I’m Maryam Sarim and I formally began my solar power service business, InstaEnergy, in 2020. We initially set up an office in Islamabad, but our business has been conducted online ever since its inception. I started off with a mindset of solving a real-life, meaningful problem after a 17-year corporate career, being witness to the solar industry boom at the time in my country.

In urban Pakistan, electricity bills have always been a source of worry in people’s minds. But the COVID-19 pandemic worsened the situation, causing further stress to the monthly financial burden on families. It was a great opportunity for my brand to step in and offer a cost-effective, environment-friendly, and reliable alternative in the form of solar energy.

My business has been geared towards how we could make it a solution for the people, besides the environment. We have worked out financial solar plans with several banks to offer affordable ways to switch to solar energy. This has encouraged several people to order services from us, as we offer to set up the entire solar plant on the rooftop of homes. Over time, we have been able to increase our eco-friendly business by 5 times.

An online approach to the business has paved the way for steady growth despite the problems of the pandemic. Facebook has given us a great boost in business, contributing to 20% of our overall sales. Therefore, using site assessment and technology, InstaEnergy has been able to further its aspirations of being a people-centric solar energy brand.

As a woman, I think I carry the advantage of being able to maintain corporate standards while inspiring novel approaches to business. So I think it is very important to encourage more women to be entrepreneurs. Together, we can offer the world a sustainable and equitable future!