Breaking the Barriers: The Way forward for Women Entrepreneurs

By Gayatri D Kalyanaraman, Co-founder, Sangatna Angels

A few days ago, I spoke with the MBA students of Ethiraj College for Women — a room full of intelligence, warmth, sincerity, and ambition. As I stood there, looking at rows of young women who are preparing to step into their professional journeys, I felt something shift.

Not in them.

In me.

Because every time I speak to young women, I am reminded why this work matters.

The Questions That Shape Us

The students asked questions many of us have quietly asked ourselves at some point:

• Is it really possible to balance business and family?

• If I have to travel alone for work, will my safety become a limitation?

• What if I try and fail — will I be judged?

• Where are the role models who show us this is doable?

These are not trivial questions.

Guest lecture to MBA students to commomerate National Entrepreneurship Day in Ethiraj College!

These are the questions that define the architecture of a woman’s entrepreneurial journey in India.

And I know these questions intimately — because I have asked them too.

Breaking the traditional work barriers that women must choose

When I was working in Chicago, I used to commute nearly 70 kms every day from Arlington Heights to downtown Chicago — even in peak winter. I had a toddler at home who wanted me to stay. The guilt was real, and sometimes overwhelming.

But I learned something during those years:

Balance is not about giving everything equal time.Balance is about giving each role its right meaning.

I reminded myself:

• The years of education invested in me deserved expression.

• The world beyond my living room needed what I could contribute.

• Quality of presence matters more than quantity of hours.

And slowly, the guilt made space for purpose.

Unlearning the Fear Around Mobility & Independence

Travel has been a core part of my work for years — including the phase when I shuttled weekly between Chennai and Mumbai.

Like many women, I had to learn to build my own sense of safety and grounding:

• Learning to navigate new spaces

• Giving confidence to my loved ones that I can manage

• Planning travel consciously

• Staying alert

• And sometimes, having what I call a “spiritual travel buddy” — someone who checks in, even from far away.

Mobility is not just practical — it is psychological.

It tells the world, and ourselves:

I belong in every room I choose to walk into.

Unlearning the Definition of Success and Failure

I also tried entrepreneurship — more than once. We need to understand that entrepreneurship world is full of ambiguity and the ability to understand the way to navigate is not always upwards. Sometimes, you take a step down or back and take in the complete picture and adapt.

ShraddhaTech (2012)

My first venture — predictive health monitoring — was ahead of its time.

It didn’t scale the way I hoped. I closed it after a year. While I wallowed in self pity for sometime, I tool several learnings' from there.

StreePower (2016)

An initiative to bring women back into the workforce.

Meaningful work.

But a corporate opportunity came with stability — and I chose it. For years, I carried a quiet hesitation around this.

But now I say this with clarity:

Entrepreneurship is not about winning or losing.It is about learning, pausing, realigning, and returning when you are ready.

The journey is not linear — and it does not need to be.

Breaking the Idea That Role Models Must Look Perfect

Growing up, there were very few women around me who worked outside the home.

So my imagination for what I could become was limited.

But then, sometimes, someone appears and widens the horizon.

For me, it was:

• A woman author who visited my school and spoke with conviction

• Seniors in college who secured roles in multinational companies

• A CEO named Ludovika in Milan who led with grace, clarity, and courage

• Indra Nooyi, who showed us how leadership can be both fierce and deeply human

Role models don’t give us the answers.

They give us permission to imagine bigger.

This is Why Sangatna Exists

We built Sangatna Angels because we saw the gap:

• Women founders dropping off too early

• Women investors feeling uncertain about how to engage

• Social impact work waiting for patient capital

• Entrepreneurship being measured only in speed, not in depth

Our mission is simple:

Enable women to stay in the entrepreneurial journey long enough to succeed.

We bring together:

• Women founders

• Women and ally investors

• Mentors

• Peer networks

• Market access

• And role models, real and visible

This is not just funding.

This is community.

This is continuity.

This is reclamation.

The barriers are real.

But so is our capacity to break them.

We are not here to fit into the mold.

We are here to remake the mold itself.

And when one woman breaks a barrier — she quietly leaves the door wide open for those who come after her.

Happy Entreprenuership Day and give yourself to break the barriers that come in your way!

— Sangatna Angels