by Denise Damijo | Featured Contributor
Starting a business for anyone can be tough and will take a lot of courage and grit to see it thrive. As women, we tend to have a lot more on our plate, especially when we have a family to take care of. The many hats that we wear while keeping our dreams and aspirations alive can feel almost impossible. There is a way for you to make your dreams a reality by learning the 3 things women need to overcome in their journey to success.
1. Doubting Your Strengths
In life and in business, sometimes your only option is to go out on your own and be your own boss in order to make the money that you want and deserve, spend the quality time with your family that you desire, and to fulfill your inate desire of purpose. In those moments, you have to know that you are not alone. Did you know that according to the NAWBO (National Association Of Women Business Owners) as of 2015:
- More than 9.4 million firms are owned by women, employing nearly 7.9 million people, and generating $1.5 trillion in sales as of 2015.
- Women-owned firms (51% or more) account for 31% of all privately held firms and contribute 14% of employment and 12% of revenues.
- One in five firms with revenue of $1 million or more is woman-owned.
- 4.2% of all women-owned firms have revenues of 1 million or more
Out of all the women building and thrive in the “owning their own business world”, you have got to know that you are not alone and someone is dealing with the exact same situation that you are dealing with while trying to build your business. Connecting with like minded women who are going through and know and understand what you are going through is a huge strength that will help you through out your journey.
2. The Guilt Trip
It is so easy to guilt yourself into believing that you are not being fair to your children or your spouse by building a successful and profitable business. There are two parts to this equation:
- Legacy is so important. Truly, living life is not getting easier, it is getting more expensive, and more in demand. Having the ability to build a business so that you can eventually have more time with your family and also leave a legacy is more important and needed than ever.
- Your spouse may love and want to provide for you and your family and that is ok. That being said, we have all been taught in school, at work, and in many other different scenarios that two is better than one. Splitting the load (income, household duties, and the care of the children) in two will help you progress faster and with less stress.
There is no need to feel guilty for wanting more and better for you and your family. Striving to get there is essential and you should never feel guilty for that.
3. The Misconception of What a Female Business Owner Means to YOU
Many times you may think that being a female business owner means more flexibility, or more money, and not giving up on your dreams. Even though that all of that is usually true, these things go deeper. More flexibility for you may mean being able to better coordinate a time with your spouse so you won’t have to have a babysitter or put your children in daycare. Or it may mean that you have more time to spend with a sick or aging family member. More money can mean an extra 5 or 10 thousand dollars a year to pay off some debt that you acquired or it could mean building a multi-million dollar business so that you can travel, invest more, and help others. Not giving up on your dreams may be just as simple as building something that is bigger than yourself or as complex as being the first person in your family to do a particular thing.
Once you have taken what it means to be a female business owner deeper and to the root of what that means specifically for you and your family, you will be able to lose the guilt easier, find your strength, and really become that Boss Woman that you desire to be.
Denise Damijo featured contributor Bio
Hello, I’m the Founder & CEO of Denise Damijo International, LLC where I run a successful business helping other entrepreneurs find the holes in their business and helping them to create an achievable plan for them to be successful in their life and business.
I’m a #1 Bestselling author of “When you’re Done Expecting” and have also been featured in places like the Huffington Post, Addicted2Success, Ready Magazine, Elite Daily, Leaders In Heels, and more.
Connect with me.
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