Female Entrepreneurs Share their Top Advice for Business Success
Starting a business is easy. Making that business profitable, growing a business while you’re also growing a family and doing both while battling challenges that are unique to women entrepreneurs -- all without selling your soul -- is tough. Being at the helm of a tribe of the most driven women entrepreneurs on the planet allows me to say the following with absolute authority. Yes, creating a successful business on your own terms is tough, but women entrepreneurs are tougher. The good news is that you don’t have to do this alone. For this article, I sought advice from female entrepreneurs from all over the world who are both successful in their own entrepreneurial endeavors and make a habit of mentoring other women. Here is their top advice for their sister entrepreneurs:
Work On Your Mindset and Identity First
“Creating success and wealth is an internal game. In order to successfully make business strategies and opportunities work, we must have the right set of habits, mindsets and attitude to overcome our fears and doubts as we build our empires.
So, my best advice is this: work on your mindset and identity FIRST: identify and decide who you want to be, what you want to have and what you are willing to do to get there. Then once you feel confident in that and have a solid mindset, you can move forward with the strategies and tactics. When all of those things are in alignment there is no way you won’t be successful!”
— Jenn Scalia, Pennsylvania
Ask yourself, "Who do I need to become?"
"Stop asking yourself, "HOW will I achieve this?,”
"What do I need to do? and When?”
Instead, ask yourself "Who do I need to become?" in order to get what I want. This question is game changing. Because if you don‘t upgrade who you are, your future will be a reflection of your past. In order to create the impossible -- or at least something new -- you need to become your future self.
Now.
Start thinking like her, feeling like her and then taking action like her."
— Christina Baier, Germany
Procrastinating and inaction is offensive to business success!
"...Learn to manage your emotions. Your business will only grow as fast as you can grow. Being able to make big bold decisions and then confidently action them with certainty is a skill that depends on you knowing you can and will follow through no matter what.
Sitting on the fence, procrastinating and inaction is offensive to business success! How would you show up in your business if you were the very best, most confident and successful version of yourself? Think about how you would think, act, behave, carry yourself if you already had the success you wanted. Be that person now. Fat loss and business growth are exactly the same. Managing emotions and personal identity and values dictate ones success."
-- Rachel Godfrey, Dubai
Invest In Yourself
"Do not be afraid to invest in yourself! It always seems like the next tool or tech or strategy will solve all your problems in business. But I've found that every dollar I invest in my mind has come back to me tenfold. The investments that you make in your mind and mindset are ones that don't depreciate over time, and they're the ones that will truly help to change your business, and life, for the better. Your mindset is the one thing that you will always carry with you. The more resilient and disciplined you are in this area, the more success you'll see."
--Laura McAffrey, New York
Find A Supportive Community of Like-Minded Women
"Know that you don't, and shouldn't have to, go it alone. Find a supportive community of like-minded peers, not necessarily ones in your field, but other women who who will be your well-wishers and cheer you on. It makes a world of difference to have a network for developing the resilience and perseverance we need as women entrepreneurs.”
—Barrie Risman, Canada
Trust in Yourself
“Trust in yourself and your abilities. Bottom line, success is an inner game and you must back yourself, continuously, every single day. After that, you need to continue to take aligned action, action that moves you forward and showcases you, your zone of awesomeness and helps your audience move forward.”
Nicola Moras, Australia
Despite these women being from all over the world, and in entirely different businesses, each with their own niche and focus, the success plan seems obvious and simple: Bet on yourself, work on yourself, find the support you need and take daily action. Here’s to us, creating businesses that shatter the statistics and inspire others to do the same!
Written by B. Michelle Pippin
Read more posts by B. Michelle Pippin