Many micro-entrepreneurs start their journey by setting up their businesses at home. Whether it's a small factory or an office to interact with other stakeholders, operating from home is a paradigm shift in how we work and comes with challenges. While it offers flexibility, comfort, and freedom, it also demands a high level of self-discipline, which is the cornerstone of productivity and success. Women entrepreneurs associated with VFS Capital have unique hurdles to cross.

One of the biggest challenges of operating from home is that it multiplies the independence of an entrepreneur and the lack of external accountability. Since entrepreneurs may not have supervisors, their physical presence in an independent office helps monitor progress. The set hours, structured routines, and working in a team help the entrepreneur to ensure focus at work. At home, there is unparalleled autonomy, and succumbing to procrastination or distractions is easy. From household chores to social temptations, countless distractions are vying for our attention, making it essential to cultivate self-discipline to stay on track. While autonomy can be liberating, it also requires a heightened sense of responsibility and self-control to stay focused and productive amidst myriad distractions.

Women entrepreneurs often have additional responsibilities outside their businesses, such as childcare, household chores, and caregiving for elderly family members. Balancing these responsibilities with running a business from home can be overwhelming, leaving women feeling stretched thin and unable to devote sufficient time and energy to their enterprises. These women entrepreneurs must also contend with societal expectations and norms regarding their roles and responsibilities. While men are praised for having ambition and dedication to their careers, women may face judgment and criticism for prioritizing their businesses over traditional gender roles such as caregiving and homemaking. This can lead to guilt and self-doubt, undermining women's confidence and motivation to succeed in their entrepreneurial endeavors.

Another positive outcome of the office is the social support received by the team members. For example, a woman entrepreneur who is also a mother of an infant may get support from the other women members of the team if they are working together in an external setup. That way, she can concentrate on addressing the business issues while having the confidence that her child is being cared for.

Entrepreneurs and all family members need to tune their expectations in case they are operating out of home. Everyone has to appreciate and respect the physical boundaries of the home and office, even if they are on the same premises. Other than emergencies, a person should not be disturbed by issues at home. 

Operating a home office offers women entrepreneurs flexibility and independence but presents unique challenges that can impact their success and productivity. Women entrepreneurs face a myriad of problems when running a business from home. However, with determination, resilience, and access to support networks and resources, women can overcome these challenges and build successful and sustainable businesses from the comfort of their homes.

Let us discuss this in more detail in my next blog.