How To Sustain A Business In Sri Lanka

Creating a startup is no joke.

- Shihaam Hassanali

It’s tough but well worth the sweat and tears. While it’s both challenging and exhilarating to get your brand off the ground and watch it grow, sustaining your biz among the competition, volatile economy, as well as unpredictable market changes will require you to be constantly on your toes. Fortunately, there are things you can do to ensure your business grows sustainably.

We’ve spoken to four boss ladies who’ve redefined what it means to be ambitious, created their businesses from the ground up and are successfully running it. Here are some of their tips on sustaining your business in an ever-changing corporate world.

GROW GRADUALLY

Starting small is a no-brainer. It’s important to hone your brand first before expanding your product or service range. Punya Athukorala, designer and owner of Linen Atelier, always knew she wanted to be both a designer and store owner. But to get to where she is she began by designing clothes for Colombo Fashion Week and Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week five years ago. “I’ve always wanted to have my label so I started supplying my clothes to Cotton Collection and Cool Planet, and I’m still doing it,” she shared. “I focused only on linen fabric and handmade lace, capturing the market. At the time, it was a novel concept, fusing handmade garments with traditional techniques.” Today, Punya has opened her store on Flower Road.