All Women Entrepreneurs Need Is Acceptance: Lakshana Jha Of sRide

Founder of sRide, an app that connects car owners and ride seekers going in the same direction and helps to reduce traffic, pollution, congestion, Lakshana Jha is a nominee for SheThePeople.TV Digital Women Awards 2019. She chats with us about her entrepreneurship journey, her biggest learnings and why budding women entrepreneurs need to be confident.

How did your big idea strike you?

When you look at the traffic in any city, there are thousands of people driving their cars and 90 percent are alone. And another thousands on the roadside waiting for a bus, auto, cab, etc. They all are going in the same direction so why can't they carpool? Just because there is no way to carpool.

How has tech and digital been an enabler in your entrepreneurship journey?

I have been in IT industry for 18 years working at esteemed organizations like Infosys and Cognizant. Tech has always played a very important role in my life and I feel that technology can get you a very big scale instead of making a business that is dependent on hiring 500 or 1000 people.

At any point in your journey were you stuck with self doubt? How did you deal with it?

We have had ups and down like any business but never doubted ourself. The lows teach you the importance of correcting your decisions and the rights tell you that you could do better than this.

Tech has always played a very important role in my life and I feel that technology can get you a very big scale instead of making a business that is dependent on hiring 500 or 1000 people.

What have been your greatest challenges and struggles in your entrepreneurship journey?

The biggest challenge is always growth versus cost. They are interlinked and creating a fine balance to ensure that you can keep up the growth and also do not burn unnecessarily.

As a woman entrepreneur would you say you have faced discrimination in your journey?

I wouldn't say I have faced discrimination but I do feel there are limited women in the entrepreneurship, especially tech space and it would be really nice to see more women in it.

What do you think women entrepreneurs need more of, from venture capitalists, government policymakers, start-up support programmes and others? And Why?

Women entrepreneurs do not need any special treatment from anyone . All they need is just the acceptance that women can do as good as men in terms of entrepreneurship.

What would you say have been your greatest learnings on the entrepreneurship journey?

Patience. If you believe in the idea you have to just find a way to make it work .. NOT GIVING UP is the key to success.

Women entrepreneurs do not need any special treatment from anyone . All they need is just the acceptance that women can do as good as men in terms of entrepreneurship.

What advice would you share with other women looking to become entrepreneurs?

BE confident and make sure you know what you are doing as opposed to what everyone else says around you . There is a lot of noise. Do not let that noise driver you.

Rapid Fire

Your legacy in one phrase.

You live once and opportunity also comes once. Make the most of it.

An entrepreneur you admire.

Brian Acton and Jan Koum - they have created WhatsApp with such a small team and still is the world's most used app.

Your greatest strength.

Dedication and persistence

ALSO READ: The Shortlist of the Digital Women Awards 2019 Is Here