It goes without saying that there has been a clear evolution as far as career paths and choices for women go. There was a time when the only acceptable occupation involved folding bed sheets and being a glitzed up stay-at-home mom. We all know which kind of time period we’re talking about here.
Not only is the working woman a common occurrence in the 21st century, but the tendency to claim independence has been more obvious than ever. Some ladies are even choosing to say goodbye to traditional employment and to start up their own business that they can be fully in control of. Despite of all the social evolutions, being a female entrepreneur still isn’t piece of cake.
Fortunately, with the right amount of ambition, dedication, and the will to pursue a goal without paying a lot of attention to obstacles, anything is possible. Some ladies have managed to walk the path of entrepreneurship and they’ve come out on top. In order to encourage more women to take matters into their own hands, they’ve shared some vital tips to help any aspiring womanpreneur to stand ahead of her own business.
Check out these business lessons:
Kelsey Ramsden, Founder of 4 Companies
Despite the fact that she’s so very young, Ramsden is the founder of four companies, something that earned her the title of Canada’s Top Female Entrepreneur. Her journey wasn’t easy and it was definitely a situation in which we could say she started from the bottom and now she’s here, standing on top of a $50 million empire built from all of her businesses.
For all those wondering if they could possibly step in her shoes, she had to offer some surprisingly simple tips that every woman should know before diving in the world of entrepreneurship.
Never for the Money
In other words, if your main reasoning for entering the world of entrepreneurship revolves around the attractive prospect of cashing in some big dollar signs, you might just be in for a lot of disappointment. It’s not that a successful business doesn’t bring this immense financial support, but any entrepreneur who’s been polished by years of experience knows that there lies a rocky road ahead. Money will be the last thing to come your way.
Look in the Mirror
How we handle success and failure is already a well-known factor in the right direction, but there is another important step that needs to be taken beforehand. Look in the mirror and realize that you’re the pillar of your own accomplishments. Be certain you can look at yourself completely objectively so you can point out the weakest links about yourself. In conclusion, be honest with yourself, even if it might be brutal.
Jenn Aubert, Author
Jenn Aubert is the author of “Women Entrepreneur Revolution: Ready! Set! Launch!,” a book which was conducted on the premise of deciphering the key to success for women who wish to enter the world of entrepreneurship but face various struggles. In order to write the piece, she interviewed a generous number of women in order to pluck out some secrets.
Networking for Natural Connectors
The basis for Aubert’s work is that women are “natural connectors,” but that they somehow manage to have trouble establishing connections as they’re starting up businesses. She concludes that a quick and easy solution to this issue is to seek out networks focused on female entrepreneurship. Establish a goal, find people to talk to, get to know them as normal humans, and then keep in touch to help your businesses grow.
Don’t Be Alone
Finances and hard work aren’t the only challenges faced by a rookie entrepreneur. Sometimes you need to vent out about really specific things to other people, but we can’t imagine friends, family, or other acquaintances would be able to relate when they’re not part of this particular field. This ties back into the matter of networking and why it’s so important. It can be tough for anyone to stay “zen” when there is stress you can’t really release.
Annie Liao Jones, Principal & CEO of Rock Candy Media
When trying to formulate some coherent advice for all rookies in the world of women-led businesses, Jones’s thoughts first went to her childhood and the spiritual advice that was given by her father. She owes a lot to his advice for helping her grow strong enough to be able to balance out two strikingly different types of business.
Solitude and Fire-Forged Relationships
Going back to the mention of Jones’s father, she confessed that she’s been followed her whole life by two tips he’d given her – that business-owning is incredibly lonely and that she shouldn’t ever let her generosity disappear. As she grew up, she couldn’t help but agree with him on the part about loneliness, though she claims that she finds solace in the fact that most of her clients are also business-owners who can relate to the experience.
When trying to think up any regrets, she said that, if given the opportunity, she would think twice about hiring any middlemen. In the context of such a lonely career path, it’s more important than ever to forge genuine and lasting relationships with your people. Middlemen seemed only to interfere with the natural development of a bond between her and the core team.
Amanda Wilks is a Boston University graduate and a Contributing Editor at Job Application Center. She has a great interest in everything related to job-seeking, career-building, and entrepreneurship and loves helping people reach their true potential.
Great list. I’d love to add a throw back person. Mary Kay set up a lot of women to be entrepreneurs.