In a world where we are still closing the gender gap, there are stakeholders doing their part to enable and empower these initiatives. We met one such woman at the Vijaylakshmi Das Entrepreneurship Awards 2023 at SATYA MicroCapital Ltd. Dibhya Mallick, who runs her tech firm Typof, is not only empowering artisans to grow with the power of technology, but also empowering more women in business to takes the lead. own business models using technology.
In conversation with SheThePeopleDibhya Mallick talks about why she started her company Typof, how she finds solutions for artisans who lack the tech expertise to scale their business, and why sisterhood works as a great mentorship for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Interview with Dibhya Mallick
The launch of its technology platform
Moments before I learned she was being honored for her grassroots contribution, I was intrigued by Mallick’s business display booth in the lobby. She confidently sat and answered questions from those who approached her and asked her about her business. When I asked her where she belonged, she proudly said, “Bhubaneswar, Odisha.” There she operates her technology company with her business partner. It’s hard to believe that Mallick only started his company two years ago, and the pace at which the business has expanded speaks volumes for the hard work he’s put in.
“We started in February 2021. The vision was really to help artisans in and around the area. The region has some great local artists, but they lack the technical know-how to scale their business virtually. That’s where we thought our platform could step in and help them do that,” she recalls.
Looking back, Mallick’s journey seems challenging because she herself did not belong in the tech environment. How did he drive it then? “I also had to learn a lot about the e-commerce market. Starting something from scratch and then gaining the trust of the people around you is always a challenge.”
Typof, which has generated over ten million in revenue and covers over hundreds of cities, has a business model that really focuses on making commerce simple for everyone, which allows them to effortlessly sell to their target customers. “We’re enabling individuals and businesses to make sales and grow their business through more tools and resources they didn’t know about before, but which are of utmost importance,” she says.
“My vision was to enable non-technical people to learn the tricks of technology that would further help them scale their business like never before.”
Mallick’s first goal was to find artisans who wanted to start their own branded websites and internet presence. Being a person who respects the arts very much, her effort to popularize local and regional artisans paid off when she signed forty artisans in the first few months. “Signing over 40 artists has boosted our confidence and helped us realize that this market has huge potential.”
While Mallick only received her award at the event, she tells us it belongs to the ten thousand artisans she represents. “I am not recognized, but ten thousand people associated with us. This is the community I’m talking about. Tapping into this power can help not only scale the business, but also change at the grassroots level.”
Tips for aspiring entrepreneurs
“We have to make people understand that they can learn anything at any point in their lives,” says Mallick, adding that sticking to a timeline because society has set a certain standard can often demotivate people. “I want to tell people that they can start anywhere, anytime and that age has nothing to do with their passion. Another important thing to note is that leveraging someone’s expertise will go a long way if your vision is clear about your business model. Keeping your goals small and expanding slowly goes a long way.”
How many women in STEM can lead the way forward?
Mallick’s ideology of inspiration stems from her understanding of mentorship and sisterhood. “Women have this great ability to inspire other women. If young girls see women in important leadership positions, it will automatically allow them to dream big.”
Mentorship, she says, is the integral pillar that can help women climb the ladder. Many of us grew up without good female mentors, but that is changing now. We have some impeccable examples of women in various industries, and if they guide other women, closing the inequality gap will become easier.
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