Shilpa Venkat

Origin Story I've always been someone who enjoys experimenting and trying new things. Before founding WOW, I was running my own handmade jewellery business and was also known as one of Pune's female photographers. Like many entrepreneurs, I was constantly looking for opportunities to connect with like-minded people, build meaningful relationships, and grow my business. Around 2015, social media was still evolving. Today, it's easy to find communities, collaborate online, and reach people instantly. Back then, those opportunities were limited, and I couldn't find a quality platform where women entrepreneurs could genuinely network, exchange ideas, and support one another. Instead of waiting for someone else to create it, I decided to start one myself. I created a small WhatsApp group with a handful of women entrepreneurs from my network. There was no business plan, no roadmap, and certainly no expectation that it would become what it is today. It was simply a space for women to connect, share experiences, and help each other grow. Word spread organically. Members invited other members. The conversations became richer, the connections became stronger and what started as a small WhatsApp group gradually evolved into WOW (Women of Wonder). More than 11 years later, that same idea continues to thrive—proving that sometimes the biggest movements begin by solving a problem you have experienced yourself.

Founder Journey There was never a master plan to build a community.

I've always believed that when people come together with the right intent, incredible things happen. In 2015, I created a small WhatsApp group to connect a few women entrepreneurs. It wasn't a business idea. It wasn't a startup. It was simply a space where women could support each other, exchange ideas and grow together.

As the group grew, so did my vision.

I realized that women entrepreneurs needed more than just a place to introduce themselves. They needed visibility. They needed opportunities. They needed a network that genuinely celebrated collaboration over competition.

That realization became the foundation of WOW (Women of Wonder).

Over the years, I transformed WOW from a simple WhatsApp and Facebook group into a thriving entrepreneurial community. I introduced networking meets, exhibitions, learning sessions, business promotions, collaborations, online initiatives and countless opportunities for women to showcase their brands and connect with the right people.

Every event, every initiative and every new idea came from one question I constantly asked myself:

"How can this help a woman entrepreneur grow?"

Today, WOW has completed 11 incredible years. While Pune remains our home, our community has grown to include women from different cities and states across India. Thousands of entrepreneurs have become part of this journey, building friendships, partnerships, finding clients, gaining confidence and creating businesses they are proud of.

What makes me happiest isn't the number of members or the years we've completed. It's seeing women who once hesitated to introduce themselves now confidently talk about themselves and their businesses, collaborate with others and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Journey Before I have always been drawn to words, ideas and storytelling. I hold a Master's degree in English Literature and a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication and from a young age, I developed a love for reading and creative writing.

My career began in media and publishing, where I worked as a content writer and later as a Senior Editor. Those years taught me the power of communication, branding and understanding what resonates with people skills that continue to shape my work today.

When I moved to Pune, I found that opportunities in editorial and creative writing were limited. Rather than waiting for the right role, I decided to reinvent myself. I began exploring new skills, started my own ventures and gradually discovered that entrepreneurship offered the freedom to create, experiment and build something meaningful.

Along the way, I ventured into handmade jewellery, photography, community building and marketing each experience adding a new dimension to my entrepreneurial journey.

Between 2022 and 2025, I also had the opportunity to work in the corporate world as part of the marketing team for a three-wheeler manufacturing company. It was a completely different industry from anything I had worked in before and it gave me invaluable exposure to strategic marketing, brand management, product launches, dealer networks and working within a large organization.

After three and a half years, I realized that while I enjoyed the corporate experience, my true passion lay in building communities and helping entrepreneurs grow. I love being an entrepreneur. That's when I chose to return to my entrepreneurial roots, bringing together everything I had learned from media, business and corporate marketing to continue growing WOW and my upcoming venture, Brand Sitare.

Looking back, every phase of my career from writing and editing to corporate marketing and entrepreneurship has contributed to what I am today.