The Era of Women Entrepreneurs - How to Become One
“If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman
”
Never before have women had the power they do today; never have they been as carefully heard, believed, acknowledged, and respected as they are today. But things aren’t done with yet. The dialogue has changed and so has the climate; we’re seeing a deliberate, conscious move forward, and we live for the day when talking about women’s rights will stop altogether, and the rights will just be.
We live for the day when the gender prejudice will stop, and we’ll be appreciated for our individual capacities, divorced from our gender, age, origin, or any other, commonly (ab)used a parameter. Or, in the words of Susan B. Anthony: “Men, their rights, and nothing more; women, their rights, and nothing less.” And till that day comes we will continue to shine our brightest light, we will continue to empower our fellow sisters, we will continue to rise stronger, smarter, and wiser every day – both for ourselves and others.
For all of the women out there who are just starting out or have long been investing in their education and progress, in their truths, mindfulness, and growth hoping to become women bosses, here’s the list of the most important segments to consider:
Forget about “You don’t have it in you”
Remember this: no one is born an entrepreneur, a business mogul, a boss; one becomes that. Change your mindset from “I can’t” to “I can”, and you’ll change your life; act on your idea, and you’ll win.
To get to the point where you don’t even need to introduce yourself because people know who you are, you’ll need to work a lot. Do know that success doesn’t come over night, not unless you are chasing temporary acclaim. Building an empire takes years, it takes wisdom and experience; it takes failure and potentially starting over a million times. But, you can do it. Prepare yourself mentally for the battle ahead, the one you may lose with yourself (and others) plenty of times, but the one that will pay off in the long run. Don’t let anyone catch you off guard and tell you that you are not cut out for this. Let your ambition, your intellect, your business plan and perseverance take you straight to success.
Have a clear idea, and a proper plan
The fact that you like the IDEA of being your own boss, and actually BEING one are two different things. You need to have an ACTUAL IDEA for the business you want to run and a proper plan explaining the execution of that idea.
Lay out the idea and do the research on whether it already exists; if it does, find your way around launching it differently
Find someone experienced to help you out with building your business plan; an advisor is your best bet as they’ll help you make a realistic plan based on your budget, envisioned dynamics, etc.
Get mentally prepared for the fact that you won’t have a proper ROI for about two years from the moment you start
Find investors or silent partners willing to start the collaboration
Put your short-term and long-term goals on a list, and do your best to honor them
Take one sheet of a3 paper and write down previous five points; put them in the most visible place and update it every time you make a change in your plan.
Decide on your managing style and stick to it
One thing’s for sure: your college/Uni education is the perfect base for your entrepreneurial endeavors but it is not the answer to everything. When you get into university and graduate, you are king; when you get into an office with no leadership style whatsoever, you are the weak link.
Entrepreneurship and working with people is like humanity itself: it keeps changing and evolving, it keeps challenging you – and, unless you get on with it, say goodbye to your empire. So, to keep things structured, decide on your managing style and the type of boss you want to be:
What’s going to be your relationship with the employees?
Do you plan on being tough or (too) friendly?
What will be your hiring/firing style?
Will you be a boss or a leader?
Will you adopt a male leadership style or embrace the female leadership approach?
These and similar questions are what you should think about.
Fight gender-based discrimination
Resist getting upset when you are objectified or discriminated based on your gender. Oh, it’ll happen. Although most business people have evolved past treating women like trash, some haven’t. Working with new people, trying to get new clients, sitting through numerous meetings, conferences and whatnot, you’ll definitely meet those who’ll still treat you with disrespect. From physically objectifying you to calling your decisions and actions “irrational, emotional, haste, hectic” (or any other similarly offensive, gender-based adjective), you’ll be the target of external stupidity on a number of occasions. The best way to stay on top of it? Take away it's only power – your attention. Be bigger than anyone’s narrow-mindedness and discrimination, and stay focused on your goal.