How FLO Hyderabad Changing The Face Of Women-Led Businesses In Telangana

Business organisations in India play a vital role in empowering women entrepreneurs by providing networking opportunities, skill development, and access to resources. One of the oldest apex body of industries is the 41-year-old FLO (Ficci Ladies Organisation), the women’s wing of FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry). FLO, the all-India forum for women entrepreneurs and professionals, has 20 Chapters, nearly 12,000 members, with headquarters in New Delhi, while the Hyderabad chapter has strength of over 1,100.

In an interview with Bizz Buzz, the Chairperson (2024-25) of FLO Hyderabad, Priya Gazdar speaks about the initiatives undertaken under her leadership and the dynamic phase of entrepreneurship, in the city and the grassroots

What is the important role that business organisations like FLO play in bolstering the growth of women entrepreneurs?

Apex bodies like FLO are the bridge between entrepreneurs and policymakers, advocating for gender-inclusive policies and improved access to funding. FLO, through mentorship pro-grammes and workshops, helps women build leadership skills and expand market reach. Addi-tionally, it offers platforms like exhibitions and events to enhance visibility for women-led busi-nesses. By fostering collaboration, showcasing success stories, and promoting an inclusive eco-nomic environment, FLO and other such associations not only drive individual growth but also contribute significantly to societal and economic progress.

What is the process for enrolling into FLO?

We have a strict screening process to ensure that potential members are seeking personal, business and professional growth rather than viewing FLO as a social platform. We accept women of over 21 years of age. Over the last few years, we have seen a marked change in member demographics with more and more applications coming in from aspiring and established entrepreneurs, professionals from various walks of life and seasoned entrepreneurs/ professionals who want to give back to the society for meaningful impact.

Compared to previous activities, how different are this year’s FLO Hyderabad’s activities?

This year, we are focusing our efforts on placing the power of ‘learning and earning’ in the hands of women, rather than taking the route of pure donations. We have undertaken the year-long training of 100 women from 16 villages at the FLO Hyderabad Centre of Excellence for Modern Vegetable Farming. We have leased an acre of land on which these women are being trained across three crop seasons, in growing vegetables, fruits and flowers with better techniques, for higher and improved quality yields. Furthermore, we are taking thrift sessions for better management of earnings, organising health awareness sessions and health camps as part of our plan of delivering a holistic service. Being a ‘train the trainer’ model project, we see this having a sustainable ripple effect across several villages for a long time to come.

Our work with the weavers of the Siddipet cluster - Gollabhama and Muthyampet started with design and inputs intervention. We encouraged women weavers to create new products and gave them a free pavilion in the Chapter’s annual exhibition FLO StyleTatva as well as in the FLO National annual exhibition, Anshukam in New Delhi. We are training 40 women weavers in the skill of Maggam and Embroidery, with the intention of connecting them with designers across the city. From January 2025, we will be training 10 weavers in Gollabhama and Muthymapet weaves in collaboration with the Telangana Handlooms Department. We are facilitating a free Tally Pro Course for 350 graduation students in Government colleges to make them job-ready. We are training 500 girls from rural areas in Bedside Healthcare and are placing them with leading corporate hospitals of Hyderabad at a starting salary of Rs 22,000 per month.

How unique is FLO compared to other business organisations?

Unlike many associations that cater primarily to established businesses, FLO actively nurtures women at every stage of their entrepreneurial journey, providing skill development, mentorship, and leadership training. Its emphasis on inclusivity and ensures that it addresses the challenges of both grassroots women and corporate leaders alike. FLO’s robust network spans pan-India chapters, enabling knowledge sharing and collaboration across regions. This year, recommendations to the government for the MSME sector have found place in the government of Telangana’s recently released MSME Policy.

We always document our learning’s from various initiatives as a white paper for the learning to be used by the incoming teams down the years while formulating their agenda. FLO Industrial Park, Sultanpur is a feather in FLO’s cap. As a 100 per cent women-owned 50-acre manufacturing zone with about 25 participants, it has cre-ated widespread employment and brought in an investment of Rs 250 crore with a projected potential of generating employment of over 1,500 with 55 per cent of them being women. Envisaged as a Green Category industrial zone, the current allottees belong to: packaging, organic handloom apparel, electronics & electricals, food processing, medical devices, furniture, general engineering and metal powders.

As the Chairperson for 2024-25, what is your vision for FLO?

As an organisation, we are quite conscious of the quality of our member base. We take in about 100-120 new members every year, and ensure that each of them is aspirational and is looking to grow through their association with FLO. Our goal is to enable our members to both take away meaningful learnings from the various workshops, cohorts, inspirational sessions we organise, and also facilitate ways to contribute to the society and women at large.

This year we organised a series of workshops as part of MindShare, a creative narrative platform. It was conceptualised to enable members to become confident in storytelling, a very essential skill in today’s corporate world. We have now started Spark Tank, a startup journey simulation programme which is again being delivered as a series of workshops wherein participants will learn how to pitch and raise funds for their entrepreneurial ventures. From idea stage to newly established businesses, it is meant for all.

How is FLO facilitating international trade?

FLO recognises the importance of international trade in driving business growth and is actively fostering global connections for its members. In May, FLO Hyderabad hosted a panel discus-sion with representatives from the US, UK, and Australian consulates and trade desks, focusing on trade opportunities, export-import regulations, and sectoral collaborations.

FLO has also organised international delegations to Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Sweden, and London, enabling members to explore global markets, network with industry leaders, and gain insights into best practices. Additionally, visiting delegations from ASEAN countries, Germany, the SAIF Zone, and Korea have provided FLO Hyderabad members with opportunities to engage in cross-border partnerships and expand their global footprint.

How is women entrepreneurship shaping up in Hyderabad?

Women entrepreneurship is seeing a remarkable surge, driven by a dynamic ecosystem that en-courages innovation, inclusivity, and growth. The city is home to a growing number of women-led startups and businesses across sectors like technology, fashion, jewellery, education, healthcare, and hospitality.

Initiatives by government bodies, business associations like FLO, and organisations such as We-Hub are providing focused support to women at all levels, in terms of mentorship, market access and network-building. Women entrepreneurs of the city are breaking stereotypes, creating jobs, and contributing significantly to the city’s economy and so-cial transformation.

What do you think are the barriers that still need to be overcome?

Globally, only two per cent of women entrepreneurs get funding. This remains a key challenge, with biases often questioning women’s ability to scale businesses. Leadership representation is limited, especially in male-dominated industries and even family businesses. And then there are the entrenched societal expectations around work-life balance that place undue pressure on women.

Deep-rooted cultural norms discourage entrepreneurial pursuits, particularly in smaller cities and rural areas. Additionally, limited access to mentorship and professional networks hinders growth and market expansion. Overcoming these barriers requires inclusive policies, increased awareness, and collective efforts to challenge stereotypes and create an equitable entre-preneurial ecosystem for women.

Has women entrepreneurship evolved in grassroots, and what is the support they lack?

With consistent efforts to raise awareness, facilitating skill development programs, and enabling access to local markets by the government, organisations and individuals too, we are observing that more women in rural areas are stepping into business roles. FLO has played a crucial role in empowering women at the grassroots through training, mentorship, and funding.

However, challenges persist, including limited access to funding, digital literacy, and advanced technology, which restrict scaling and innovation. Rural women entrepreneurs often lack robust market linkages, making it difficult to sustain and expand their businesses. Additionally, societal norms and inadequate infrastructure further impede progress.

How have women entrepreneurs benefited from the new MSME Policy in Telangana?

The introduction of the new MSME policy in Telangana has significantly benefited women-led businesses by offering incentives like subsidized loans, reduced power tariffs, and dedicated industrial parks for women entrepreneurs. These measures have enhanced access to resources and created opportunities for women to scale their ventures. FLO members are being apprised of the MSME benefits and schemes through regular workshops. A daylong MSME Conclave was organised, an e-Ready Reckoner of MSME Schemes and benefits for women was released, and pan-India online case study workshop was organised with knowledge support from National Stock Exchange to raise awareness amongst SMEs about going for IPO via the NSE Emerge platform.

While many members are leveraging these learnings to grow their businesses, there is still a need to deepen awareness of all the possibilities available. It is essential to perco-late the information among grassroot entrepreneurs to ensure wider participation and equitable benefits, bridging the gap between policy, potential and implementation.