Creating a culture of entrepreneurship in an area that is uninitiated is a daunting task. Each aspiring entrepreneur has different motivations, needs and interests. This inspired us to tailor our support services to broad categories of entrepreneurs that we call ‘personas’. We track and measure the progress and trajectory of each of these personas using a tool called the progression map.

As per the approach of the Entrepreneurship for Empowerment project, each potential entrepreneur is guided through three different stages of activities, after which they are projected to reach a point where they can set up and successfully manage their own enterprises. These stages are knowledge-building, capacity-building and enterprise support and handholding stages. The degree of empowerment increases as the entrepreneur moves through the different stages.

In the below image is the progression of a woman entrepreneur, Sumitra Devi, from Hastinapur village in Jhansi district. As depicted in the map, Sumitra Devi’s initial stage was one of high ambition and willingness, but her understanding of entrepreneurship was not advanced. As she progressed through the knowledge-building and capacity-building stages, her ability to form a clear business vision increased, along with her knowledge of digital sources of information. Not only were her own skills and understanding enhanced in the process, but she was also able to inspire others around her to get involved in learning about entrepreneurship. The kind of support and services provided to the woman entrepreneur have been especially selected keeping in mind the restrictions she faces as a woman, including low financial literacy and ability to move independently. Local women’s collectives like self-help groups within her village helped her to access credit.

Not only does the progression map tool enable the provision of targeted services to an individual woman like Sumitra Devi, now an owner of her own grocery-cum-vegetable shop, but it also maps the trajectory of different types of female entrepreneurs, such as group entrepreneurs, who may undertake a business collectively as a self-help group or seasoned or inclusive entrepreneurs who may have years of business experience or are seeking to make their business more socially or environmentally inclusive. ■

Jayesha M. Koushik
jmkoushik@devalt.org