Parag Dave & Parth Shastri | tnn
It is not unusual to see women following in their husbands’ footsteps, but a role reversal is not what you come across every day. In Ahmedabad, a bunch of inspiring women entrepreneurs have built such successful ventures that their husbands decided to trade steady pay cheques with being their business partners. The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day — Accelerate Action — resonates powerfully through the stories of these trailblazing go-getters.
Side hustle becomes main course
In 1995, when Usha Birmie started a small shop near Panjrapol, which sold stuffed parathas, she never imagined it would one day convince her husband to leave his stable job.
After moving to Ahmedabad from Punjab in the 1980s following her marriage to Keshav, a contractor with Ahmedabad Textile Industry’s Research Association (ATIRA), Usha’s entrepreneurial spirit pushed her to fill a gap in the market.
“After we became proud parents of three children, I decided to start my venture. At that time, authentic Punjabi food such as stuffed parathas was a rarity in the city,” recalls Usha, now 65.
With a modest loan of Rs 2.5 lakh, she launched her first establishment, quickly attracting students from nearby educational institutes who helped shape her evolving menu.
A decade later, the Birmies brand had become well-established, but operations were expanding, and Usha was juggling business growth with family responsibilities.
Meanwhile, Keshav maintained his steady income of Rs 20,000 per month.”I was roped in as a consultant in 2005 and later joined Usha full-time as she assured me of better money! Today we own two restaurants, run two franchise restaurants and a cloud kitchen,” Keshav says. His decision to leave ATIRA has clearly paid off, he says.
This couple deserves
a strand-ing ovation
When chartered accountant Manisha Pandya moved to Ahmedabad from Mumbai after marrying Shobhan in 2012, she continued her practice until 2017. Her maternity leave became the turning point that sparked a business idea.
“The market was flooded with chemical-based solutions for hair. But there were no natural, effective and affordable alternatives. I used my analytical skills and found the product gap. In 2018, I launched my brand and offered innovations such as natural dry shampoo and hair heat protection spray,” says Manisha.
Shobhan, a licensed international financial analyst, notes that by 2022, the brand was experiencing 100% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) and had secured private equity funding.
A personal tragedy prompted a professional shift for the couple.
“I lost my mother and Manisha had to look after both family and business. It was then that she asked me if I could join her, and the rest is history. It was not just an emotional decision but also a well-thought career move. I have now completely stopped my investment banking activities, maintaining connections only with those linked to our brand,” Shobhan says. Today, Ktein Cosmetics boasts a turnover of Rs 20 crore, and 17 of its employees are women.