5 Ways to Support Conscious Malaysian Female Entrepreneurs
As Malaysian female entrepreneurs ourselves, it is only natural to pay it forward by supporting other female entrepreneurs.
The entrepreneurial scene in Malaysia is growing, and women are taking the lead in the eco-conscious space. 90% of the brands in UNPLUG are founded by women.
March 8 is International Women's day, and there's no better time to celebrate and honour the unofficial holiday by showing your support for female-founded brands and businesses. If you're wondering how to get involved, here are five ways you can support conscious Malaysian female entrepreneurs.
5 Ways to Support Conscious Malaysian Female Entrepreneurs
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Shop
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Mentor
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Invite
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Speak Up
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Invest
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1. Shop
The most obvious way to support Malaysian female entrepreneurs would be to buy their products. It is the best way for an entrepreneur in Malaysia to grow their business, primarily if it sells products or services.
Therefore, by making purchases from women-owned conscious brands, you'd be showing your support in their dreams. This is excellent motivation for female entrepreneurs who dedicate their time and energy in promoting sustainability and building eco-conscious businesses.
Studies have shown that women who start their businesses are often motivated by more than just the need to make money. 26% of owners started their own company to pursue a passion.
A great inspirational quote for an entrepreneur by the great Oprah Winfrey reads:
"Follow your passion — and if you don't know what it is, realize that one reason for your existence on earth is to find it."
So when you're buying from a women-owned business, you're not just supporting a business. You're also supporting a vision. If you're not sure whether the business you're supporting is women-owned, keep reading. We've got a great list of Malaysian women-owned conscious brands that we stock at UNPLUG, in-store and online.
2. Mentor
Another way to support a Malaysian female entrepreneur would be to offer your expertise and mentor. If you have the expertise, you can offer to help and impart some business wisdom to assist the business in expansion and taking it to the next level.
Mentorship and sponsorship are some of the best ways to help bridge the gender gap in business. Sponsorship is different from mentorship as it involves someone who has a seat at the table to speak up and put the person they're sponsoring forward for positions.
This could mean helping to secure funding for female entrepreneurs that you know or getting them a spot at an exclusive product showcase. Visibility is one of the ways to help grow a business. So these are some ways to help mentor or sponsor a female entrepreneur.
Source: Green Is The New Black
3. Invite
Are you the type of person who knows the who's who in the world of business? Or are you a business owner yourself? If you're the former, why not invite Malaysian female entrepreneurs along with you to the networking events you're a part of.
This is an excellent way for female entrepreneurs to gain exposure and widen their network. It is a game-changer in business.
If you're a business owner yourself, why not partner with them. Perhaps you could run a collaboration between your business and theirs, putting out a specific product range that showcases both your products.
Creating a collaboration can help strengthen each other's names and reputations. Not only will you widen your customer segment, but you'll also be supporting an up-and-coming women-owned business. It's a win-win!
Source: Instagram story post by @v_isforvictory
4. Speak Up
If you're on social media, you'll undoubtedly notice that influencers are constantly promoting businesses on their channels. You don't need to be an influencer with the blue tick to promote a business. All it takes is a social media account and a camera.
If you like a product of a self-motivated entrepreneur, why not promote their product on your social media and even share a link to their social media to help them gain more followers. It only takes a couple of minutes, and you could make such a difference to the growth of a business just by helping them get off the ground.
Another way to promote a business is to leave a rave review. Head over to Google, Yelp, Facebook, or Tripadvisor. Depending on the industry, find a platform where you can leave a review and share all the reasons why others should support the business.
With your review, try to give detail instead of leaving a generic "this was great" review. Be more specific, like "this was a great product that showcased Malaysian culture." Leaving details could be why someone else decides to make a purchase.
5. Invest
The final way to support Malaysian female entrepreneurs would be to invest in these businesses. Many women-owned conscious brands are owned by a self-employed entrepreneur. Therefore, many need a cash injection to help get the business off the ground and thrive.
If you're able to, investing supports the business and the product they're selling. Many Malaysian businesses promote Malaysian crafts, and investing in the businesses can help preserve traditions. This is one of UNPLUG’s sustainable metrics, so we're always looking at ways to support businesses that preserve traditions.
How Many Female Entrepreneurs Are There In Malaysia
Every year, the list of Malaysian female entrepreneurs grows. About 20% of the estimated registered totals of entrepreneurs are women. Though there are many successful businesses, there is a world of potential that is yet to be tapped.
Who are the women-owned brands we have at UNPLUG?
If you're looking to throw your support behind more Malaysian female entrepreneurs, you're in luck! As part of our sustainable metric to support locally made products, we stock products from a range of Malaysian women-owned brands. Check out the list below.
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Totomi Basics
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Dona Plantbase
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Reactive
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Love Light Lemons
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Real. m
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Tanoti
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Meraki
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Ranee Artisan Gallery
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Bobble
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Hobbies
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Rad Alchemist
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Cendana
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Saffron & Rose
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Skind
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IWell Nature
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Glow & Blush
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Mangosteen
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Fleur Apothecary
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Earth Heir
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Saffron & Serai
