A Tribute to our businesswomen
Venkat Raman
venkat@indiannewslink.co.nz
Knowledge and experience may shape one’s attitude towards life and people, but professional competence seasons the character and personality.
Binita Lekinwala is one such entrepreneur who has not only brought pride and joy to her family but also expertise and high standards of service to her clients.
Her ‘Whitney Haircuts Limited’ located at Blockhouse Bay in Auckland is a source of endearment and satisfaction to Binita and her family.
A qualified hair stylist, her hands have embellished the beauty of several celebrities including, high-ranking officials, sports stars, celebrities and others.
‘Lekinwala’ is a well-respected name in New Zealand with the family’s roots and social and community engagement dating back several decades. As a member of this illustrious family, Binita has added dignity and honour with dedication and devotion to her professional pursuits.
Hair Styling and running a high-quality saloon were not a part of her dreams when she migrated to New Zealand in 2011 following her marriage to Rakesh Lekinwala a few months earlier.
Tough market
A Bachelor’s degree in Business (with Computer Science as the major subject), Binita’s passion for running a commercial entity was augmented by her two younger sisters – a finance professional and an events management specialist.
“Like most of our people who migrate to New Zealand, I too could not find a job to commensurate my qualifications. I had to start somewhere and hence through my family contacts, I joined a major supermarket in Mt Roskill. That was just the beginning,” Binita said.
Evincing abiding interest in hairstyles, she secured admission at the ‘Cut Above Academy’, where she learnt grooming men’s hair through theoretical work and practical training alongside highly experienced tutors.
Parental Gift
Her graduation gift was a commercial building owned by her father. The property had earlier accommodated a hair salon and Binita took the risk of establishing her own company.
“That was the best option because most employers insisted on at least two years’ experience. I thought that I could be trained even as I managed the business. It was challenging, which I readily accepted. As an accountant, my father provided financial advice and helped in preparing a business plan,” Binita said.
That was in September 2014; now, two-and-half years later, she and her business are looking up.
Binita inherited strong business ethics and the will to work hard, progress and generate ideas from her father has become part of her daily task alongside barbering. These are now the attributes of her success.
She has established the ‘Whitney Haircuts Charity Programme,’ which regularly supports New Zealand Child Cancer Foundation and The Starship Children’s Hospital.
“My long-term goals are to improve and increase the types of services provided, employ more staff, acquire a larger property for the business, establish branches all over New Zealand and engage more in community welfare projects,” she said.
