Following the incredible women entrepreneurship workshop organised by YUVA Mauritius and HomeNet South Asia (HNSA) led by Dr Krishna Athal, I had the wonderful opportunity of coaching some 20 women entrepreneurs through YUVA Mauritius and two free business coaching sessions were offered to all the women. It was an extraordinary experience and honour to empower these women.

During the business coaching sessions, I was able to witness the business mindset of these women, their passions and their determination. Every single one of these women demonstrated their creativeness and resourcefulness. They all were very eager to learn more about business and pursue training courses that would help them in their businesses.

Each had their own unique talent and business interests like food, bakery, clothing, agriculture, IT, beauty care, crafts, interior design and more. Some were interested in businesses involving social services.

My role as a Life Coach was to help these women clarify their business goals, identify where they are currently in their business, brainstorm on the available options and move towards actionable steps and SMART goals for their businesses.

I encountered several situations. Some women had already started their business, some had not launched their business yet, some of them were operating their business on a full-time basis while some on a part-time basis. Some women wanted to reach more clients and increase their sales. Other women wanted to know how to start a business from scratch and some of them wanted to clarify which business to start. Challenges such as financial support or permit delays were evoked.

Throughout the coaching sessions, I helped them to see the vision of their business on the long term. This helped them visualise the bigger picture and their dream business. Powerful questions such as “What is the purpose of your business? “and “What are your life values?” helped them to clarify their business goals.

Together, we went through their business model and brainstormed how to work out their business model.We also went through the different financial and support institutions which are available for women entrepreneurs in Mauritius. Some of them were not aware that such institutions were available. Following which, together we designed the action points and the next steps.

As I moved to the second coaching session, the women had progressed a lot and showed a lot of determination. They took measures ontheir action points discussed in the first session.Some women already enrolled in training courses, others started to engage more on social media to market their products.They showed a lot of commitment to pursue their business goals.

The major transformations that I have witnessed among the women entrepreneurs are:

• Clarity of their business vision

One of the first transformations I witnessed among women entrepreneurs during the coaching sessions is clarity in terms of their business vision. This process also cleared their doubts they had in mind such as uncertainty or choosing which business to start. They were able to visualise the bigger picture of their dream business. Moreover, they also found clarity in terms of their business purpose.

• Shifting Perspectives

Another transformation I have witnessed is the shifting of perspectives. Firstly, it is about recognising and then challenging assumptions. Following which, different perspectives are looked at from different angles. The process also enabled them to reframe challenges and shifting them as opportunities for growth thus, making them more apt to embrace change and new ideas. The women could find the solutions to their problems hence, resulting in improved problem-solving.

• Increase in Confidence and Self-Esteem

Furthermore, I also observed an increase in their confidence and self-esteem. By empowering them to find their own answers through their own creativity, intelligence and resourcefulness, they showed more confidence. It led them to their own self-discovery thus, enhancing their passion and igniting their inner spark.

• Determination

Moreover, as the sessions progressed, the women started to show great determination. They were determined to reach their business objectives. They were motivated, committed and showed courage to achieve their business goals. The women’s determined mindset also helped them to step outside their comfort zone and make bold decisions. Determination fuels our passion and drives action hence, turning our dreams into reality.

• Women of Action

By the second session, I witnessed the women in action. Some women had already worked their business model, others enrolled in courses related to their business while some women started to post more on social media platforms to reach more clients. Others applied to financial institutions offering funding facilities to grow their business and registered at the National Women Entrepreneur Council NWEC. Some of them expanded their services to grow their business further. In addition, other women were able to make the decision of choosing a business out of many business ideas that they had in mind.

Many positive feedbacks were received like some women reported having more clarity about what they want to do. One woman said that the sessions helped her in her self-discovery phase and now she has already enrolled in a training course.They found the coaching sessions very valuable. Others got to know the importance of having a strong foundation including a business model, marketing strategy, financial forecast and implementation timeline.

Additionally, they found the sessions very empowering as they were able to come up with their own creative solutions by themselves. Some women mentioned that this was the kind of support that they needed to launch or grow in their businesses. Another said that the sessions were insightful. Moreover, a woman said that she just needed a push to launch her business.

It was a great experience for me to witness the business mindset, determination, passion and strength of these women. I got the opportunity to coach university students, housewives and experienced women entrepreneurs as well. It was incredible to witness them finding their own answers and solutions. They also showed a lot of creativity and have a lot of business ideas in mind. As the coaching session progressed, they demonstrated their determination and commitment to grow their business with purpose.

Myself, being an entrepreneur, it feels great to see other women rise in their own businesses and achieve their dreams. I believe that women are taking leading roles in workplaces and in different domains from finance to engineering but I also believe that the next step for women is to build their own businesses and drive businesses that are aligned with their passion, their compassion, their resilience and their care for the environment. I believe that all women have been born with a purpose and once they find their own spark, they can light up a whole world and the people around them.

What if we could live by our values and life purpose? What if we can become financially independent through our business? What if we can inspire other people to become entrepreneurs? What if we could achieve our freedom and be our own boss? What if we can live a life without regrets? It all starts with a first step. Hence, are we willing to take the risk and step outside our comfort zone?

Yashna Veera, Life Coach and Yoga & Meditation Practitioner, NIRVANA