FLO Chennai, under the leadership of Dr. Amulya Rao, Chairperson, and as part of the MSME Vertical initiative headed by Dr. Geetha Premkumar, successfully conducted the national webinar titled “From Passion to Profession: Taking Your Small Business Forward” on 8th May 2026. The webinar witnessed participation from members across various FLO chapters and focused on an important and often overlooked aspect of women entrepreneurship — the transition from informal business activity to professionally structured enterprise.
The session commenced with a context-setting address by Dr. Geetha Premkumar, MSME Vertical Head, FICCI FLO Chennai, who highlighted her observations from working closely within the MSME ecosystem. She pointed out that many women entrepreneurs continue to run businesses for several years without registrations, structural clarity, or awareness regarding business formalization, often considering their work as “something done from home” despite consistent commercial activity.
Following the context-setting address by Dr. Geetha Premkumar, Ms. Puja Garg, National President – FICCI FLO, addressed the participants and spoke about how FICCI FLO systematically mentors’ women in entrepreneurship and contributes meaningfully to strengthening the MSME ecosystem across the country. Following the context-setting address by Dr. Geetha Premkumar, Ms. Puja Garg, National President – FICCI FLO, addressed the participants and spoke about how FICCI FLO systematically mentors’ women in entrepreneurship and contributes meaningfully to strengthening the MSME ecosystem across the country. She also appreciated the relevance of the initiative in empowering women entrepreneurs through practical awareness and guidance.
CA Sampathkumar V.V delivered the main session, where he explained in a simple, practical, and relatable manner the importance of business structuring, basic registrations, understanding professional responsibilities, and reducing operational risks. He addressed key aspects such as Udyam registration, GST awareness, business discipline, documentation practices, and the importance of approaching entrepreneurship with long-term sustainability in mind.
A significant highlight of the session was the emphasis that the programme was not intended to create fear around compliance, but to build clarity and confidence among women entrepreneurs.
The interactive Q&A session was moderated by Ms. Ruby Garg, National MSME VERTICAL LEAD while the Vote of Thanks was proposed by Ms. Jyoti Jain -CO LEAD NATIONAL MSME TEAM. The webinar was well received by participants and appreciated as a meaningful initiative addressing the grassroots realities of women-led MSMEs with a balanced, practical, and empowering approach.