India Economic Summit: Bawna Pagaria, Co-Founder and CEO of Indiazona, speaking at the India Economic Summit (IES) 2024, shared her entrepreneurial journey and insights on empowering small and medium businesses (SMBs) in India. During her address, Pagaria highlighted the critical challenges facing Indian SMBs and the role of Indiazona in bridging these gaps to foster growth and innovation.

“Since my childhood, I always aspired to start my own business,” Pagaria began, reflecting on her entrepreneurial spirit. “With Indiazona, we’ve interacted with numerous business minds and crafted solutions with a singular mission: to uplift our manufacturers and empower the backbone of India’s economy.”

One of the key issues Pagaria highlighted is the regulatory and compliance burden that hinders small businesses. “In India, SMBs have faced numerous challenges, and compliance is one of the biggest. At Indiazona, we’re focused on helping businesses navigate these obstacles so they can focus on what truly matters—developing their products,” she stated. 

Her speech underscored the current opportunities for growth in India, describing the country as being at a “very progressive stage” where businesses can thrive. “Now is the right time for businesses to scale up. With government initiatives like Make in India and continued support for the business sector, the potential for small businesses to expand is greater than ever,” Pagaria added.

Acknowledging the vital role of government support, Pagaria praised initiatives that encourage manufacturing and entrepreneurship. “The boost provided by the government and its focus on supporting businesses will continue to expand the scope for small enterprises. It’s an exciting time for Indian businesses,” she said.

Pagaria also shared valuable lessons from her entrepreneurial journey, particularly about risk management. “A true entrepreneur builds a business from scratch. Over the years, I’ve learned that risk-taking is essential. It’s not about avoiding risk, but about navigating it effectively,” she said.