Four South Asian enterprising business women on what it takes to make it big

Manjit Minhas

Sarina Jain

Lynn Manwar

When Sarina Jain first decided tolaunch her own bhangra workout,she expected roadblocks. "It's alwaysscary when you are a pioneer tryingsomething new," Jain said. "I thought theAmerican community would make fun of me,but I wanted to do it for the desi community –to get them moving and exercising."

The gem of the idea was rooted in personalloss. Jain lost her father to heart cancer and it'sa constant regret she carries that he did not exercisemore. From that place of grief, a desirefor change and a love for all things desi, Jaindecided it was time to introduce the world toMasala Bhangra Workout in 1999.

What she did not expect was the backlashfrom her own community. "All the Indian auntiessaid, ‘OK, baccha, have fun. Do this for awhile and then get a real job. Get married',"Jain said. "You want your own community tosupport you and that was hurtful."

It was only when Masala Bhangra Workoutbecame a success with the Caucasian Americancommunity did the South Asian communityjump onboard, she said. Eleven yearslater, Masala Bhangra Workout has made itaround the world and is recognized as a firstclassaerobic workout. Jain has appeared onvarious shows including hosting her own TVsegment on Discovery Channel's Fit TV andregular appearances on The Dr. Oz Show andNBC's The Today Show. Jain is also the newface for Nestle Fitness throughout LatinAmerica, where 2.6 million cereal boxes includeher Masala Bhangra Workout BollywoodStyle DVD.

If there is one lesson Jain has learned fromher rise to a successful South Asian entrepreneur,it is to always have faith in your project."If you don't believe it can work, who will?"she said. Becoming an entrepreneur is nevereasy. Add to that the pressures of being a femaleof a visible minority, and the road tomaking it big just got that much harder. It certainlywasn't easy for Manjit Minhas.

Today she is the president and CEO of MinhasCreek Craft Brewing Company, whichbrings in revenues of more $120 million. Butwhen she and her brother Ravinder Minhasfirst decided to foray into the beer industry inAlberta, Canada, in 1999, it was a very differentstory.

"Firstly, I was a woman entering a maledominatedcompany. I definitely did not belongin the old boys' club and that meant a lotof stereotyping," Minhas said. "And thenbeing Indian when mainly Caucasian peopleare in this business; there is a definitely a lot ofracism." Minhas said she felt she had to work"twice as hard as [her] counterparts" but shelearned to develop a thick skin. Over timethings changed and the beer baroness has hadthe last laugh. She won several awards inquick succession, including the YoungAchiever Award from the Indo-Canada Chamberof Commerce in 2005 and was named oneof Canada's Women Executive Network Top100 Women Entrepreneurs in 2007 and 2010.

Her company was ranked sixth overall in AlbertaVenture Magazine's Top 50 FastestGrowing Companies in 2005. Perseveranceand dedication to their dreams are the key tosuccess for Minhas and Jain. But sometimeslife takes an unexpected turn and presentsadded challenges, as it did for Lynn Manwar.After launching Talent Detective, a Torontobasedrecruiting agency serving the non-profitsector, arthritis made it hard for her to keep upwith her regular work. Ever focused on keepingbusy, Manwar applied for a $20,000 grantfrom the Self-Employment Benefits Programfrom the Canadian government. Talent Detectivewas the result in 2006. But when she wasdiagnosed with breast cancer in 2008, herbusiness was brought to a stand still.

Today Manwar is a cancer survivor, workspart-time and has recruited volunteers successfullyfor a number of years. And none oflife's roadblocks have stopped her fromdreaming big. "I want to take my companyacross Canada some day and serve clientseverywhere," she said. Manwar said she feelspride in her work when she sees the successof her volunteers and their careers grow.

Zehra Khan feels that same pride when abride and groom are left awestruck by herwedding cake creations. When working at ademanding auditing position at a bank becametoo stressful, she decided to take refuge inbaking. Khan launched her Fine Cakes byZehra business in 2005 in Toronto and sincethen business has been booming. Her cakessell upwards of $500 and can be as much as$4,000. From Mughal-inspired dome-shapedcakes to henna designs on traditional whitecakes and Mardi Gras frivolity to high couturedesigns, Khan approaches each cake as an"edible work of art."

"They used to tease me about baking, buthonestly, my friends were the ones who gaveme the idea because everybody loved mycakes so much," she said. "But my two younggirls are my biggest fans. It's so cute when Isee them getting excited by my baking."

The key to the successes of each of thesefour South Asian female entrepreneurs – Jain,Minhas, Manwar and Khan – is their ability todream big and see that dream through. As Jainputs it, "It's a gut feeling. If you don't let yourdreams become reality, you'll regret it."

[ BY TAMARA BALUJA ]