EMPOWERMENT
RAISING SELF-ESTEEM
Yolanda Aluwihare Holm sheds light on accelerating women empowerment in the world of business
“Boost her self-esteem,” says the charismatic founder, Chairperson and Managing Director of Yoland Collection. Yolanda Aluwihare Holm is an iconic Sri Lankan entrepreneur who turned the tide in local haute couture ever since she started her career more than 50 years ago.
The trailblazing designer-cum-businesswoman – who continues with her colourful streak – insists that “in a predominantly male driven business world, a woman’s self-esteem needs to be raised and the negativity surrounding women entrepreneurs eliminated as much as possible.”
Founded in the 1970s, Yoland Collection is renowned for its authentic hand-crafted designs – a reputation enjoyed locally as well as internationally since its inception.
“The most significant milestone in my career as a female dress designer was when I broke into the international market back in the 1970s. That was when I was selected to represent Sri Lanka at international trade fairs in numerous countries such as Germany, France, Italy, Japan and India to name a few,” Holm reminisces.
Her career as a designer, entrepreneur and businesswoman has garnered multiple milestones, out of which she highlights winning the Asian Top Fashionable Selling Brand of the Year award in China in 2011 ahead of renowned brands such as Jaspal.
Her other notable achievements include being presented a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Colombo Fashion Week (a.k.a. CFW) along with many gold awards and accolades from the Women’s Chamber of Industries and Commerce (WCIC).
Having been a humble small scale entrepreneur at the beginning, Holm notes several challenges that need to be overcome by women when starting their own businesses.
“Sorting out finances – considered to be the lifeblood of any enterprise, big or small – is the greatest challenge when starting a company,” she posits, adding that in Sri Lanka, the scarcity of raw materials is another significant issue especially for fashion designers.
She reveals: “It is extremely frustrating not to find the necessary fabrics and dyes easily, particularly for the batik sector.”
Yoland Collection’s founder also emphasises the acute competition in the prevailing fashion market: “There are many fashion designers in Sri Lanka today, coupled with multiple schools and universities that offer related degrees and diplomas. This leads to stiff competition among talented designers.”
According to Holm, all these obstacles are in addition to the multiple roles that females play: “Women have to multitask due to family ties and this can be a huge challenge because they have to ensure that the home front is run smoothly while overcoming numerous issues at work.”
Yet, the picture is not all grey for women entrepreneurs. She notes that they can be resourceful and competent with many commendable entrepreneurial skills, such as having the ability to be flexible and agile to get things done, in order to ensure a more fulfilling workplace and life.
She also notes the importance of nurturing empathy. “Empathy is not only good for the happiness of your employees – it is also good for your bottom line too; empathetic leaders can accelerate growth and stimulate innovation in organisations,” she opines, adding that being humble not only inspires fellowship but also helps organisations focus more pointedly on their overarching goals.
Given the myriad changes brought on by the pandemic, Holm acknowledges that unlike in the past, when employees and entrepreneurs learned from being around other people and having constant access to role models who help mould the culture of an organisation, the ‘new normal’ dictates that businesses and life run remotely.
In this context, she emphasises that there are many trending opportunities for women engaged in online activities – such as tutoring, home catering, conducting fitness classes, arts and crafts workshops, running fashion boutiques and digital bookkeeping to name a few.
“However, in the past, normal occurrences like coffee breaks with co-workers helped give employees’ minds a breather; therefore, we need to be careful to give and enjoy the same kind of breaks, and ensure mental stimulation when working from home,” she advises.
An entrepreneur herself with several decades’ experience under her batik adorned belt, Yolanda Aluwihare Holm advocates the acceleration of women empowerment in the island, eliminating the adversities surrounding businesswomen, recognising the achievements of female professionals and workers, and promoting them in all lines of work.
“To encourage more women entrepreneurs, we need institutions that support and address the concerns of female owned startups,” she concludes.
“Empathy is not only good for the happiness of your employees – it is also good for your bottom line too
