VT WIN Entrepreneur HerStory: Akshata Nayak, Founder of Little Patakha
HerStory:  Akshata Nayak, Founder of Little Patakha
February 22, 2022
5:00pm ET to 6:30pm ET
Zoom | Free

Join us on February 22, 2023 to hear Akshata Nayak tells HerStory of designing a book so her daughter could learn her her native language, Konkani. And how this single idea blossomed into Little Patakha, a minority woman-owned media company that helps young minds discover a diverse world of different people, stories and ideas.

Akshata was born and brought up in Bangalore, India. She moved to the US in 2003 and earned two Master of Science degrees, in Biochemistry and Applied Clinical Nutrition. She is a serial entrepreneur with Little Patakha being her third successful business. Over the years, it became obvious to her that even though women and BIPOC business owners have plenty of ideas, they hold back in recognizing their efforts, expressing opinions and asking for the support they need. Representation is vital within the business community and she now plays an active role in the ecosystem that empowers these entrepreneurs, especially in her home state of Vermont, to believe in themselves and give their ideas a chance.

Little Patakha
Five years. That is the age by when biases about gender, race and culture set in. However, research shows that inclusive messaging can change these attitudes in just a few weeks.

Yet, a survey of children's media found more books with animals as the main characters than all the minorities combined! And stereotypes abound in storylines with strong boys more likely to be heroes and image-oriented girls more likely to use magic to solve problems rather than their knowledge or physical abilities.

This is contrary to what children need and, based on in-depth analyses by multiple media outlets, also against what parents want. Such a staggering discrepancy creates a huge socio-cultural and business opportunity.

Enter Little Patakha.

A patakha is a firecracker, just like children who are all full of potential and need a spark of encouragement.

Launched in 2021, Little Patakha is a children's media company based in Vermont. It introduces young minds to diverse ideas, sounds and people they normally wouldn't come across. It is a brand with a unique personality and consistent style building a comprehensive portfolio of different media for different stages of development, all focused on promoting inclusion. Products include books, games, puzzles and other media developed around three themes – look beyond stereotypes to nurture self- respect and inspire acceptance, inclusive stories around STEAM subjects to make them more accessible to everyone and learn a language as a stepping stone to understanding new cultures.

Agenda for Zoom Online Event:

5:00pm –  VT WIN intros and meeting guidelines
5:10pm – HerStory: Akshata Nayak
5:50pm – Time for Q&A with Akshata
6:15pm – Open Discussion / Wrap Up

As always, there will be time for a discussion and sharing ideas.

Vermont Women's Investors Network believes strongly in being an inclusive and diverse network.  While we appreciate our male allies, this event is free and open to all WOMEN, no matter their path, life experiences or relationships, to discover and achieve their economic goals in alignment with their values.