Founder, Women Voyagers

It took 10 years for Minna Francis to finally take the plunge and start a for-women travel venture, Women Voyagers — now 11 months old. Previously she had had successful stints as a personal assistant to many CEOs and MDs, through her career spanning 20 years.

She had always been a topper, be it in the 10th boards, her graduation from Delhi University or her secretarial training at New Delhi’s YMCA. “I was earning well and was well-appreciated by my bosses. I even had a flexible working schedule, so I could get back home by 2.30 in the afternoon, by the time my kids returned,” says Francis. Things were going fine, but Francis nurtured a precious dream: “I had been saving up for years to start my business. I did not want to borrow a penny from my parents or husband,” she says. Women Voyagers came after a long, patient wait.

The venture, in a short span, has covered around six destinations domestically in groups of four, which includes Pune, Goa, Lonavla, Mahabaleshwar, Karjat and Kerala and one internationally to Dubai, which saw turn out of 35 women. In fact, during a Goa trip last November, Francis herself drove the clients to the destination. She has finally arrived, she believes.

For years, Francis’ life has revolved around her family’s unsaid expectations and her husband’s transfers. She had to quit her jobs twice to accommodate these constant changes. Her own parents hadn’t let her choose a career, believing that women were better off handling the kitchen (She had to either become an air hostess or a personal assistant). But she didn’t let all of this weigh her down. She fashioned her own wings and took flight.