Women in Entrepreneurship: Hanifa Ambadar of Female Daily Network
In the spirit of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) last November 14–20, 2017 — Endeavor Indonesia participates in the celebration by highlighting one of the year’s themes: Women in Entrepreneurship. #GEWWomen
GEW Women: Inspiring Entrepreneurs + Investors
As communities and countries increasingly encourage entrepreneurs who create jobs, women can be a catalyst for large-scale economic growth — not just in countries where the basic rights of women are a struggle, but in developed economies as well. Studies have shown that women have lower levels of involvement in high-growth entrepreneurship than men, and research suggests that accelerating the rates of female entrepreneurship could have the same positive effect that the entry of women into the labor force had during the 20th century.
GEW Women celebrates female entrepreneurs, investors, and others in the space while offering opportunities to expand their networks, identify resources and share knowledge with women around the world. During Global Entrepreneurship Week, we will highlight powerful voices and ambassadors that promote the increase of women entrepreneurs; events, activities, and competitions targeted toward women in entrepreneurship; and GEN’s partner organizations that are playing active roles in the space.
Endeavor Indonesia’s entrepreneur Hanifa Ambadar shares her thoughts.
In a nutshell, what do you do & what are you trying to solve/ achieve with it?
I’m helping Indonesian women to find the right beauty products that suit their skin type, skin tone, skin concern, and budget! But I think most of the time I make them go out of their budget because there are just so many beautiful products they find in Female Daily that they would love to try on.
We also have mommiesdaily.com, a site that would be really relatable for working mommies.
What motivated you to do what you are doing?
I guess I have different motivations at every stage of the business, but knowing that more than 2 million women read Female Daily Network every month and find it beneficial and relevant to their daily life always keeps me going. Also now that there are a lot of young talents in the company, witnessing their hard work and how looking forward they are to advance their career refuel me anytime I feel meh! And of course, the fact that I’m not where I want to be yet and still have big dreams for the company motivates me to work even harder.
When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?
My mom brainwashed me to be a pediatrician but that didn’t last long. I don’t remember being fascinated by any profession as I wasn’t exposed to too many different careers when I was little. All I remember is I always wanted to lead (ketua kelas, ketua group pramuka, paskibra/ class president, scout leader, flag hoisting troop leader, etc). I was a very competitive kid.
When I face big challenges, I…
Declutter the whole house or office. It helps clean my mind somehow before I get ready to tackle the real challenge.
What do you do to stay inspired?
I’m easily inspired by every little thing I see/meet/read on an everyday basis so I stay inspired most of the time.
How do you prevent burnout?
Making sure I’m kind to myself, giving it the workout and nutrition it needs, taking a day or half a day off every now and then. Travel every few months.
Can you tell us about any habits you have/ things you do that set up success every day?
Getting my caffeine fix on time!
What is a trip that has changed your mind and why?
My first trip to France & Italy. It just made me realize that traveling is not about the popular sightseeing and complete itinerary, it’s about taking things slow to appreciate everything around you, to get lost and still enjoying the journey and the companion, to meet new people, to learn, to not be afraid of the unknown, to find yourself and to come back with a new fresh perspective.
What is a strategy you use to keep focused & productive?
My never-ending to-do list and saying NO to many things.
When you are faced with a creativity block, how do you overcome it?
Exercise always helps. I like to try new gym and different kind of sports. Or I declutter again…it’s my me-time where I can have a conversation just with myself.
The best piece of advice I ever given is…
When everything is under control, you are going too slow...
What does work-life balance mean to you?
I don’t believe in work-life balance. Work is always gonna be a big part of our life and I cannot imagine life without doing some work. I believe in integrating personal and professional instead.
What lesson can people learn from your journey?
That you can always start from zero. Start with what you have and better tools and helps will come along the way. Just have faith and take that first step!
My favorite quote is...
Don’t deflect blame onto the system, the screwed-up schooling you got, or the chances no one ever gave you. It makes you powerless and not in control of your destiny — Kimora Lee Simmons
What is a book that has changed your mind about work?
Steve Jobs Biography taught me to not be afraid of cannibalizing your business because if you don’t do it, someone else will!
What are you learning now?
Learning not to be the bottleneck in the company
If you could redo what you’re doing right now, what would you do differently?
Hire more experienced professionals from early on
What are your general thoughts on women entrepreneurs in Indonesia?
As much as I don’t want to bring up gender issues the truth is it’s 10 times harder to be women (especially mothers) entrepreneurs than men. I love how Indonesian women are very supportive of each other (I have different WhatsApp groups of women entrepreneurs) and not see others as competitors. The numbers are still small but it’s growing :).
See also this post on the Endeavor Indonesia website
