reputation, and behavioural consistency. Four key criteria guide strong partner selection: the value they offer, the uniqueness or variety they bring, their ability to differentiate your business in a competitive market, and their long-term alignment with your people and organizational culture – especially in times when business may slow down. While results and growth matter, true strategic partnerships should begin with shared values and intangible strengths, which naturally drive tangible outcomes over time.”

Through inclusive Through inclusive discussions and discussions and collaborative decision collaborative decision -making, co-creation -making, co-creation not just adds value to the not just adds value to the organization, but builds a organization, but builds a gender diverse leadership. gender diverse leadership. – Ajay Sharma

Following only established, proven paths may satisfy immediate needs and lead to predictable results. However, it’s creativity, innovation, and the courage to challenge the norm that truly drives progress.” Nidhi Aggarwal said she trust herinstincts – if something resonates deeply within, I commit fully and pursue it with determination until it’s done. I feel it’s really a blend of both vision and proof that as a developer, you must convey to present a compelling vision for the future while grounding it in past achievements to build trust, and most importantly, recognize that past success supports, but doesn’t guarantee what lies ahead.” Ajay Sharma in consensus with the esteemed women leaders concluded on a positive note, “For founders or professionals it’s essential to balance aspiration with pragmatism, as clarity forms the foundation of any strong organization. The true stake lies in the value and impact of what they deliver.”