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In a world where the entrepreneurial landscape has been traditionally dominated by men, it is crucial to recognize and celebrate the exceptional contributions of women who have not only shattered glass ceilings but have also paved the way for others to follow suit.

It was truly an experience for twenty members from Kanara Entrepreneurs (Bangalore) to listen in to an inspiring journey of a remarkable lady entrepreneur_ Laveena D’Souza, founder and MD of Riya Interiors.

Laveena D’Souza was the distinguished speaker for the 3^rd session of Founders’ Fiesta on 17^th Octiber’23 where she shared her life and entrepreneurial journey. Her story was truly a testament to resilience, innovation, and the limitless potential that lies within us all. Through her unwavering determination and visionary leadership, she has not only built a successful business but has also become an advocate for empowering women in the entrepreneurial sphere.

Hailing from Katipalla a small village located close to  Surathkal,  Laveena describes herself as an extremely creative person from her early childhood. Her creativity and early experiences laid the foundation for what would later become a thriving enterprise in the world of interior design. Today Riya Interior is one of the most popular and influential Home Decor and home interior designing company in Bangalore.

Like any entrepreneur, Laveena faced her fair share of challenges. Apart from navigating the complexities of the business world her biggest challenge was to be accepted in what was back then a very male dominated domain. However, she approached each obstacle with determination and her narrative was truly an inspiration, especially for the women members present for her talk.

Laveena’s believes her key strength lies in her innovative spirit. She has consistently pushed boundaries that has developed creative and unique solutions for her customers. Her forward-thinking approach has not only kept her business competitive but has also inspired others in her team to think outside the box.

A key takeaway from Laveena’s journey has been the power of client testimonials, the importance of which she picked up in the latter part of her journey. She stressed how client testimonials and references from happy clients has played a key role in her organizations getting new projects after each project. Her gratitude towards Kanara Entrepreneurs and the support she has received from the members also stood out in her talk.

Building a successful and profitable business does take a lot of perseverance and it is not easy to juggle the role of being a successful entrepreneur and also managing the needs of a well nurtured family. Laveena emphasized on the aspect of family support that she has received in abundance from her two sons and her husband Ashly.  Though not an easy journey to wear two hats, Laveena attributed her success to the support received from Ashly, who has also joined her in the business to manage the backend operations.

Laveena is not only a successful businesswoman but also a dedicated mentor and advocate for aspiring entrepreneurs, especially women. She understands the importance of paying it forward and has actively worked to create opportunities and platforms for others to thrive in the world of business. It was truly inspiring to have Laveena introduce her young team to the audience and proudly state that the moment of truth for her will be when her team members go out into the world and begin their own entrepreneurial venture.

Laveena, stands as a beacon of inspiration for us all. Her journey from a determined visionary to a successful entrepreneur is a testament to the power of perseverance, innovation, and a belief in one’s own potential. Through her story, we are reminded that entrepreneurship knows no gender, and that with the right mindset and support, anyone can achieve greatness.

Women members of Kanara Entrepreneurs (KE) met on Friday, 15^th September, at The Grand Magrath, Bangalore, to focus and chart their course towards success in the year ahead. This unique meeting was designed as a Board of Directors’ initiative to facilitate the women members to interact and network with the KE Lead Members who were also present in an adjacent meeting simultaneously.

Charmaine Saldanha (Charm’s Homemade Goodness) who emceed the evening, conducted a quick energizer where members assigned themselves with a key business-related descriptive moniker – Healthy Shona (Nutrifymydiet) and Millet Uma (Millit) were some recall-worthy titles. Next, Sabitha Lasrado (CB4) led the KE prayer after which the evening proceeded as planned.

Luvena Rangel (The Curvy Yogi) taking over the reins of KE Women Entrepreneurs from the founding leadership of Leena Lobo (Angelina Consultancy Services LLC), set a crystal clear agenda to raise the bar for KE Women with focus and business oriented take-aways for the members based on their unique needs as businesswomen.

In her welcome note, she shared her vision for KE Women under the theme, ‘Concentrate, Collaborate & Celebrate’ – with crisp objectives and deliverables under each category that members can look forward as part of the KE experience. The idea for KE Women Members to go beyond social networking and receive tools to build their brand, business and visibility without compromising their personal styles of leadership was a powerful step-up for everyone present.

The highlight of the meet was a 35 minute laser-focused activity on ‘Crafting Your Elevator Pitch’ facilitated by Luvena herself. After introducing the need of a crisp and impressive elevator pitch, with the help of a few broad examples, the members were given an easy-to-apply template to work on their pitch for 10 minutes – help and guidance being readily available. The warmth of the cohort was palpable as every member read out their elevator pitch to supportive applause as well as kind, constructive feedback.

The evening showcased a sense of direction, purpose and focus from everyone involved – right from the commendable efforts of the Executive Task Force – Carol Dsouza (The Mangalorean), Charmaine Saldanha, Reena Serrao, Uma Maheshwari – to the impeccable punctuality that the women members demonstrated to arrive and finish on time.

The success of this KE Women Members’ Meeting echoed in the extremely positive feedback that the members shared about their personal take away, freshness of format, business and professional relevance, and above all, a sense of community and collaborative support for their enterprise alongside the opportunity for healthy social networking. The event was closed with a gracious Vote of Thanks delivered by Carol after which the members interacted and networked with the Lead Members over a sumptuous dinner in true Kanara style.

Many thanks to the KE Board of Directors for supporting the vision and encouragement to excel, KE Women Entrepreneurs Core Team: Leena Lobo, Rachna Rego, Reshma Saldanha & Sabitha Lasrado for their steady guidance; the Grand Magrath staff; and above all, to the trust and active participation of the KE Women Entrepreneurs for making the evening a splendid success.

Article by Luvena Rangel

The second edition of Founders Fiesta kicked off on the 6^th of September with a relaxed networking session, setting the stage for an evening of insightful discussions. The event’s focal point, however, was the formal introduction of the esteemed speaker, (Roshan D’silva Founder and CEO of Tripvillas), orchestrated by Anoop Sequeira (Director Mentoring at Kanara Entrepreneurs). This introduction provided a glimpse into Roshan’s illustrious career, punctuated by a query on how he adeptly balances mentorship with his existing commitments.

Roshan’s Journey and Mentorship

Roshan revealed the crucial mentorship he had received during his early stages that catalysed his entrepreneurial journey. He emphasized the significance of reciprocating this support—a theme that would reverberate throughout the evening.

Historical Perspectives and Decision-Making

The audience was then treated to a panoramic view of global events spanning from 1963 to the present day, contextualizing the backdrop against which Roshan’s decisions took shape. This transitioned into a comprehensive exposition of his various ventures. Roshan meticulously compared and contrasted these enterprises, explaining how he harnessed insights from earlier endeavours to fortify subsequent ones.

Essential Business Characteristics

An essential aspect of the discussion centred on the key attributes that underpin a successful business. Roshan expounded on concepts like arbitrage, positive working capital, and the value of a robust network, among others. These insights provided a tangible framework for aspiring entrepreneurs to navigate the complex terrain of business.

Scaling and Sustainability

The audience was further enlightened on the critical factors in scaling a business. Roshan underscored the importance of customers, technological prowess, and organizational resilience. He articulated the need to fortify businesses for long-term sustainability, emphasizing the imperative of ‘bullet-proofing’ strategies.

Navigating Pitfalls

The formal presentation culminated in a reflective overview of fatal missteps that entrepreneurs must vigilantly avoid. Roshan’s candid insights served as a compass, guiding the audience away from potential pitfalls in their entrepreneurial endeavours.

The event seamlessly transitioned into an engaging Q&A session, facilitated by Anoop and driven by a curious audience. Roshan delved further into the rationale behind critical decisions, providing a more nuanced understanding of his strategic approach. This enriching dialogue continued through the dinner, cementing the evening as a remarkable opportunity for knowledge exchange and networking.

The Founders’ Fiesta session featuring Roshan D’silva was a masterclass in entrepreneurship, offering a comprehensive roadmap for both budding and seasoned entrepreneurs. Roshan’s blend of historical context, personal anecdotes, and strategic insights provided invaluable takeaways for navigating the dynamic world of business. As attendees departed, they carried with them not only newfound knowledge but also a renewed sense of purpose in their entrepreneurial pursuits.

Bengaluru, Aug 14: Kanara Entrepreneurs (KE) were joined by the legendary Padmashri Syed Kirmani at The Grand Magrath during their members meet in Bengaluru on August 11. The evening was bustling with energy with the sports theme that had the ball rolling right from the get-go. 

After KE lead member, George Timothy, commenced the session with the KE prayer, Aaron Rego and Carol Pereira energized everyone present with their ice breaker. The activity required members at a table to keep their assigned smiling stress balls up in the air for the longest time using themselves as human paddles. Needless to say, the team strategy, friendly but competitive streak and playfulness was infectious and lasted well into the World Cup themed quiz that followed. 

Claudius Pereira, president – KE, delivered his welcome note next with not one, but two interesting sequels to the Hare & Tortoise fable. His message loudly affirmed that at KE, they do not compete; they collaborate. Claudius also shared the key initiatives he intends to lead through his term – the Business Accelerator Certificate Course and the Founders Fiesta on the fourth Wednesday of every month starting August 2023. 

Next, James Coelho, director – memberships, facilitated the induction of nine new members to KE to the welcoming applause of the gathered members. 

To harness the power of storytelling and inspiration, KE has extended the platform for members to share their success and entrepreneurial chronicle with the members, in their own words. Roshan Sequeira crisply narrated his business journey that started with a gift from his father, further touched by a mentor’s guidance (who happens to be a former KE member) and then sprinkled with the inevitable difficulties of the business experience. The message resonated well with the members who could see themselves in various shades of the shared experience. 

The highlight of the evening was the fireside chat with Padmashri Syed Kirmani, moderated by Neil Joseph. The celebrated cricketer regaled a rapt audience with anecdotes of his career with ‘what really happened’ snippets and humour. Kirmani shared a quote he had read in a hospital in Cuttack as a young man – “A little bit of common sense, tolerance and good humour are required to make life wonderful.” Clearly, the saying remains etched in his mind and informs his personality and attitude to date as the audience witnessed throughout the evening of mirth, raucous laughter and his patience while fielding questions from his fans in the audience, well after the formal event. 

Naveen D’Souza, director – marketing & sponsorship, followed with some key announcements that included the launch of KE’s newsletter ‘The Entrepreneur’ – an initiative set to bring together, inform and edify the KE community. 

The August KE members meet held together the underlying essence of India’s Independence and patriotism with members arriving in their ethnic best. Lavina Prakash and Winkle Mathias received the prizes for the best dressed members and quiz prize winners also received autographed cricket balls from Kirmani himself. The members meet included guests and virtual members from Mumbai, Goa and the United States signifying the reach and potential of the power of networking and community. 

The very successful evening was emceed by Eugene Mathias, who kept the evening’s agenda on track with his engaging personality and well placed humour. Luvena Rangel, brought the evening to a close by delivering the vote of thanks and signalling the social networking over dinner. 

Kanara Entrepreneur kick started its Founder’s Fiesta series with one of its most successful Entrepreneur and our Lead member – Mr. Errol Fernandes, the MD of Ferns Estates and Developers Ltd.

The session was captivating and engaging for the attendees as Mr. Errol Fernandes shared his entrepreneurial journey in vivid detail. From his early days as an employee selling computers to starting his own venture leading to his eventual success as one of the Top Real Estate entrepreneurs in India, Errol’s talk was a masterclass in entrepreneurship.

He spoke about the importance of having a clear vision, being passionate about your business, and never giving up on your dreams. He also shared the lessons he learned along the way, such as the importance of collaboration with like minded people to scale and reach a higher orbit.

Throughout his talk, Errol’s passion for entrepreneurship was evident and his enthusiasm was contagious. The session left the attendees inspired and motivated to pursue their own entrepreneurial dreams with more vigour and vitality..

Here are some of the key takeaways from Errol’s talk:

• Focus is the key to success to achieving one’s dream.
• Maintain a Healthy Balance of Seriousness and Fun in one’s life.
• Use collaboration for compounding growth.
• Challenges present the best opportunities.
• Health is Wealth : Eat Healthy, Live Healthy and Work Healthy.
• Plan your 24 hours – to gain maximum out of it.
• Be the Best you can.

Errol summarised his approach to achieving things with the below formula :

Errol’s talk was a valuable resource for aspiring entrepreneurs. It was an inspiring and motivating reminder that anything is possible if you set your mind to it. The attendees were left inspired to go back to their businesses and implement the learnings they had gained to take their businesses to the next level.

KE inspiron workshop on Finance for non-finance was conducted on 16^th June 2023 as part of series of knowledge sharing initiative by KE.

Workshop was conducted by CA Mark D Souza which was attended by 40+ participants, which focused on understanding the fundamentals of personal and organizational finance in a simple way and how to  unlock the secrets and fine prints hidden in the Financial Statements. Highlights of the workshop are given below:

Finance for non-finance is the term we often hear but we do not take that first step to learn/upgrade to know the essentials of Financial literacy. It is said that “Good financial Management, by itself  cannot lead to success. But Bad financial Management can single handedly spell doom for any business.” Financial management plays a key role not only in business but also in personal finance.

Workshop covered the basics of finance and accounting and the Process Flow of Accounting in pre and post digital era. Overview of how all financial transactions that takes place in an organization get recorded in the books of accounts and how these entries get summarized and ultimately lead to the preparation of the  two most  important financial  statements called the Profit & Loss account and the Balance Sheet, was demonstrated in a simple manner with examples of business transactions.

Participants were introduced to the Statement of Profit & loss account, why it is prepared, its format and its contents were explained in a simple manner, as the name suggests, that it is prepared to find our whether an organization has made profit, or a loss and it contains Expenses and incomes. Similarly, the meaning of Balance sheet was explained, which lists an organization’s Assets and Liabilities, and it shows financial status or the net worth of the organization/individual at a set date.

Common misconception of non-accounting person that in order to learn how to read Balance Sheet ,one must also know how to make them. It was demonstrated that, one need not know how to prepare Balance Sheet and Profit & Loss account the conventional way, how the accountants prepare and  there are simpler ways to make them the layperson’s way:

One should understand this simple concept that, everything that happens in an organization over a certain period must eventually appear either on the face of the Profit & Loss account or the Balance Sheet. These are called financial transactions which together are  classified into four types: 1.Expenses 2. Incomes 3. Assets 4. Liabilities

If one wants to make these two financial statements the non-accountants way, examine each financial transaction that takes place, assess whether it is an Expense, or an Income or an Asset or Liability and record it accordingly. Your Balance sheet and Profit & Loss Account will be ready without any prior knowledge of accounting. This was demonstrated as the  participants gave examples of their own business transactions which were analyzed by them under the four categories and recorded them in the template of Financials shown to them.

Whether you are an investor, entrepreneur or aspire to be entrepreneur or home maker it is essential to be aware of how to unlock the secrets and fine prints hidden in the Financial Statements to  take control of  your financial decisions. Some of The terms used in Financial statements like Revenue, Gross profit, Operating profit, Net profit, Current assets, Fixed Assets, Cashflow, Inventories and the important ratios like Return on Investments, Current ratio, Trend Analysis based on revenue etc. were explained as introduction to the interpretation of Financials.

While covering the topic of  cashflow it was reiterated that It is important to note the distinction between being profitable and having positive cash flow. Profit and cash flow are related but need not be same as just because a company is bringing in cash does not mean it is making a profit (and vice versa). Tips for Managing Cash Flow better were covered.

Once you get your basics right, half the job is done. Accordingly, this workshop was designed   to understand the basics of accounting, Fundamentals of Financial statements and how to read them as the first series of awareness programme on financial management. Once we learn to understand, interpret and analyze Financial statements those who aspire can  take the next level which includes Financial Planning, Investment Planning, Asset Allocation. Financial Products and finally the Advance to learn: How to raise and deploy funds? How to evaluate Various business projects?

Workshop concluded with the question and answers session.

Bengaluru, Jun 20: Founding lead member of Kanara Entrepreneurs (KE) Bangalore, accomplished entrepreneur and renowned toastmaster, Claudius Pereira took oath as the new president of KE Bangalore in an exhilarating programme at The Grand Magrath on June 16 in the presence of over 150 members.
The theme of the evening was carefully planned with great stories of inspiration, fortitude and triumph within KE.
The event was flagged off with the outgoing president, Clarence Pereira’s farewell address. In his speech, Clarence highlighted various quotes to inspire the gathering. While reminiscing the legacy that he was entrusted with to take the mission of KE forward during this three-year tenure on the board, he was forthcoming in his support of the incoming president as he bade an emotional farewell to the members.

Fourteen new members from varied disciplines were inducted by the director of membership, James Coelho. Ivan Fernandes, chairman, KE Global, thanked the board members who had completed their terms – Clarence Pereira, Anil Monteiro (director marketing) and Ashly D’Souza (director finance) prior to discharging them of their responsibilities.

Ivan then presided over the formal installation of three new directors, incoming president Claudius Pereira, director of marketing Naveen D’Souza and director of finance Peter Anil Rego.

In keeping with the theme, Claudius delivered an enthralling acceptance speech sprinkled with two powerful stories highlighting the supportive spirit of the KE community members as well as the power of entrepreneurial endeavour and resilience in the face of adversity. His well-articulated words, humour and anecdotes of depth, left a clear message to the members that he is aspires to inspire and take everyone along with him during the journey towards success.

Ivan Fernandes closed the formal conversations of the evening with a series of inspiring and humorous highlights of his professional journey that truly helped to reassure budding entrepreneurs. His words resounded encouragement to the members and a call to support the next generation of entrepreneurs with the platform and tools necessary to be successful in their enterprise and evolve from the challenges of the previous generation of business owners from the community.

The members were engaged with networking activity by Clout Chasers, a dynamic group of young content creators and social engagement professionals who captured video footage and media content throughout the evening taking snippets and quotes from members.
Alan Aranha delivered an inclusive and crisp vote of thanks. The brilliant emcee, Carol Pereira, moderated the event with her vibrant and bustling personality and wit with aplomb.

Dubai: Kanara Entrepreneurs Ltd. (KEL) Dubai hosted its annual festive Christmas Program on 10^th Dec 2022 at Villa P44, Emirates Hills in Dubai, the residence of Mrs & Mr Ivan Fernandes, Chairman of KE Global. Most members from KEL Dubai and their families attended the annual fun filled celebrations and participated with lot of enthusiasm.

KEL, the non-profit, mutual benefit corporation is chartered and founded by individuals from the Kanara region, to encourage, support, guide, and nurture entrepreneurship, and has been serving the community in Dubai for over 19 years.

The truly colourful evening was packed with lot of entertainment, games, fun and frolic and lasted until late night. Mr. Ivan Fernandes, Chairman KE Global delivered the Christmas Message.

Mr. Avil Pinto, one of the prominent and active KE members compered the evening while Rajesh Sequeira led the team of Carol singers. The Eldrich and Preema Band entertained the audience with their special performance of Konkani and English songs with melodious music. Santa Claus arrived with his goody bags and entertained the crowd. The young children were thrilled to spend some time with Santa and receive generous gifts. Various members and their spouses participated in singing, dancing and all other activities making it really a lively and memorable celebration.

Sumptuous Kuswar and Dinner was served by Eric’s Restaurant.

Mr. Charles Dsouza Director Events recognised all the members from the coordination committee and appreciated their efforts and participation as he delivered the vote of thanks.

Kanara Entrepreneurs Ltd. (KEL) Dubai hosted a very successful members event on 19^th Nov. 2022
at Indian Social Club, Dubai as part of their ongoing efforts to help and nurture their members on professional and entrepreneurial endeavours.

The non-profit, mutual benefit corporation is chartered and founded by individuals from the Kanara region, to encourage, support, guide, and nurture entrepreneurship, and has been serving the community in Dubai for over 19 years.

Mr. Charles Dsouza, Director Events KEL Dubai apprised the audience about objectives and organisation’s guiding principles. He then introduced the main speaker, who later did a fabulous job imparting much sought-after knowledge to the audience.

The highlight of the evening was the talk on ‘UAE CORPORATE TAX AND ITS IMPACT ON BUSINESSES’ by Mr. Pankaj S Jain, a subject matter expert and well-known practising Chartered Tax Advisor in the UAE. While the CORPORATE TAX in the UAE is new and the related laws are under final stages, the speaker shared crucial insights from the Public Consultation Document, which is available at the time in the public domain. The well attended session was very well received and appreciate by one and all.

Mr William Dsouza, President KEL Dubai presented a Memento to the Speaker as a token of appreciation. Mr Aloysius Fernandes, Director at KEL Dubai delivered the vote of thanks. The entire program was impressively hosted by Charles Dsouza, Director Events, KEL Dubai.