What makes somebody an entrepreneur? Is it skills, talent, perseverance, or sheer good luck? For young Nomrota Sarker, it was perhaps a combination of all these things — along with a strong obsession with deeply researching and studying markets (both local and global) that eventually led her to where she is today.

Fresh out of university with a degree in Economics, Nomrota was keen to try her luck at a venture capital firm. She was tasked with solving fund generation and injection-related issues for founders of struggling business start-ups. Observing these founders tackle their financial challenges up close taught her many of the fundamentals of business.

She had not always planned on starting a business, though. She comes from a family where her father is a private-sector employee, and her mother is a homemaker. Nomrota had always been a foodie, and she claims that this is partly because of her mother's exceptional cooking. It was, apparently, her mother's culinary skills that inspired Nomrota. At a certain point, the entrepreneurial spirit within her seemed to emerge, pushing her to aspire to something beyond her regular work.

One day, Nomrota's friend and current business partner shared an idea that immediately sparked her interest. He asked what she thought about creating premium, restaurant-quality sauces that they would develop themselves while maintaining the highest quality at the lowest possible cost. Both Nomrota and her friend (and potential business partner) began to research and study the condiment market in Bangladesh as thoroughly as was necessary to launch a start-up in one of the most competitive industries in the country.

Nomrota, however, was convinced there was potential in this particular area. After months of research, she discovered that approximately 5% of national imports consist of sauces, flavoured mayonnaise, and dressings. This indicated that people in Bangladesh consume such items regularly, but there were almost no local brands producing them, aside from occasional offerings by restaurants.

Once she and her partner had decided to proceed with launching a brand featuring locally flavoured sauces and mayonnaise to reduce import dependency, they began working on creating a comprehensive business plan. Before that, however, they faced the gargantuan task of convincing their parents of their intentions. Both Nomrota's and her partner's mothers were exceptionally supportive of their idea and served as sounding boards throughout the ideation process for the flavours behind Saus Taus.

It was not all smooth sailing from the outset, however. Following the brand's initial soft launch, they received fantastic feedback, and customers kept returning for their products. At this point, Nomrota's partner proposed that they fully commit to their venture by investing all their time and energy into it, quitting their day jobs for good. This was a risky move, but one that was absolutely essential at the time.

Since Nomrota's father had retirement plans and her mother was a homemaker, she encountered some resistance from her family, especially after revealing her decision to leave her steady job, which was her primary source of income at the time. Furthermore, paying salaries to their employees was no small feat. A significant portion of their investment, which came from their savings, was allocated to covering employee wages and other operational costs. This meant that they had to forego their own salaries to ensure the business got off the ground.

Their sacrifices paid off, however. Within just 14 months, they expanded to approximately 30 flavours across three different packaging sizes, all while securing a major restaurant as a client.

Nomrota's radiant laughter and easy-going demeanour reflect her strength of character. At just 26 years old, she has not only identified a problem in her country but also sought to address it in her own distinctive way. She has accomplished this while ensuring that her business is environmentally friendly and maintains an all-female workforce. Her company even provides daycare facilities and lunch for the children of its employees.

Not only is she carving out a space for herself in Bangladesh's condiment industry, but she also seems poised for a future of global success. According to Nomrota, Stellar Women is a wonderful initiative that highlights women's achievements. Her advice to aspiring female entrepreneurs is to follow their natural instincts, as what comes naturally can be nurtured into a significant strength.

Here's to Nomrota Sarker, the Queen of Condiments, and to her inspiring journey towards putting Bangladesh on the global culinary condiment map!