What advice would you offer to emerging businesswomen on leading with resilience and driving change?

Success comes from hard work and staying consistent even when things get tough. Understanding your target audience is crucial; and understanding their needs helps you innovate and bring fresh ideas or products to the market to stay ahead.

At the same time, price your products fairly, balancing quality and affordability to build trust and loyalty. With these principles, you can lead with confidence and drive lasting change.

Mazeena Deen
Founder CEO
Elegant Smockers

Before starting a business, identify the purpose that ignites your passion and focus on the experience or change you wish to share with those you cross paths with. View challenges as opportunities and embrace your unique superpower – the ability to see possibilities in the most demanding situations. Be kind and compassionate to yourself in tough times, understanding that these moments are meant for future growth and preparation. Trust that lessons you learn will prepare you to make impactful decisions and take actions that lead to success.

Remember, there’s no work-life balance; instead, strive for work-life harmony. Keep your family a vital part of your journey and celebrate your wins together, share your struggles and keep them aligned to your goals. An entrepreneurs life is a purposeful journey – embrace and enjoy it.

Hasini Gunasekera
Managing Director
Naturals Unisex Salon

Embrace risks and step into the unknown. Every challenge is an opportunity to grow, innovate and strengthen an organisation’s foundation. Build a supportive network of mentors and peers who can guide you – especially during uncertain times. Leadership is about empowering others and fostering a culture of trust, respect and collaboration within teams.

Stay focussed on the long-term vision, trust your instincts and remain committed to your goals. By doing so, you can not only drive meaningful change but also create a lasting positive impact on the wider community. Lead with purpose, and remember that every step forward is a step toward progress and a source of inspiration to those around you.

Sandamini Perera
Co-Chairperson
Prime Group

Uncertainty and progress are intertwined. And thanks to the new age of subscriptions, we have access to advanced tools almost as they’re released in other countries, enhancing our capabilities and productivity. The one constant is that we’re people who need people. Therefore, we need solutions that work for us all, both men and women.

Update your skills to remain relevant, listen to the whispers, hone your critical thinking abilities and maintain a transformative mindset. This is true whether you’re at home or work. If you rethink and reimagine your home, you can make it in the workplace; and rethinking and reimagining at work can help you make it at home. Use your voice for the change that is needed. We can make tomorrow better than today!

Aruni Rajakarier
Founder/Director
Sheconsults

To be a successful entrepreneur, one must have the passion to follow your goals. A successful entrepreneur is not defined by the beginning but how you rise when faced with challenges.

Resilience is your greatest asset to keep forging ahead. Lead with vision, embrace challenges as opportunities and maintain an unwavering belief in the possibility of something better arising. Stay curious and lead with purpose, for the world changes when you dare to lead differently.

Kalani Raux
Director
Raux Brothers

Leading with resilience means embracing challenges as opportunities to grow and innovate. Understand that setbacks are part of the journey – learn from them and adapt promptly. Cultivate a strong support network of mentors and peers who inspire and guide you, and never hesitate to ask for help. Driving change requires clarity of vision and the courage to challenge norms.

Believe in your unique perspective, and lead with authenticity and empathy. Stay informed and continuously upskill – after all, knowledge is your most valuable asset in a rapidly changing world. Most importantly, prioritise self-care and balance, as resilience stems from a healthy mind and body. Remember that true leadership is about empowering others – when you uplift your team and the community, you create a ripple effect of positive change.

Dr. Sulochana Segera
Founder/Chairperson
Women in Management

Building resilience starts with self-compassion. As women, we can be very hard on ourselves; and often, we are the only ones in our own way. Self-doubt is natural, especially given the unique challenges we face in so many aspects of life.

We place a heavy burden on ourselves to meet an ideal but it’s important to accept that each journey is unique and there is no perfect way to succeed. What truly matters is setting boundaries and prioritising what is important to you, rather than the expectations of others. It’s okay to redefine success on your own terms.

Cilani Wijesinghe
Director Finance
Verité Research