The Star, Business section, 9 June 2009
KUALA LUMPUR: In times of crisis, women in business emerge well and survive better than men. The growth of women entrepreneurship in the last few decades has been extraordinary and highly successful women business owners these days pride themselves on being in charge of their own destiny, resilient and strive to find creative solutions to challenges.“You can get exceptional creativity from women in bad times and leaders are formed during difficult times,” said Sin Chew Media Corp executive director Rita Sim.
She was one of the speakers at the 1st Asian Women Business Power Conference held yesterday.
The conference offered motivational business talks and forums featuring women entrepreneurs from all over Asia.International speakers shared their experiences, business struggles and successes with the audience. Vietnam’s Banhat Rattan Bamboo Ceramic High-Grade Cooperative president Nguyen Thi Chuc, in her moving talk on Rising From The Ashes of Vietnam War – My Story, shared her life philosophy and experiences that moulded her social entrepreneur business model.
Her spirited dynamism was ignited when, at 10, she was imprisoned and she recounted the long journey she took from Moscow to reach Malaysia where she learnt the local handicraft, from which she culled ideas to bring back to her country.
“Looking back, I think I followed my targets closely whatever the difficulties were. I never wavered or gave up,” she said.
The cooperative’s sales touched US$10mil last year and it counts Ikea, Wal-mart, Target and other global retailers as its customers.
On her style of management, she said: “We can be tough with others but we have to be gently patient to empower our workers. I share my wealth and woes with my staff.”
»We can be tough with others but we have to be gently patient to empower our workers. I share my wealth and woes with my staff« NGUYEN THI CHUC
For HSE Management Sdn Bhd managing director Santha Naidu, it is the enduring spirit of women that enables them to power though good and bad times.
“I know how tough times can be, so I do not pass the tough times to my staff. I review them and take the necessary corrective steps,” she said.
Meanwhile, Microsoft (M) Sdn Bhd managing director Yasmin Mahmood, who called the current economic situation “unprecedented”, said it was important to be visible, instil calm and manage paradox.
The one-day conference was endorsed by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry and supported by about 15 non-governmental organisations, Government agencies and private organisations.
The event was launched by Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha, who is also MCA vice-president and MCA Technology Development Council chairman.
Rita Sim will be speaking on ‘Turning Adversity into Advantage’ at this year’s Women’s Summit on August 18 at the Sime Darby Convention Centre.