The Top 9 Tips Every Woman Entrepreneur Needs to Know
Female entrepreneurs are fierce, courageous, and inspiring. They are business-minded ladies who have the ability to look at a problem and find solutions that others might not see. They are educated, independent women with drive, determination, and an acute sense of self-awareness. Whether you’re still dreaming about starting your own business or you’ve already taken the plunge into entrepreneurship, these tips will help empower you to reach your potential as a female entrepreneur. As a business owner yourself, you know how challenging it is to stand out from the crowd in any field. But when you add in the double whammy of being a woman on top of that well, it gets even tougher. Nevertheless, there is no challenge so great that it can keep an intrepid woman from succeeding.
1. Know your worth
You need to know that you are every bit as good as a man in your industry. In fact, you might be even better because of your different perspective. This is not to say that you should demand more because you are a woman, but rather that you should be paid what you deserve based on your skills, experience, and level of expertise. Know your worth, and don’t get drawn into discussions about what others may say is “normal” for your particular industry or situation. You have to understand that this is a competitive world, and you have to learn how to negotiate your worth from day one.
2. Be unapologetically you
You might feel pressure to adapt your personality, style, and brand to fit a certain societal or industry expectation. You might feel like you need to change who you are or how you present yourself to succeed. In the beginning, you probably want to conform to the norms of your industry or of business in general. That’s completely normal. But as you grow as an entrepreneur and as a leader, you’ll likely find yourself wanting to remain true to yourself. Most successful entrepreneurs are unapologetically themselves. They have a clear vision of who they are, what they want, and what they stand for. Most importantly, they have the courage to be themselves in every situation, in every interaction, and with every person they meet.
3. Show up and own the room
You have to be confident and not be afraid to fail. If you’re not confident, you’ll probably stay quiet. You may not speak up at meetings or in business situations, and your ideas and suggestions will go unheard. You’ll also be overlooked for certain opportunities that may be beneficial for your career or your business. You need to be aware of your surroundings, be prepared for any situation, and be willing to speak up with confidence when the time is right. This can be difficult for any person, but especially for women who may feel the need to be submissive to be liked or accepted. In business, you need to be sure of yourself and your ideas. You can’t be afraid to take risks and make mistakes.
4. Stay flexible and be agile
As a female entrepreneur, you may encounter instances in which you need to be flexible and agile. For example, if you’re attempting to secure funding for your company, you may have to be flexible and willing to accept a lower funding amount than expected. Or, if a deal falls through, you may need to be agile and adjust your strategy to find another partner or investor. Whatever your business, you will experience these moments in which you need to bend and flex to keep moving forward. You need to be aware of these moments and be willing to shift on the fly. Many successful entrepreneurs talk about the importance of being open to change and even welcome it. Entrepreneurship is an ever-changing landscape, and you need to be adaptive enough to navigate the twists and turns as they come your way.
5. Network, network, network!
You have to meet new people, engage them, maintain those relationships, and stay current on their progress. Networking is important regardless of your industry, but it’s particularly important for entrepreneurs. This is because you’re likely going to need funding at some point, and you need to be connected to people who know people who can help you find it. Network with the people in your field, but also build relationships with people who have skills and experiences that you don’t have. Every person you meet, no matter how seemingly unimportant and unrelated to your field, may have a tip or a helpful connection that can propel your business or career to the next level.
6. Leverage your strengths
You should be identifying your natural talents, skills, and abilities and finding ways to use them in your business. For example, if you are a very caring and empathetic leader, you should be using those strengths to build an amazing team and retain employees who love to work for you. If you have a gift for public speaking, you should find ways to share your message with larger audiences. If you have the ability to think outside the box and find creative solutions to problems, you should be bringing those skills to your business every day. When you leverage your strengths, you are also showing others — customers, investors, employees, etc. — that you have what it takes to lead a company or be a valuable member of a team.
7. Celebrate the wins
This means recognizing your accomplishments, even if they are small. It means patting yourself on the back from time to time because you are doing a great job! Celebrating the wins doesn’t mean you’re being arrogant or self-absorbed. It means that you are confident and recognize that your efforts are paying off. It also means that you’re grateful for the small accomplishments as well as the large ones. You should celebrate every win, no matter how seemingly insignificant it may seem.
8. Help others succeed
As an entrepreneur, you need to help others succeed. You need to mentor those who are following in your footsteps, and you need to mentor those who are currently in your industry. You need to be generous with your time and advice, and you need to be a mentor who is willing to share her knowledge and experience with others. You also need to support other women in your industry and be willing to help them succeed. You need to be a part of the women’s entrepreneurial movement and support other business owners, no matter their gender.
9. Take care of yourself
You need to make sure that you are getting enough sleep, eating the right foods, and finding time for yourself each week. You need to make sure that you are taking care of your mental, physical, and emotional health. You need to make sure that you’re not burning yourself out. You need to make sure that you’re not putting 100% of your energy into your business and ignoring the other aspects of your life. You need to make sure that you are not neglecting your friends and family. You also need to make sure that you are taking time for yourself to relax and unwind from the stresses of the day.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that entrepreneurship is an extremely challenging journey. It's not just about having a great business idea and starting out on the right foot. It's not just about having the right skill set and hiring the right people to help grow your business. It's not just about having the right amount of capital. It's not just about having a high-quality product or service. It's not just about being able to market your products or services.
It's not just about having a great idea. It's not just about having the right business plan. It's not just about understanding your target audience. It's not just about having a high-quality product or service. It's not just about having the right amount of capital. It's not just about having the right skill set and hiring the right people to help grow your business. It's not just about having a great business idea and starting out on the right foot. Visit Womenwire.com to learn more about how to succeed in business and in life as a female entrepreneur.