Sandra Fernandes, Chair of the Women’s Wing of the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) elaborates on its role in empowering women
What motivated you to take on the role of Chair of the GCCI Women’s Wing, and how has your vision for women’s entrepreneurship in Goa evolved over time?
I was motivated to take on the role of Chair of the GCCI Women’s Wing as GCCI is a very prestigious organization and always supports women led businesses. My predecessors have done such amazing projects for women and I want to carry on the legacy. I always wanted to continue empowering women entrepreneurs in Goa. Over time, my vision for women’s entrepreneurship in Goa has evolved to focus more on tech adoption, scaling businesses, and creating global connections for women-led businesses here. I have seen the Wing grow in impact, helping women entrepreneurs tap into new markets and build sustainable businesses.
The GCCI Women’s Wing was established to empower women entrepreneurs and professionals. How do you define empowerment in today’s business landscape?
Empowerment in today’s business landscape means giving women entrepreneurs the tools, confidence, and networks to grow their businesses sustainably. This includes access to finance, mentorship, digital skills, and markets beyond local boundaries. The GCCI Women’s Wing focuses on these aspects to help women-led businesses in Goa thrive in a competitive environment.
What are some of the key challenges that women entrepreneurs in Goa continue to face, and how is the Women’s Wing helping them overcome these barriers?
Women entrepreneurs in Goa face challenges like limited access to finance, balancing business with family responsibilities, and tapping into digital markets. The Women’s Wing helps overcome these barriers through financial literacy workshops, mentorship programs for balancing work-life challenges, and digital marketing training, mental health programs to expand their reach. We also connect them with funding opportunities and networks for business growth.
Could you highlight a few flagship programs or workshops by the Women’s Wing that have had a measurable impact on women-led businesses in the state?
Some flagship programs by the Women’s Wing with measurable impact include Asturi which started in 2005 an exhibition showcasing Goan women-led products to wider audiences. Today this exhibition sees participation of women from all over the country. These programs have helped women-led businesses increase sales by tapping into new markets and improving business operations. We have seen participants report increased confidence and revenue growth post these interventions.
Another flagship program of the Women’s Wing is the Business Diva, an annual business idea competition in Goa to promote innovation and an entrepreneurial eco system for women by providing support, visibility and networking opportunities. The winning participants receive cash prizes, mentoring from industry veterans and access to funding opportunities and incubation support from FiiRE.
One of the Wing’s goals is to help women entrepreneurs reach markets beyond Goa. What initiatives are being taken to facilitate this expansion?
We facilitate expansion by connecting women entrepreneurs with broader markets. We guide them on leveraging digital marketing tools like SEO, Google Ads, and social media ads to tap into online markets. Showcasing their products at larger exhibitions like trade fairs helps women-led businesses in Goa gain visibility and tap into new customer bases. In the past they have participated in the International Trade Fair in China. We also help members understand export potential to grow their businesses.
In an increasingly digital economy, how is the Women’s Wing helping women entrepreneurs embrace technology, digital marketing, and e-commerce?
In today’s digital economy, the Women’s Wing is helping women entrepreneurs embrace technology through hands-on digital marketing bootcamps focusing on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp Business. We conduct e-commerce workshops teaching them to sell on platforms like Amazon. Tech-enabled networking opportunities via webinars and online communities help women connect with mentors, peers, and potential buyers globally. We also help them understand analytics tools for better decision-making and boost their online presence and expand their customer reach beyond local markets in Goa.
How does collaboration, whether with government agencies, corporate partners, or other Chambers, play a role in strengthening your initiatives?
Collaboration with government agencies like GSRLM and MSME Ministry to name a few helps us tap into government schemes for women entrepreneurs. Corporate partners like banks provide financial literacy workshops and other Chambers of Commerce help us network with more businesses. This brings in resources like funding opportunities for women entrepreneurs through schemes like Stand-Up India, expertise in business scaling through corporate mentorships, and wider networks for business connections. We also create impactful programs like joint workshops on financial management with banks.
How does the GCCI Women’s Wing ensure that its programs benefit not only urban entrepreneurs but also women from rural areas and self-help groups?
The GCCI Women’s Wing ensures programs benefit both urban and rural entrepreneurs by tailoring initiatives to their specific needs. For rural areas, we focus on skill-building for traditional crafts like handicrafts or agri-based businesses like organic farming or food processing. We engage with self-help groups in rural areas to promote inclusive growth and empowerment and also programs on their digital presence. In urban areas, we focus on tech adoption, scaling businesses, and tapping into digital markets.
This way, women from all backgrounds in Goa can access support and grow their businesses. We also conduct outreach programs in rural areas to increase awareness about our initiatives.
What benchmarks or indicators do you use to evaluate the success and impact of the Women’s Wing’s activities?
We evaluate success through indicators like the number of women-led businesses started or scaled post-our interventions, increased revenue of participating businesses tracked over six months to a year, digital adoption rates among women entrepreneurs measured through usage of online tools like social media for business or e-commerce platforms, and feedback from participants on program effectiveness through surveys and focus groups. These metrics help us refine our programs for greater impact and better support, like tweaking workshop content based on feedback or increasing focus on areas with lower digital adoption.
Looking ahead, what is your long-term vision for the GCCI Women’s Wing, and how do you see it shaping the future of women’s entrepreneurship in Goa?
Our long-term vision for the GCCI Women’s Wing is to make Goa a hub for women-led businesses that are competitive on a national and global scale. We see the Wing shaping the future of women’s entrepreneurship in Goa by fostering innovation through tech adoption like AI in business operations, inclusivity by reaching rural and urban women alike through targeted programs, and growth through strategic partnerships with corporates and the government. This involves continuous skill-building via workshops on emerging trends, networking through events like business conclaves, and creating more opportunities for women in business to thrive through pitch competitions for funding
