As part of South Asian Heritage Month, Asian Women Mean Business was proud to host an inspiring evening of conversation, connection and personal development for South Asian women at Zindiya in Birmingham.
The event brought together ambitious women from a range of industries and backgrounds to celebrate our heritage while exploring themes of entrepreneurship, leadership, resilience and purpose. It was a powerful reminder of what can happen when South Asian women come together to learn, support one another and expand their vision for what is possible.
Growing up in Wolverhampton, I never imagined rooms like this would exist for women like us. Today, creating spaces where South Asian women can network, build confidence, develop professionally and dream bigger has become a central part of our mission.
Turning Pain into Purpose: Parmi Dheensa, Founder of Include Me TOO
Our first speaker, Parmi Dheensa, founder of Include Me TOO, shared her powerful personal story of transforming adversity into impact.
Parmi spoke openly about the challenges she has faced and how those experiences inspired her to establish an organisation dedicated to supporting disabled people, their families and underrepresented communities.
Her story resonated deeply with attendees and highlighted an important lesson for women in business and leadership: our most difficult experiences can often become the foundation of our greatest contribution.
Through Include Me TOO, Parmi has created meaningful change, proving that purpose-driven leadership can have a lasting impact on individuals, families and communities.
Female Entrepreneurship and Taking Risks: Shivani Kenth, Founder of Zindiya
Our second speaker, Shivani Kenth, founder of Zindiya, shared her journey from a successful BBC career to becoming an entrepreneur and restaurant owner.
Leaving a secure corporate role to start a business is a decision many aspiring entrepreneurs dream about but few are willing to take. Shivani spoke candidly about the realities of entrepreneurship, the challenges of business ownership and the importance of taking calculated risks in pursuit of a bigger vision.
Her story offered valuable insights for women considering a career change, starting a business or pursuing a long-held ambition. She reminded us that confidence often comes after action, not before it.
For many South Asian women, cultural expectations and fear of failure can become barriers to growth. Shivani’s journey demonstrated the power of trusting yourself, embracing uncertainty and creating a career on your own terms.
Why Spaces for South Asian Women Matter
One of the strongest themes throughout the evening was representation.
When South Asian women see other women building successful businesses, leading organisations, speaking on stages and creating social impact, it broadens what feels possible.
Professional networking events, leadership development opportunities and supportive communities play an important role in helping women build confidence, expand their networks and access opportunities that may otherwise feel out of reach.
At Asian Women Mean Business, we believe that visibility matters. When one woman succeeds, she creates permission for others to believe they can too.
Celebrating South Asian Heritage Month Through Community
South Asian Heritage Month is an opportunity to celebrate our culture, history and contributions, but it is also a chance to invest in the future.
By bringing together South Asian women in business, aspiring entrepreneurs, professionals and community leaders, we can create stronger networks, share knowledge and support the next generation of female leaders.
A huge thank you to Shivani and the team at Zindiya for their wonderful hospitality, to Parmi for sharing her story so generously and to every woman who joined us.
The conversations, connections and inspiration from the evening were a powerful reminder that when South Asian women come together, incredible things happen.
Together, we are building the spaces many of us wished existed when we were younger — spaces where women can connect, learn, grow in confidence and create lives and careers that reflect their ambitions.
About Asian Women Mean Business
Asian Women Mean Business is a professional development and networking community supporting South Asian women through leadership development, confidence building, business growth, mentoring, networking events and personal development opportunities. Our mission is to help South Asian women dream bigger, become more visible and achieve their full potential.
