Being an entrepreneur and a woman has both upsides and challenges. Like in any career, you may face adversity or feel the need to prove yourself as a successful entrepreneur. Though women around the world are making waves towards equality in the workforce, there is still work to be done. This can be intimidating in any workplace but it’s difficulties may be even more prevalent when you are an entrepreneur taking control of your own success. In this article we will look at how we as women can be successful entrepreneurs. We will focus on how to do this in a way that is true to our authentic selves and embraces the power that being a woman brings. Always remember that being a woman entrepreneur is a gift and not a hindrance to success.
Define Your Success
In a previous article we answered the question “How Do People Define Success?”. In it, we broke down definitions of success into four different categories. Financial, positional, relationship and development were all areas that we identified when considering how people define success for themselves. To be successful it is critical that you define what success means to you.
As women, we have many different factors that we may consider when determining success. Though financial success gives us the ability to succeed in other areas of our life we should consider what is truly important to us as individuals. Some women may feel that their success as an entrepreneur goes hand in hand with the ability to raise a family and nurture their relationships. Others may find that they seek fulfilment from positional power or having influence.
No matter how you define success, your success is your truth. Don’t feel that you need to conform to typical (or stereotypical) gender norms for success as a woman. As an entrepreneur you get to call the shots. Own your success and take control of what it means to you.
Be Who You Are
When presenting yourself to clients it is critical that you stay true to yourself and be who you are. Some women may be fearful that they won’t be taken seriously if they don’t act a certain way. Though it is important to be professional in the workplace you don’t have to be anyone but you.
Embrace your unique interests and perspective and show it off as part of who you are. Take credit for the amazing things you have done in the past and present yourself to your clients or customers with confidence. Our article on “How to Be Taken Seriously as a Young Entrepreneur” offers some great tips on being who you are while also being taken seriously.
Remember that your business is a part of who you are. Not being true to yourself will likely not be sustainable. Be you and be authentic and it will serve you well in being successful.
Trust Yourself
Many women feel like they need to get a second opinion before making decisions in many aspects of their life. As an entrepreneur, decisions about your business are no different. Though it is a good idea to speak to professionals and those who have been successful before you, trust your intuition.
You have a vision of your success and an idea of what you want your business to look like. Don’t let naysayers stop you from moving forward and being successful. Getting advice and being well informed when making decisions is important. But you, and you alone, hold the power to do what’s right for your business.
If you are feeling stuck it is a good idea to reach out to your support system for help. Talk it over and hear others out, but always go with your gut. When all else fails and you really aren’t sure consider speaking with an entrepreneur coach. Learn about how to find a good life coach and get support you in trusting yourself and finding the success you desire.
Don’t Be Afraid of Failure
An important part of being a successful entrepreneur is not being afraid of failure. It is likely that at some point in your entrepreneurial journey will fail. But failures can provide us with new insight and help us do better and succeed in the future. It’s not easy but embracing failure can directly improve your ability to succeed.
Don’t get stuck thinking that everything has to be perfect to get started. Take action and get started. Though there are many factors that contribute to success you will never be successful if you don’t take meaningful action. You won’t be able to predict when you fail but always try to fail forward and learn along the way.
Set Boundaries
Women often feel pressure to do it all. Whether it be taking care of a family while running a business or simply saying yes to every opportunity, we feel pressure. This can be overwhelming and leave you feeling burnt out. In order to help prevent burnout women entrepreneurs need to set boundaries.
Be clear with yourself and others about what your expectations and limits are. Take small steps to ensure you protect your personal needs. This will help you with your success as it allows you to be true to yourself while staying in control. Consider simple steps like setting strict working hours or giving yourself breaks for self care. You can do it all, but you don’t need to do it all the time.
Give Yourself Permission
When answering the question, how to be a successful woman entrepreneur, it is important to consider the big picture. The tips we have described above are helpful in allowing you to be successful as an entrepreneur while being true to yourself.
Don’t get caught up in thinking that you can’t do something or must do things a certain way. Give yourself permission to be who you are and allow yourself to succeed by sharing your unique gifts. Women entrepreneurs are most powerful and successful when they take ownership of their success while being who they are.
