Hy Local Guides,
Love is in the air and today is kind of a special day. As you know, I started the Love is in the Air (and on the map) Challenge with @TusharSuradkar being a core participant and doing “I 
Sign” . I invite every Local guide to join in the Challenge and Tushar’s “I Sign” (I sign can be seen across the world).
Let’s get into the topic. Today is Chocolate Day in Valentine’s Week and World Marriage Day. I wish every married/soon to be married local guides, a Happy Marriage day and give your partner a chocolate to celebrate this Valentine’s Week.
Meet Gayathri who is a Business Owner of Amolika Design Store in Vazuthakadu, Kerala. The Studio is situated in Trivandrum where I am from. She is also a mother and has a beautiful designing studio. You may ask, what’s in love and support women-owned businesses have in common right? She owns a Bridal boutique and today is Marriage Day, so now you can know where I am going with right 
.
Let’s hear what she wants to tell the community!
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Tell us about your business.
Answer : She said Amolika is a designing Studio and Bridal Boutique where they had a designing and stitching studio for Marriage/ bridal Dresses.
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Are there any women in your team?
Answer : She added - Team consists of 30 staff and out of that, 20 are women.
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How does your business support inclusivity and equality?
Answer: She said - anyone who is getting married or being engaged or wants a dress can visit the studio and they are warmly welcome. Moreover they have customers from LGBTQ+ community
. She wanted to increase the team number as to give jobs to locals and those who looking for jobs (inclusively). -
How do you think Google Maps comes in help for women-owned Businesses?
Answer: She said - she can now see more Women-owned Businesses in Google Maps. She was also happy when i said, we have intiative by @AjitThite to support local businesses and local women-owned businesses. She said Google Maps gives an opportunity for women owned businesses to come forward and start their business. She also added that “identifies as women-owned” helps others soon to be opening women-owned businesses with a support and mind that there’s a platform for women-owned businesses
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How did Google Maps help your business?
Answer: She said - she has been getting more appointments and orders after getting to the Map Profile. Adding phone numbers also has helped to get online orders. She also added one more thing that Navigation to her business by a customer was helped by Google Maps as she would send Maps links to the customer for in-store services.
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Anything you want to do add/say.
Answer : She said - even though Wheelchair Accessibility
is not possible as there’s stairs to the shop but she is happy to come with team and their products to downstairs.
I hope you guys like what Gayathri wants to say this Valentine’s week and as part of Support Local Women-owned Businesses.
I thank Gayathri for giving such a wonderful interview and insights into women owned business.
Also Women Inspirer Series has been going on by @Globe_trotter_Ish and last date to fill the form for the Women local guides is till 12th February, 2025.
Share any unique women-owned businesses in your area in comment or as a post!
#loveisintheair
. Yoo can also support local women owned businesses by doing as a post in here!
