The world is today at the cusp of the next industrial revolution, where transformation through digital platforms are expected to drive the progress of humanity, across social, economic and political environments. A key component for the growth and success of this digital transformation era is the quality of human resources, especially from a science and technology perspective. Another key catalyst for innovation through digital transformation is the spirit of entrepreneurship.As technology and entrepreneurship intersect to drive the next wave of growth, it is to no surprise that women have an increasingly important role to play in shaping the future of the digital world. And, it is also interesting to see that qualities such as passion, empathy, relationship skills and passion, are the key traits required for today’s digital entrepreneur and these are the very same qualities that female leadership bring to the workplace.
As one would imagine, building a technology company is challenging and exciting, and one has to be constantly on their toes to stay on the growth path. Jayashree Bala subramanian is an exemplary female entrepreneur who has planned astutely and worked diligently to build Levtech Consulting over the last 7 years, growing the organization from a fledgling startup to the largest Dynamics partner in the Middle East and India. She is amongstthe most prolific ERP Consultants in Asia with multiple Microsoft certifications and over 100 ERP implementations to her name. A chartered accountant, Jayashree has deep cross functional expertise in re-engineering business processes and controls across multiple domains including manufacturing, distribution, retail and project-based industries.She was also conferred The Microsoft Consultant of the Year in FY 2008 and FY 2011.
The Journey to Entrepreneurship: A Flashback
Jayashree got married in 1994 and with the birth of her first child she was a home maker for a short period of time. With days passing, her zeal and dedication towards her professional career led her to join consulting firms. From 1999, she engaged in consulting for software and large IT projects in UAE. In no time, she excelled in a number of technology platforms like Sage, Vision, Microsoft Dynamics and many more.
With her expertise and experience in the consulting industry, she with some friends soon set out to found and grow her own venture, Levtech Consulting, in 2009. Levtech is headquartered in Dubai, UAE and delivers best-of-breed business solutions and industry-specific consulting services from international technology companies such as Microsoft and Infor. The firm is also known to significantly hire women across different departments, maintaining a good gender balance in the company.
“Jayashree is an inspiration for all the women and urges them to strive and not give up on their professional career”
On asking her about the scope of women entrepreneurs in the industry, she says, “A woman has all the qualities to succeed in an entrepreneurial career. They know exactly how to balance their professional and personal life which is indeed a critical requirement for someone who leads an organization. Women are capable of being calm and taking firm decisions in the need of the hour. With will power and hard work, any woman irrespective of her background is capable of breaking the mythical glass ceiling.”
Measuring Success with Fortitude
Jayashree is a very simple person in her personal life. Despite being in a very fast-paced, modern lifestyle, she has not forgotten her roots and simple upbringing. She is an inspiration for all women and urges them to push boundaries and not give up on their professional career. Though she accepts that it has been quite a challenge to balance her professional and personal life, yet it is remarkable to see how she has managed both her worlds,with two kids and a family to take care of. Her family, especially her husband have been a great support in helping her take up challenging assignments and trips to various corners of the world. “The key to success is to work hard and overcome the obstacles that every woman faces in the industry.Instances of gender bias and discrimination are inevitable, but they do not matter.It is important to take those situations with a pinch of salt,probably adding flavor and zest to the journey. In fact, my male colleagues have been very understanding of personal situations and helped me manage both worlds successfully. All successful women entrepreneurs would agree that they have been able to reach great heights because they were able to strike a proper work life balance. It is important that a woman strives to achieve all that she desires without compromising on her dreams”, suggested Jayashree.