Being a female entrepreneur brings its own challenges, not only to the way you manage but the way you communicate and present yourself. I am not saying that male entrepreneurs don’t have challenges, they do, and I won’t discount that at all, however, some of the challenges we face are different. For example, recently I saw a REEL from a successful woman who tells her viewers that she consistently gets asked who is watching her kids when she’s at work, but her husband who is equally successful doesn’t get asked this question.
Until we do not have equality in pay, lifestyle, and societal expectations it’s important for us to highlight ways to draw success. That’s why today I want to focus on ways female entrepreneurs can find and build success.
There are 3 simple keys to finding success outside of building a brand experience and a valuable product or service. Let’s dive in.
1. Find your Community
Being a part of a mastermind group has significantly changed the way I see and act in my business. I chose to be a part of a mastermind group of female entrepreneurs, at various different levels in their business journey. Our lifestyles, ages and even businesses may be different, but we all face similar challenges. We meet every 6 weeks or so to discuss our “roses and thorns.” This allows each of us to learn and engage with each other. The more we chat the more we realize how similar some of our challenges are, be it managing a family, self-esteem or other struggles that our male counterparts may not understand or value, simply because they are not faced with it. Together we find solutions or give each other recommendations that really help. Building my community has allowed me to find space where I can discuss my challenges openly and free of judgment. I used to think I could always vent to girlfriends or my sisters but some of the problems you face as business owners can only be resolved by discussing them with other business owners. This is hard to see when you are not searching for it or in these circles. I know one of my entrepreneur friends always says, working in corporate she never felt the same sense of community as she does around female entrepreneurs who are really looking to share the wealth of knowledge. So, expand your horizons and find ways to build a community that supports each other. Remember you are not just limited to your mastermind group - but anyone and everyone you network with!
2. Understand it’s ok if you’re not for everyone
When I first started Roop Creative Agency, I actually hid parts of my persona. Why? Because I wanted to come across neutral. This is what I thought would work. It is a mistake that many women make - I see it all the time with my clients as well. At times we are afraid to accept our feminine energy and choose to suppress it because we want to be taken seriously.
It wasn’t until I met my good friend, Agnes from Pure Studios, asked me who the majority of my clients were. This was my lightbulb moment. Almost 90% of my clients were female. I was so set on being neutral that I wasn’t being anything. From this moment on I focused on my persona, celebrating my femininity which comes across in brand experience and marketing. When I started to do this, many friends and family members questioned me, mind you, most of them don’t run businesses, however, they all told me that my brand was too bold, too feminine and wouldn’t attract “all” business owners. My response was always the same, “thank you for your advice,” yet I continued with what felt right to me.
The result? I attract my dream clients and guess what? I do have male clients too but most of them generally come in from female recommendations or counterparts. So, by focusing on what works for me, I’m able to build the client base that I want. This is a recommendation I make to my clients and at first, they may hesitate but the minute they jump on board they realize the results are worth it!
It’s ok if you’re not for everyone, in fact, you shouldn’t be for everyone, you should be focused on your niche and trust me when you bring them in, everyone else will follow.
3. Ask for what is yours
This is something I see many women around me struggle with. From my friends to my sisters to my clients. As women, especially women of colour, we are sometimes afraid of taking up space or asking for what ours is rightfully ours. I won’t lie - I struggle with this too. But one thing I’ve learned from my dad, husband and male counterparts is that if you don’t ask for it, you’ll never know.
Finding your value as a female entrepreneur isn’t always numbers-based but can come from titles, recognition and more. People aren’t going to take you seriously if you, yourself treat your business like a hobby. State your claim, state your value and don’t be afraid to ask for something you think you deserve.
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There you have it 3 simple keys to help you find success. Be sure to share this with your community and let’s build something amazing together! #FemaleBusinessOwners #IWD #FindingSuccess #BuildingCommunity #entrepreneurs #femaleentrepreneurs
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