CEO & Chairperson at Upload Yourself Systems Ltd
Upload Yourself Systems Ltd is a software development & web solution provider in Bangladesh.
I was born in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Ever since I was a little girl, I have dreamed to create my own business.
I completed a Masters in the Nutrition sector, and started to work in a research organization.
At that point in time, I realized that there were more and more opportunities in the IT sector, which made me think and get interested in it. I undertook a degree in Graphics and Web Development. When I graduated, I easily found a position as a Graphic Consultant in a Bangladeshi company. From this time on, I made more and more connections with Indian software companies, and I decided to create my own business in 2003.
My business was a software development and web-solution provider company. Initially, I worked with local companies. But most Bangladeshi companies were not interested yet in IT, and I decided to go abroad, and settled strong business relationsships with American and Danish companies. Today, Upload Yourself Systems is a 100% export oriented company, and I am proud to say that 30% of our staff are women.
What would you say are the most challenging and the most satisfying aspects of your work?
A very challenging aspect of my work, at the beginning, was the fact that I was a woman, and that customers would not always be confident in the fact that it was a woman running the company.
They would think that it was more of a hobby for me than a real job. It was hard to impose myself as a reliable and trustworthy person, a person competent in the IT sector. I had to perform more than my male peers, and to offer free services at first to attract customers to my business. This is at the same time a satisfying aspect of my work as now I am well known and considered for my work.
Another satisfying aspect was the fact that while creating my own business, I also had the chance to create opportunities for other women in my country.
What qualifications or certifications did you attain in order to reach your professional goals?
At first I didn't study in the IT sector. People think that you need an IT background to work in IT, but this is wrong. However, did a degree in Graphics and Web Development.
What matters more if you want to run your own company, you have to do things perfectly, and you need to focus on quality. This is the key of success!
If there is one message you would like to convey to young women to encourage them to consider a profession in the ICT sector, what would it be?
ICT can contribute comfortably and consequently to the cause of women. Even if in Bangladesh, the perception is that women are better at managing the household than a business… Women have talent, and there is a lot of educated women. The only problem is that they don’t know they can contribute to this sector.
Besides, you can enjoy a lot of flexibility. As my company is working with foreign companies, I can organize myself with the time difference;: I dedicate my morning to my family, and the afternoon and late afternoon to business meeting that I can run from home. This is a very important point for women, the flexibility of time.
Women can do a lot, we have to believe in that and tell it to the world. This profession cannot be seen at first as a profession for women, but there is so much more room for women in IT! Girls just need to have the information earlier to be able to choose the right sector that suits them better.
Young girls have to think about it early, they need to explore this new sector before making up their mind. Girls really should have their own identity from the beginning.
Farhana Rahman talks about her company, market trends and the challenge & benefits of being a women
