Gender balance is always in the talks. It has reached a point where questions regarding its legitimacy are asked on a daily basis. And it is not only about the ethics of it, but a world where men and women are equal is also always a better one. Economies and communities depend on it. It is an ongoing battle where fighting gender biases is an everyday thing. Building awareness and celebrating women’s achievements are the cornerstones of getting to a place where equal opportunities are implemented. When it comes to earning your livelihood, it is imperative that women be given the same amount of freedom and chances to establish themselves which is also crucial for economic development. According to a McKinsey study, advancement in gender equality can result in the addition of USD 12 trillion to global GDP by 2025. However, the harsh fact remains that most organisations have men in the senior management levels with very scant women participation.
QNET is one of primary players in the industry of direct selling which emphasizes on equal participation across genders. The direct selling business has 74% of women distributors throughout the world. By providing them with a platform where they can excel, QNET has been playing a major role in mending this divide. Irrespective of place, community and background, women empowerment is on the rise in this 189.6 billion dollar global industry. Owing to the convenience of not having to struggle with a 9-5 daily routine, women have reclaimed control over their lives by working as they can, when they can. Flexible work hours have changed the entrepreneurship scenario with scores of women opting for it in a way they can balance their lives more ably. Gender neutrality is taken very seriously in this industry and it shows – 65 million women have chosen this life to make it better. From being fledgling entrepreneurs to being confident businesswomen, the journey has been an upward trajectory. QNET continues to be a platform where women can take charge and turn their lives around.
Malou Caluza
CEO, QNET
Direct selling industry expert – Malou Caluza is QNET’s first female CEO. Malou Caluza started as a Customer Service Officer and moved up the ranks. She remembers being very passionate about her vision and the will to perform. Back then, QNET was a single-product organisation but that did not matter. In her words, “It’s easy to stay inspired every day when you have a dream worth pursuing.” In her two-decade spanning career with QNET, growth and learning have been consistent. QNET pushed her to grow from being in customer service to finance, people development, strategic planning and finally to being the first female CEO. For her, QNET has the magic touch to transform the ordinary into extraordinary. She appreciates QNET’s focus on people and how they all form part of a big family, which is at the core of everything that QNET does. She believes in the dreams that QNET encourages and believes it to be a company where everyone has a chance, especially women. A powerful woman entrepreneur, she has paved the way for others.
Kavita Sugandh
V Partner
Hailing from a middle-class family, Kavita Sugandh started working early in her life. While she was already an entrepreneur when she came across QNET, the hustle was at a whole new level when she started with the company. She stresses on the fact that QNET is not a get-rich-quick scheme and a lot of heart and soul go into it. Battling rejections and setbacks was a common affair but she forged through it all, getting her first commission check after 18 months. She fueled her fire by attacking her challenges and giving it everything she could to see it through. She believes direct selling is the perfect place for women, where they can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with a man, a place where women entrepreneurs are celebrated. Success is genderless.
Sharfun Shaikh
V Partner
Born into a lower middle-class family in Pimpri, Pune Sharfun Shaikh has come a long way. 2009 saw the beginning of her stint with QNET and there has been no looking back. Being with QNET helped her get over her insecurities and really come to terms with who she was. For her, it was not just about making money, but also developing personally, which she did. Backed by QNET support, coaching and mentoring she transformed into the confident person she is today, one who can lead and inspire a lot of people. For the first time, she earned respect, dignity and equality and nothing has been the same again.
Today QNET India boasts of 200,000 women entrepreneurs who have worked hard to be where they are. They are unstoppable, unforgettable and deserving of every bit of success.
