“Feminism is not about making women stronger. Women are already strong; it’s about changing the way the world perceives that strength.” G.D. Anderson
Women of today are the epitome of strength, love, sacrifice, and courage. The role of women in today’s world has changed significantly and for better. Women are now self-sufficient, well-aware, financially independent. They have attained immense success in every field, whether it is sports, politics, or academics. With the encouragement of co-education, women are now marching side by side with men, in every walk of life.
Throughout history, the central role of women in society has ensured the stability, progress, and long-term development of nations. Globally, women comprise 43 percent of the world’s agricultural labor force – rising to 70 percent in some countries.
The role of women has changed tremendously, and they have been able to create a positive impression in the society. From housewives to CEOs, the transition can be seen at an accelerating rate. Modernization and the advent of the latest technology have widened hope and opportunities for them. They have established themselves socially, politically, and economically in almost every field be it education, journalism, medicines, IT etc.
Women are no longer considered unfit or weak for military or for other defense forces. Be it mobile accessory, which was primarily male dominated, is now won by women.
We at Mobility have spoken to Ms Komal Agarwal, CoFounder, Pebble, a technology brand that is into mobile accessories. Since inception in 2013, the company, Pebble, is a brand that endeavors to get the perfect blend of innovation, technology, and design in each of our products. Its products range from an array of items like headphones, smart wearable, wireless speakers, chargers tablets etc.
She shares her experiences of the brand and how she wants the brand to reach the epitome.
Maintaining work life balance for a woman is like juggling a hundred things at once. She has to be the perfect professional which means being on time, contributing extra hours when needed, planning for contingent situations, managing tough situations at work creatively, maintaining proper health for proper contribution to workload and more. At home, she has to play the roles of a daughter, wife and a mother depending on what stage of life she is in.
Speaking on the work life balance, Ms Komal Agarwal, CoFounder, Pebble says, “Maintaining a healthy balance between work and life is especially important. I have realized, unwinding for a few hours every day helps me giving complete mind-space to work. My perfect recipe to unwind is generally good music and a nice book. I like learning new things and a good book is still the best choice for that.”
Q1. What has inspired you to join your business?
My father has always been my biggest source of motivation and a role model. Watching him give his 100% to every venture that he started and lead has always inspired me.
As a tech graduate, I was always fascinated by gadgets and new technology. So, when the smartphones market started growing, draining battery became the real issue for users. It was then, that I decided to launch Pebble with Power banks to provide innovative technology at an affordable price. That is how my entrepreneurial journey started. Over the span of 7 years, Pebble is now a complete lifestyle brand.
Q2. Today in the mobile accessory industry there are very few women who are Co-Founders. How do you feel about it?
I feel proud and lucky to get exposure in the Industry. I strongly believe that women in hardware tech can bring a unique perspective to product design and development. It is an evolving industry, and I am hopeful we will see more women leading the charge.
Q3. How has the company benefitted from your experiences?
A customer-centric approach, and managing the manpower with empathy is the key. Happy I could inculcate that in our brand’s approach. Also, my electronics engineering & business background came in handy in shaping up Pebble.
Millennials form a major part of our customer base; being a millennial myself, I am able to understand first-hand the pain points of our customers better. This helped us to solve their problems by designing & developing products and technology that suits their need.
It cannot be denied that the journey of liberation of women has crossed many milestones and the society has indeed come a long way. They have struggled hard over the last few decades but still been able to successfully establish their own identity. Today’s women are adorned with patience and perseverance, which has helped them to attain the pinnacle of success.
Ms Komal Agarwal leaves a message for women leaders, “Empathy is the key. Being a woman, empathy usually comes naturally to us. Though many a time it is considered a sign of weakness by many, it is actually one of the biggest strengths for leaders in the workplace. As leaders, women are doing a great job. I would just like to say that keep hustling, keep making a difference, and keep changing this world, one day at a time!”
Today- along with handling tough clients at the office, they successfully multitask at home too. Women are more focused and have a unique decision-making power even at the senior leadership level, in the most optimal manner, and at times are in a better position than men.
