Nandeeta Maharaj’s entrepreneurial journey began with a simple yet powerful idea: to leverage the power of commerce to create positive social change. With a background in corporate marketing, she had always wanted to contribute more to creating a better society but was unsure of how to make the biggest impact until by chance she came across the social enterprise model.
“I went to an event and the founder of a company talked about how for every meal they sold, they donated one. That was the first time I heard about the social enterprise model — and it made such an impact on me that I left my marketing career and pursued that company until they gave me a role,” she says.
“It changed the trajectory of my career — and pretty much my life. I felt like all my questions had been answered in terms of how I can earn a living while creating an impact,” Nandeeta says.
After four years learning how the social enterprise model worked from the inside, Nandeeta says she had worked out how she could play a role in encouraging more people to support the model.
Her inspired idea was to start Goods4Good— an ecommerce platform that now hosts more than 40 social enterprises selling hundreds of high impact products, including jewellery, hampers, homewares, bath and body products. All products support one of the four pillars of animal welfare, the environment, mental health and poverty alleviation.
“There are over 12,000 social enterprises in Australia right now, but to access them you have to go to their individual sites. I created Goods4Good as a bridge to connect those who want to do good with those already doing good.
“We offer a range of ethical gifts — but it is more than just a gift shop, it is part of a movement that’s changing the way people think about business, and a unique way to support a cause you care about.” says Nandeeta.
Getting a new business up and running wasn’t without challenges, she says, but the fact she had zero business experience didn’t put her off.
“I had never run an e-commerce platform, hadn’t worked retail and had never run my own business — and that was pretty daunting but I was just so passionate about it I had to make it work,” she says.
After completing the Tech Ready Women, Female Founder Startup program, an eight week course supported by the NSW government, Nandeeta says she quickly realised the value of connecting with other entrepreneurs and sought out ways to build her network and learn from others.
“I’ve become part of communities like the Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network (DWEN), which gives me access to resources, it gives me access to platforms, to networking, mentoring, and a community that I would’ve otherwise not had access to.”
DWEN connects female entrepreneurs around the globe with networks, knowledge and insight — and since 2009, Dell has spent over USD$3 billion annually with women and minority owned suppliers and small businesses.
“DWEN helped connect me with a group that invited me to be on podcast, which not only drove customers to my platform, it also connected me with thought leaders, with industry experts, with other entrepreneurs who were going through the same issues that I was going through. It has been invaluable,” she says.
A mentoring program also pairs seasoned entrepreneurs and Dell’s subject matter experts with emerging leaders. This initiative provides invaluable guidance, advice, and support to help mentees navigate challenges and capitalise on opportunities.
While the networking and community focus DWEN has fostered has been an important part of the growth of the business, the technology aspect has also been instrumental.
“Having access to new technologies, and people who I can talk to and get support from is critical, “ Nandeeta says.
When the business was first launched, Nandeeta said it was difficult for potential businesses to understand why they would be part of Goods4Good — the online presence was rudimentary and it was unclear what she was trying to achieve.
“I had no idea how to develop a website and I started out with a very basic one. But, being part of a community meant a website design company supported me in putting together a very beautiful website that makes it very clear what I’m trying to do.
“I had 10 social enterprises on my platform when I launched. I now have about 40 supplying over 250 products. So I’ve grown, but in that time I’ve learned at a really ferocious speed and it wouldn’t have been possible without the networks and communities I have made an effort to be a part of, and most importantly be an active member of,” she says.
For more than a decade, the Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network (DWEN) has brought women entrepreneurs together from around the world to help them connect with each other, scale their businesses, and ultimately succeed. The DWEN community welcomes all levels of entrepreneurs, from start-ups to scale-ups. Joining DWEN will give you access to women entrepreneurs from around the world and valuable resources to grow your business – including the latest technology, access to funding resources, and best practices from a global network of members.
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