The power of togetherness: how digital knowledge and networks can unlock growth for small businesses globally

In the village of Uktad in India, Sayali Sanjay Kadam suddenly found herself with time on her hands after her children left home to study. She decided to start something new, and brought together ten women to form Kadam Konkani Products - a small business that manufactures regional food items such as ambapoli, kokam, petha and phanaspoli. However, her lack of confidence, coupled with the fact that she lives in such a remote setting, made it difficult to connect with wholesalers and merchants - quickly stalling the business’ ability to grow.

Almost 4,000 miles away, in Poland, lives Dorota Waga. She runs a boutique travel agency called TripYou. Despite a decade of experience, Dorota’s lack of digital knowledge limited her ability to adapt to modern travel and keep up with the pace of bookings that people had become accustomed to.

And in the Philippines, Annabelle Baquiran runs a sari-sari store – a small shop where locals can pick up essentials and exchange stories before starting their day. Her business is part of the daily rhythm of her neighborhood, but, like so many other shop owners in the Philippines, Annabelle struggled to access finance and digital tools.

Identifying barriers to growth

Despite their shared ambitions to move their businesses forward, Sayali, Dorota and Annabelle faced different challenges in growing their enterprises.

Sayali represents one of India’s 22.1 million women-led small businesses. [1]

However, many have limited confidence in and access to the digital and business skills that are needed to thrive in the modern economy.

This same story rings true for Dorota and Annabelle. Global research shows:

• Women are twice as likely as men to cite lack of confidence as a barrier to starting their own business. [2]
• Men are four times more likely than women to have advanced information and communications technology (ICT). [3]
• In the Philippines specifically, just 6% of micro and small businesses use advanced digital tools, and 23% lack any digital tools at all. [4]

Overcoming challenges to build resilient businesses

But for all three women – and millions like them – there are Mastercard Strive initiatives in place to help them overcome these barriers and build financially-resilient businesses.

Sayali’s entrepreneurial journey changed after receiving support through the Mann Deshi Foundation, a Mastercard Strive partner. She completed the “Deshi MBA”, gaining business management and communication skills, and also received digital marketing and payments training through the program, which gave her the confidence to use digital payment platforms and WhatsApp Business. All these newfound skills helped drive business growth.

In Poland, access to Lady Business Club, a Mastercard Strive partner, was the turning point for Dorota. Through its GO DIGITAL platform, she attended free advisory sessions and practical digital training, and was able to implement a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, improving user experience and transforming her business.

And for Annabelle, &frnds, a chat-based AI interface developed with support from the Mastercard Strive program, provided a lifeline. Her orders are now processed faster, and the order history feature helps her to better manage inventory, giving her an advantage in the Philippines.

The power of togetherness to move beyond barriers

For small business owners looking to build financial resilience and grow their business, using an isolated digital or financial tool is rarely enough. What makes the difference is having a trusted network of support. Through its partners, Mastercard Strive provides small business owners with access to these networks across the globe.

In South Asia, a powerful example of this kind of connected ecosystem is the Rural Women Chamber of Commerce (RWCC), run by the Mann Deshi Foundation and supported by Mastercard’s Center for Inclusive Growth as part of the Mastercard Strive program.

In rural communities where women often face limited digital literacy, mobility and access to finance, the RWCC brings women entrepreneurs together under a trusted local network. Through the Chamber, women can learn from one another and collectively access digital upskilling services, key market contacts, and business and finance training - helping them build confidence and strengthen their businesses.

Sayali has since expanded her network and now works with 35 women entrepreneurs associated with the RWCC to resell their products to merchants. This has increased her income and opened up new business opportunities for her peers. She is now able to support her family financially and has taken out a loan to buy a property in Mumbai.

For Dorota, personalized mentorship alongside digital guidance revolutionized her business. Her newfound knowledge resulted in increased bookings, more efficient workflow and a bigger customer base.

And in Annabelle’s case, access to the &frnds platform not only allowed her to turn sales data into actionable insight. It also connected her with tailored credit products, and matched her with industry experts – which made all the difference.

Strengthening ecosystems for sustained impact

Mastercard Strive was created to help small businesses save time, make money and build their financial resilience. To date, more than 30 million entrepreneurs globally have connected with the program to access resources, finding new opportunities to grow and build confidence.

But the work doesn’t stop there. Mastercard Strive – and the wider work of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth – are at the heart of Mastercard’s commitment to connect and protect 500 million people and small businesses on the path to financial health by 2030, building a truly inclusive digital economy for small business owners like Sayali, Dorota and Annabelle.

Footnotes

1. Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, 2024
2. Mastercard Empowerment for All, 2025
3. Women Entrepreneurs in a Digital Future, 2026
4. McKinsey & Company, Digital Banking Revolution in the Philippines, 2023