She Owns It

Celebrating, Connecting, and Supporting Women Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurship After 50: Courage or Insanity? by @wendykrichards

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If you want someone to hire you after your 50th birthday, you may need look no further than the reflection in the mirror.

The smile on my face was beginning to head south and I knew it was time to make a run for the door. I was attending a luncheon with a large group of women 50+ whose lighthearted conversation was totally out of my comfort zone. About to make my excuses, someone finally asked a question that caught my attention and deserved an honest answer. Sitting back down and rubbing my hands together to dive into an interesting debate, I was in the mood to be the nay in a room full of yeas.

The Question

I decided raising my family was more important than a career. So I temporarily put my plans on hold until the kids were old enough to fend for themselves. Is it too late to go back to school, complete my education and apply for work?

This woman did what many of our generation were told we were supposed to do. Her question was relevant and to be taken seriously. Unfortunately, what she received were platitudes.

Of course! You’re never too old to educate yourself or start a new career. What a great idea!

The Bad News – Ageism

I decided to play the devil’s advocate and tell this woman the truth. No, it was not a good idea. Not if that education was in order to get hired. Face it lady, you are too old. Take a look around at job sites such as Indeed, Glassdoor and Workopolis and sift through jobs for older workers. It shouldn’t take long to find that Walmart greeter position.

Age discrimination is alive and well in North America. No one is going to hire you. You will hear excuses such as: you are over-qualified, you’re not a good fit, we’ll get back to you. Hilarious – they won’t. Take a look on LinkedIn for photos of “meet our new team”. How many faces do you see over 45 besides the owner?

What those HR recruiting algorithms are telling you is that you are over the hill and too much money. They are looking for two 20-somethings at half your expected salary.

The Good News – Why are You Applying for Jobs to Make Someone Else Rich?

Are you feeling brave? Have you considered taking all that life experience and work ethic and employing yourself? If so, consider joining the club of crazy entrepreneurs! At your age, you probably have a pretty good idea of what you want to do (baker, home stager, barber, dog trainer) and willingness to pore yourself into your passion.

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” ~ C.S. Lewis

I’m a Late Bloomer. Until I was in my 50s, I worked at jobs I had no passion for but paid well enough to raise my kids. When the time came for them to fly the coop, I did too. I disengaged my life’s autopilot and decided it was time. There was no shortage of well-meaning friends telling me I might be a touch too old as they looked forward to retirement in warm places. What they didn’t know is I’d spent all my money raising kids and didn’t have two cents to rub together. So ignoring their kind advice, I formed a plan.

“…Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.”

~ Robert Frost

With one credit card to my name, I borrowed money to go back to school to become certified in tourism, took every available free and not so free on-line course, researched destinations, tours, hotels and suppliers, and reached out to anyone who could help me get into the business. I attended networking events, spent my own money to travel to trade shows, and read industry magazines on the bus to and from work.

There were days I thought I was out of my mind. So I would ask myself this question: If I don’t do this, what were my options?

  1. I live no better than I am today, keep buying lottery tickets and eventually die.
  2. I keep going and see if I can create some magic. What did I have to lose?

Fast forward 10 years and I now consider myself pretty successful as an independent  Virtuoso luxury travel consultant. Over time, I narrowed down my niche and love what I do. I also find time to write articles, blogs and get started on my book. But more importantly, I work for and love my boss – me, myself and I. The sounds emanating from my home office consist of chirping birds in the tree outside my open window. What a life!

The Bottom Line

I recommend you start by reading Jane Park’s insightful article published in Forbes.com Are Entrepreneurs Really the Happiest People on Earth? It might help you decide if you’re up to the task.

So how much do you really want success after 50? It can take a year or 10 before things click. Being an entrepreneur is not for the faint of heart. Be careful – you are about to find out the stuff you are made of. For me, I learned more under pressure about courage, people, business and what I am capable of. My life is still an adventure in progress but it sure beats busting my butt making someone else rich.

 

There’s Something You Should Know Before Becoming an Entrepreneur by @Lilyalexblog

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There's Something You Should Know Before Becoming an Entrepreneur

by Bianca Oliva | Featured Contributor 

Entrepreneurship is a loaded word. Some make it look easy; flaunting successful businesses, nice cars, and drool-worthy Snapchat stories. Success doesn’t just happen. It takes hard work, never ending hours, and a lot of preparation.

But there’s a few things you need to know before embarking on the journey…

You don’t need to be a jack-of-all-trades

There’s a common misconception about being an entrepreneur; you have to know and do everything. I’m sure its useful to be versed in sales, marketing, bookkeeping and everything in between… but you can only wear so many hats at once. Don’t be afraid to branch out and learn new things. Just remember to focus your energy on what you’re great at, and what you love.

There’s always homework to be done

This may seem to contradict my first point, but hear me out. There’s always something to learn. Being an entrepreneur means being prepared to educate yourself and stay up to date on current trends and developments in your niche. If you thought homework ended in college, you’re in for a surprise. But don’t worry! This time, it’s a lot more fun.

Its not just helpful to network… its necessary

When I began stepping out of freelancing and moving on to start my own business, I wasn’t quite aware of how important it is to network. Not only does networking allow you to get a new perspective on your industry and target audience, but it gives you a chance to learn from the successes and failures of others. I’ve yet to come across a successful entrepreneur who was unwilling to share their story, or at least some good advice.

The road to success is littered with failures

This one of hardest truths to understand and accept, especially if you’re someone with an entrepreneurial mindset. You’ll fail many times before you succeed. Minor failures along the way are guaranteed. Whether you choose to continue on to reach the success waiting for you at the end, is up to you. As Oprah Winfrey once said; “Failure is another stepping stone to greatness.”

Every lesson is an opportunity

Just like every failure is lesson, every lesson is an opportunity to grow and evolve into a stronger and more successful you. Not to be cliche here, but carpe diem! Seize the day and each moment in it. There are

Entrepreneurship is not an easy journey. Its full of blood, sweat, tears, and sleepless nights doing anything and everything we have to do, in order to keep ourselves and our businesses running. But it’s worth it to know that every day we get to live the lives we want to; on our own terms.

8 Ways To Step Into 2019 With A Vengeance And Operate At Your Fullest Potential by @AngeKYoumatter

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Photo by STIL on Unsplash

by Angela Kambouris | Featured Contributor

When you invest time to reflect what you are like when you are at your best and when you are having your best impact on other people, the true essence of you has been activated. The part of your brain lights up that produces enthusiasm and zest. To truly succeed, you must be willing to bring your whole self to the way you live and to work you do. That means showing up, leading with humility, embracing vulnerability, and despite your imperfections and flaws, embodying your humanness. Your ability to have courageous conversations, ask for help, establish and sustain human connections and allow yourself to be visible and seen.

Breaking the cycle of monotony, doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different response – insanity as Einstein famously pointed out. Yet many continue to run the hamster wheel, leaving parts of themselves at home when they enter the workplace. Yes, check the ego at the door but bringing your whole self to work., embracing all parts of you, will set the platform for you to launch yourself in the new year.

With 2019 knocking on the door, let me share with you 8 ways how to stop the drama, continue the feel-good moments and start embodying the best of you with victorious thinking and action.

Leading Your Energy

Your energy is the most prized and protected resource. Human beings need time to relax and recharge. If your energy is affected nothing happens.  Your energy sources are connected to your basic human needs – physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. When you conduct a self-assessment (1 – 10 scale) on your state in each of those areas, you obtain a clear picture of what gives you energy and perhaps what changes are required to sustain your energy over time. Nurturing your energy is necessary to keep the passion and vision alive and to handle the responsibility coming your way.

Explore your return on energy

When you review 2018, explore the things that inspired you. Unveil the things that didn’t work and what sucked the energy out of you like an emotional vampire. Identify what were the things that were within your control and separate them from the external events.

When you allow your flow state to unfold, the true unfiltered you will reveal itself. Put pen to paper to dip into your distant self and extract your internal resources. Imagine yourself one year down the road, set a timer for 15 minutes and begin writing down the problem you are experiencing, including your thoughts, emotions that come up. Language who you were being, what you experienced and how you added value. Ask what advice you would give her? Reverse engineer what your success felt like and identify your high levels goals, who needs to be part of your journey and how you celebrate achieving the milestones. When the time is up or whether you have continued beyond the buzzer, clear your head and revisit the suggestions with a renewed focus.

If you want a new year, do it differently

How many people set artificial goals because that is what everyone else is doing. If you want a new year, do 2019 differently. Setting SMART goals as most people have been trained, however, start with asking the question “How you might bring value to others in 2019?” Step into the leader you are by asking quality questions that reflect leaderly value such as “How will you create environments that let others know that they matter?” “What is one thing you must do today that brings you closer to build the future you aspire to create?” “What are you prepared to do, that you haven’t already done, to get where you haven’t been? Invest in what you must do to define the year you want.

Bringing awareness to your body

Self-inquiry brings awareness to where your feelings and sensations reside. Listening to your body for 15 minutes a day can assist you to recognize and name your emotions. Create a space where you sit quietly with your journal, close your eyes and when images, words or body sensations occur, record them. At times, an image or memory may come to mind instead however the important aspect is to stay with the quality of the sensation and put to aside your logical senses. Inquire more deeply and ask what is it about this whole problem that makes this quality so – challenging, angry, stuck, overwhelmed, pleasant, uplifting, enlightening – identify your own words. Return your attention to your body and allow the sensation to release. You may not always feel a shift and you may notice a moment of feeling better but not knowing why. Trust that your ability to be present to your inner world is often enough to begin an emotional awareness process.

Being present to you

Practice daily habits that ground you into your body by creating a calm place where you can focus on your breath and meditate for 10 minutes. Practice joy by immersing yourself in activities each day – whether it be drawing, dancing or baking. Automated writing where you free-write, scribble, express all your emotions, thoughts and feelings in uncensored detail. Choose whether you wish to journal or write on a piece of paper and burn when complete as part of a releasing process. Invite the serenity prayer – “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things l cannot change, the courage to change the things l can. And wisdom to know the difference”. Identify what you can change versus the things you cannot.

Turning off when you leave work

Finding pockets of time to decompress outside of work is critical to our functioning. Shawn Achor, in a Harvard Business Review article, highlighted the need to identify periods at home as “work-free zones “that allows for mental decompression. Having personal days, regular breaks or taking a vacation allows the brain and body to rest without the mental chatter of the workplace.

Within the workplace, adjust where you have a break 10-minute break within a 60-minute timeframe. Design your day to fulfill your requirements for maximum impact to deliver results without compromising your wellbeing. Headspace has an app that offers a 10-minute guided meditation that can assist you to recharge and be more focused and productive at work.  Arianna Huffington highlighted in her book The Sleep Revolution how our dismissal of sleep significantly impacts on our health, decision-making and undermines our lives. The Sleep Foundation supports that we require a healthy eight hours to ensure you are rested and ready to embark on a new day.

Needing more self-love in our workplaces

Self-love is tossed around conversations and the self-development arena – “you need to love yourself more”, if you loved you more, then this wouldn’t happen, you need to love you first before loving another”. Self-love is not a state of feeling good, it is a state of appreciation for oneself that grows from actions that support all aspects of our growth. Setting boundaries to people, activities or work that deplete your energy are imperative.

Bring the right people into your life, practice great self-care to self-nourish mind, body, and spirit. Live intentionally as you live by your design with purpose. Lisa Nichols, motivational speaker, and best-selling author,  reminds us that your job is to inspire you to become the best version of yourself and that when you become an abundant thinker, you achieve unlimited success on your terms.

Being kinder to you

You have heard the phrase that “you are your own worst critic”. Your investment in giving more weight to your flaws, mistakes, and shortcomings than your successes. Officially termed “negativity bias” your mind is compromised, your productivity interfered with and your body accelerates aging and illness. To circuit-break the cycle, self-compassion is required. Dr. Kristen Neff, psychologist supports the practice of being kind and understanding to our self despite the events as self-compassion supports motivation and positive change. One way to interrupt the cycle is through transcendental meditation. The TM technique allows your mind to easily settle inward until you experience a peaceful level of awareness. Hundred of published research studies on TM verify its effectiveness for reducing stress, enhancing brain functioning and strengthens immunity.

So many people invest their time in December obsessing over their goals, how they will reach them and how these are going to change their world. It is time to purge bad habits, learn from mistakes, make friends with your discomfort and conquer your fears. It’s time to turn things around by stepping into your fullest potential. Don’t keep reliving the past, it’s time to reinvent the future.

Do People Take Your Business Seriously? by @CorpNetNellie

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by Nellie Akalp

The numbers are impressive: more than 11.6 million U.S. firms are owned by women, employing nearly 9 million people and generating $1.7 trillion in sales as of 2017. Want more? According to the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) study cited earlier, one in five firms with revenue of $1 million or more is woman-owned. So why do women business owners still sometimes feel like their businesses are not always taken seriously? 

Maybe because it’s true. A recent Freshbooks study found women business owners pay themselves an average of 28% less than their male counterparts. That’s due in part to 1) having to charge less than their male counterparts in order to attract customers and 2) not being taken as seriously as their male peers.

No matter what your industry, as a woman entrepreneur you’re going to face challenges your male peers will not. A 99 Designs survey found that although men and women may approach business in the same way, the results are often not the same—especially when it comes to funding. Men are twice as likely to raise at least $100K or more in funding than women, the survey found. Less funding means less ability to hire and grow. 

Most women entrepreneurs know they have to work harder to get clients, at least at the outset. But there are other tactics I’ve used in the past to make sure my male peers know that my business and I deserve respect.

  1. Change the language. Have you ever been overlooked or ignored in a meeting? In any group discussion, there are social dynamics determining who is being listened to and who is being shut out. Men have no problem being overbearing and loud to get attention, but if a woman acts the same way, she’s perceived as bossy and presumptuous. Try changing the way you speak to be more assertive. Use phrases such as “I strongly recommend…” and “My plan is …” to get noticed for what you say and not how you say it.
  2. Create valuable connections. It’s always been true in business: It’s not what you know but who you know. Making the right connections and turning those connections into referrals is a great way to overcome any barriers to being taken seriously. Having others vouch for your work can have a huge influence on getting new clients. Actively seek out valuable connections by joining trade groups, attending networking events and asking for introductions. Join women’s groups like NAWBO and Women’s Business Enterprise (WBENC). Chances are you’ll meet someone who knows the buyer you want to meet with. The more connections you make in your industry, the better chance you have of finding the people who can help you succeed.
  3. Own your accomplishments. In general, men and women start businesses in the same industries (with the exception of the arts and healthcare, which are primarily women-owned and run). Therefore, there’s no reason you shouldn’t shout your successes every chance you get. Besides marketing your business to the hilt, it’s important to become a prominent name in your field. Today it’s crucial to be knowledgeable about and visible on social media. Figure out which platforms most of your customers are on and get in their feeds. You can also reach out to social media influencers (people with a large number of followers) and offer to share your expertise with their audience. Market yourself to podcasters as an interview subject or panel guest; record webinars for your website and other websites. 

Remember, you are your business’s best spokesperson. Getting your face, your ideas and your knowledge out in public will go a long way to help your business be taken seriously.

4 Skills Every Self-Made, Successful Woman Entrepreneur Needs to Have by @JuliaEMcCoy

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by Julia McCoy

In this technology-driven era where a business can reach millions of people from all over the world through the internet, it’s much easier to start and to grow a successful business compared to how difficult it was in the past. More and more people choose to quit their job and follow an entrepreneurial endeavor, and they are not just men! In our days it’s quite normal to see women following this path and becoming successful, self-made millionaires. And even if some women never become a millionaire, they still own a successful business and live a good life of financial freedom and leadership.

According to NAWBO (the National Association of Women Business Owners), in the United States there are more than 11.6 million companies owned by women and they generate $1.7 trillion in sales. Not to mention that all of these companies are creating jobs for 9 million people. Out of all the businesses that have a revenue of $1 million or more, 1 in 5 is owned by a woman.

Some of the most famous female entrepreneurs include Ariana Huffington (The Huffington Post), Beyonce (clothing line), Sara Blakely (Spanx), Cher Wang (HTC), Denise Coates (bet365), Marie Forleo and Oprah Winfrey.

Do you want to follow in the footsteps of these highly successful women? Then here are the top skills that you need.

Courage

Mark Twain used to say that “Courage is not the absence of fear, but the resistance to fear and the mastery of fear.” It’s totally ok to be fearful, but what’s more important is to overcome fear. Entrepreneurs, in general, face a lot of fear of failure and self-doubt, and it’s even more difficult for women than men. Being an entrepreneur comes with freedom and many other benefits, but also with a lot of risks and challenges. Take them as they come and face them with courage.

Empathy

To be a successful woman entrepreneur you definitely have to be a good leader. You will not make it on your own and you will need an amazing team in order to succeed. Compared to most men who can be very drastic and cut and dry, women have more empathy and will better understand the challenges that their employees have to face. This will make them better leaders and will earn them the trust and the respect of the employees.

Personality

Having a strong personality is essential when working as an entrepreneur. Hand in hand with that is having the courage to accept who you are and to have your own opinions no matter what others are thinking. To succeed in business, you also need to have good manners, a professional attitude and the ability to make real, long-lasting connections. Networking is essential, and you’ll succeed in networking opportunities by letting your personality and who you are shine.

Perseverance

Building a successful business is definitely not as simple as some people try to make it look on social media and it will require many years of hard work and dedication. Many challenges and failures will come along the way. Have the mindset to be perseverant and to never give up on your dreams.

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Julia is a lover of the written online word. Her favorite thing is making the gray areas of content marketing clear with practical training, teaching, and systems. She’s a CEO, blogger, author, and has been named an industry thought leader by several publications. She grew her content agency, Express Writers, to more than 95 experts on staff and $4 MM in revenue inside just 7 years. She’s the author of two bestselling books on content marketing and copywriting, the creator of two industry courses, and the host of The Write Podcast. Julia lives in Austin, Texas with her daughter and husband. Follow her on Twitter @JuliaEMcCoy.

Time = Gold (and … money = silver) by @SBSLEducSoltns

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by SJ Barakony | Featured Contributor

Putting Productivity ahead of Busy-ness in Business

 

“I’m so busy!”

“How are you? How’s business?  Busy!”

 

There are mild variants,  yet, the theme is constant: The individual is … say it with me now …. B-u-s-y.

Since when did our nation’s backbone, entrepreneurs, decide that this status was the end all, be all, in conversation, let alone in practice?

Let’s reframe. First, though, empathy & grace are necessary.

I know: There’s a LOT on your plate;  I’m sure many of these are on your calendar, scribbled on sticky notes, and/or are pop up reminders on your smart device:  Payroll. Review insurance coverage. Talk to the V.A; accountant; and/or financial advisor. Respond to client messages. Etc …

Still, we shouldn’t aspire to busy-ness; when we stop, if merely for a moment & reflect, we realize that as entrepreneurs, we’re solution providers & producers.

Thus, the more we produce, the more pro-ductive we are: it’s productivity which we should strive for, a 1:1 replacement for the ‘busyness’ that is our default answer to so many questions.

Painting a picture to aid in this mindset shift, we revisit the 1st few words …

 

Time = Gold.

 

… and now can move to implement this truth in our business first ( self-leadership ), then, model it for staff + customers, lastly, replicating it to other entrepreneurs in our network.

 

Those who are wise won’t be busy, and those who are too busy can’t be wise.”
― Lin Yutang

Click to Tweet

Lin Yutang #quote

 

 

Precious Metals

 

Gold :  

Time is an irreplaceable asset, just like gold. Gold is finite & very rare: Its value has held firm for thousands of years & once was used regularly in commerce worldwide. Just like there’s always been a 24 hour day, the amount of gold available for mining is constant; fluctuation in the ‘price’ of gold is due to the underlying currencies, just like your productivity ties to how well you lead yourself.

Silver :

Money is a reflection, a flag, which signals how much value you’ve added to the marketplace; your monetized service, product, &/or specialized knowledge is your entrepreneurial bridge b/w problem identified & solution provided. We look to silver now, as its value is also stable, yet it’s more abundant in nature than gold. So, with an abundance mentality x growth mindset, you know you can grow your share of this not fixed pie.

 

 

Two must read books

Without a shred of doubt, I wholeheartedly recommend both. Each has a high ceiling of potential energy which can be tapped to lead to dramatic improvements in your productivity & reduced busy-ness.

 

E-Myth: Revisited

The Fifth Discipline

 

Stephen R. Covey

He passed away over 6 years ago, gone & not forgotten as a pioneer; through his off the charts levels of contribution, we have much to tap into. The 4 quadrants is something to study often, & implement in short order.

 

Covey’s Time Management Matrix, in the written word

Or perhaps you’d learn better from a visual?

 

 

Suggested ‘Twitterverse’ Follows

 

A Helpful Guide to Becoming Unbusy by Joshua Becker

How to Stop Being Busy All the Time from Gus Razzetti

4 Ways to Break Free From Being “Too Busy” penned by Rikki Rogers , culled from The Muse

 

Leverage = Legacy

 

This concept is transformational.  Pulling from the vastness of the internet, here are two marvelous resources. Once you take this small two-step seriously, my advice is to keep going!

 

Kelly Azevedo

Amanda Abella


Systems Thinking?  

 

Its powerful.  In a previous post, you learned all about the power of principled self education.

Here’s a superb opportunity to practice what you read by visiting Donella Meadows ‘s website.

And if you haven’t yet bumped into this infographic, please, I implore you, dive in over the next 24 hours. Your income can become systems driven wealth through active application of this business truism.

 

In my ongoing discovery, I’ve repeatedly shared these maxims with those whom I mentor, in coffee 1:1’s, & elsewhere: Why? They’ve allowed me to run multiple business ventures at the same time, all while making strides towards being productive = gold = time & (more) passive = silver = money.

 

Next steps:

 

 

What can Westminster Abbey teach about implementing this content?!  

 

This inscription, when understood at a deeper level, reflects the ongoing value of lifelong learning.

 

Action Time

 

As with anything you choose to read, listen to, or watch, the truest formula = what you do next, how you proceed, & why?

Reflect, through meditation, prayer, yoga, or in a moment(s) of silence on this post, please, & thank you for reading!

 

In short …

 

  • A producer is productive; a consumer is busy. ‘Busy’ shouldn’t be a status, symbol, or state of being for the wise entrepreneur
  • Time = gold.  Money = silver.  Prioritize your irreplaceable asset;  focus on it and not on money (income, wealth) as #1.
  • Review the links to invest in 2 highly recommended books
  • Covey’s quadrants/matrix is a terrific tool in and by itself
  • Suggested Twitter follows & some of their scholarly tweets. #MustReads
  • Understand systems & leverage in your entrepreneurship education
  • Leadership starts with self

 

4 Tips for Aspiring Women Entrepreneurs Eager to Start a Business by @myjoyorganics

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by Joy Smith

More than a decade ago, it was rare to see women entering the business world and embark upon the challenging entrepreneurial journey.

However, times have changed and presently women are at the helm of reputed businesses across the globe. According to the National Association of Women Business Owners, America has nearly 12 million women-owned businesses, employing nine million people and generating a revenue of $1.7 trillion.

In fact, numerous ambitious women are starting to assert themselves in fields like the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), banking, healthcare, and fashion and beauty.

One of the most prominent examples is the representation of women in the cannabis industry. Statistics reveal that over 36 percent of all executive-level positions in the industry are held by women who are passionate about marketing organically-grown hemp CBD oil to the masses.
If you are passionate about being your own boss, the effective tips shared in this post will help you launch and scale your venture, allowing you to realize your career goals.

1. Be Prepared to Impress Venture Capitalists

The uncomfortable truth about entrepreneurship is that it has always been male-dominated. This can be particularly challenging when raising capital for your enterprise as venture capitalist firms tend to hold women entrepreneurs to a higher standard in comparison to their male peers.

Though the scenario is slowly changing in favor of women, presently 94 percent of the decision-makers at venture capitalist firms are men. Further, merely three percent of all the venture capital in the U.S. is being directed to women-led firms. Thus, with men controlling the vast majority of capital, women may find it tough to impress venture capitalists and find funding options for their startup.

Venture capitalists expect to invest in compelling business ideas that have a huge market opportunity, thereby promising them a lucrative return on investment. Moreover, they are looking for dedicated, passionate, and coachable entrepreneurs who are not afraid to take risks.

Before cold-calling for capital, it is wise to research on venture capitalists who would want to invest in your idea. Connect with them on LinkedIn and Twitter and introduce yourself to them. Join business hubs, incubators, and accelerators that can connect you to venture capitalists and help you enhance your reputation in the industry.

Does the venture capitalist follow some industry influencer? If you are able to make an impression on the person who influences your prospective VC, you can easily impress the latter.

2. Look for Mentors

An effective mentor who is experienced in your field can help you launch and scale your venture, propelling your startup towards success. Above all, experienced women mentors can help you respond to blatant gender bias.

Make sure you have multiple mentors so each of them can offer advice based on their individual expertise and enable you to overcome the practical and emotional challenges faced by aspiring female entrepreneurs.

Join professional women’s networking groups like Women in Business Network (WIBN) and Meetup that support women-owned ventures and connect you to industry influencers and prospective mentors. Online mentorship networks like Find a Mentor are dedicated to pairing budding startup founders with potential mentors.

If you still find it challenging to come across a worthy business mentor, surround yourself with a value-adding board of advisors, who can guide you with the major business decisions and lead you to prospective customers and investors.

Furthermore, it is important to give back the knowledge you acquire. Remember the challenges you faced and volunteer to help other budding women entrepreneurs navigate the entrepreneurial path by mentoring them.

3. Learn to Respond to Condescension

During your entrepreneurial journey, you will be often spoken to like a secretary, even though you run the show. Although times are changing, the chances of you meeting a chauvinistic client, investor, or competitor who believes in outdated gender norms is quite high.

As a startup founder, you are in a client-facing role; hence, you cannot afford to feel humiliated or abandon your stakeholders for their biased attitude. Instead, learn to respond to arrogance in a way that asserts your professionalism.

Likewise, you will come across people who will underestimate your professional abilities and chances of making it big in the industry. Instead of feeling bogged down, put in maximum effort to prove the crowd wrong. The idea of creating a successful startup in a world full of baseless gender-based assumptions is a completely entrepreneurial thing to do.

4. Remember: The Key Entrepreneurial Traits Aren’t Male or Female

We have often read articles or hear industry influencers say that men are better at negotiating and leadership, whereas women excel at communication and listening. Though several such entrepreneurial traits have been labelled as male-or-female-oriented, they actually belong to both genders and are critical to entrepreneurial success.

Identify the common entrepreneurial traits relevant to your industry and work towards developing them. For instance, if your business requires you to meet vendors and negotiate the cost of material, you should develop the art of negotiating in order to network and strike a profitable deal.

Women entrepreneurs across the globe are overcoming the challenges of starting a new business and proving that their skills can build a profitable venture in the male-dominated business world. If you aspire to catch up with the changing tide of women entrepreneurship, use the tips shared in this post to navigate the entrepreneurial path and scale your business to success.

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Joy Smith is a speaker, mentor, entrepreneur, mother of four, and grandmother of six. After trying a number of poor quality CBD products, she teamed up with her family to develop an organically grown, full spectrum hemp oil to help people who suffer from a wide array of ailments. Visit Joy’s website to learn more Joy Organics.

The Ultimate Guide To Embracing Life As A Successful Nomad Entrepreneur by @XLConsultingGro

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by Elaine Slatter | Featured Contributor

Nomad Entrepreneur

What Is A Nomad Entrepreneur?

You could say I’m a digital nomad entrepreneur.  I travel almost six months of the year while at the same time working.  Recently I spent time in England, Gran Canaria, Florida, and Cuba.  I can do this because all I need to work successfully is having access to a great internet connection.  Well, that does rule out Cuba, because most places don’t have easy access to free wi-fi yet.  So while I’m in Cuba I am truly electronically disconnected, but I can still look for interesting stories for future projects and therefore am technically working!

In today’s wired world, many companies are allowing employees to work remotely. Entrepreneurs have even more flexibility.  Jobs that previously were anchored in a specific location now have the freedom to move around the world, still serving clients.

From my travel/work experiences, there are some key points to factor in if you would like to try this lifestyle.

1)  Plan Ahead – Country Research

Depending on your citizenship, you may or may not be restricted to working in your country of choice. For example, as a Canadian citizen, I am not allowed to work in the UK and can only visit for six months. As a digital worker, with a business registered in Canada, I’m ok, but if I was a fashion designer and wanted to open a pop-up shop in the UK, for example, that would not be ok.  If you were born in the UK as I was, you could re-apply for a British passport and then you would be able to work. In Gran Canaria (a Spanish entity) there was no such restriction.

Some countries, such as France, require you to register for a ‘titre de séjour’ for an extended stay if you are not an EU resident.    Summing up, expat rules are different for each country, therefore it is important to check these out first.

2)  Taking Care of Your Health

Nothing is worse than being sick abroad.  It could be a simple problem due to dietary changes or a more complex situation requiring a hospital stay.  No matter what the situation, having the right plan to help you while traveling is critical.  You don’t want to be facing a mountain of bills because don’t have the right health coverage.

3)  Financial Security

Will your business run uninterrupted while you work in a different country?  Will your cash flow be continuous and can you access your cash whenever you need it?  Taking care of your banking as efficiently as possible is another key factor in living abroad.  Exchange rates can be a killer if you are receiving funds in your home country but living in a country where the exchange rate is not in your favour.

4)  Cultural Adaptability & Having Fun

Living abroad isn’t always the utopia as advertised, especially if you haven’t had much travel experience. Before you make the decision to travel to a foreign country and commit for a long-term stay, why not do a sample trip to see if this lifestyle is for you.

Companies such as Venture With Impact specialize in setting up work/travel arrangements where you can also make an impact by helping the local community.  These one month stays in either Colombia, Mexico, Thailand or Portugal can be a lot of fun, because the research has been done for you.  To learn more about this, check out our podcast with founder Ann Davis.

For fitting into your new home, expat culture expert, Rachel Smets, specializes in training individuals and teams on how to fit in culturally abroad.  Check out her advice here.

5)  Permanent Move

After a trial run experiencing different countries or even different parts of your own country, you may decide to make a permanent move.  Now it’s important to do a more in-depth study of your new location, especially if it involves more than just you. Up front, research can save you a whole bunch of heartache down the road because making the wrong move could be very expensive and hard to reverse.  Relocation expert, Margaret Vandergriff, gives 6 great tips on how to relocate successfully.

If you are still in the planning stages of changing your life to move from your home to become a nomad entrepreneur, you can still do lots of online research to find the perfect location.  Travel magazines such as Wanderlust have many articles for you to explore travel life.

A website such as  Expat Focus gives detailed information on different countries that are very useful for expats to consider before they move.

Living in different countries or exploring new parts of your own country is exciting.  You can become a nomad entrepreneur if you are open to new experiences.  Travel can be addictive.  There are so many places in the world to explore and travel is the best education and experience in the world on so many levels.

nomad entrepreneur sitting at a cafeWhat is my favourite thing to do on my adventures?  Try new coffee shops!  Coffee shops are often the hangouts for fellow nomad entrepreneurs.  Sipping a coffee and having a treat while chatting with someone from another country is the highlight of my day.

Why not embrace change and explore new cultures as a nomad entrepreneur it will change your life forever!

If you are already a nomad entrepreneur, tell us about your travel experiences.  We would love to know how you navigated a successful transition to become a nomad entrepreneur.

Soft Skills aren’t ‘Soft’ by @SBSLEducSoltns

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by SJ Barakony | Featured Contributor

“Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast” … and …. soft skills are the breakfast of  winners!

 

Did that subtitled quote ( thank YOU to the late Peter Drucker ) catch your eye?!

Good!

(It was meant to do just that, dear readers.)

 

We now dive into a deep pool …

In truth, an entire online library could conceivably be dedicated to nothing but them!

Thought leaders all across the globe, including many in your LinkedIn network, have spoken of their past experiences, spun stories, & shared wisdom nuggets through books, webinars, podcasts, & even created whole curricula focusing on these immensely valuable skills.

So, we’re just skimming the surface: Becoming self educated, role modeling a better ‘You, Inc.’ to your staff, clientele, & fellow entrepreneurs & revisiting your business culture would each be forward thinking outcomes.

 

Foundational Definitions

 

Soft Skills :  

Please click here , here , & here.

You might already be asking …  Are these the same as people … interpersonal … or life skills?      Yes.

 

Culture :

Excellent articles

1 … 2 … & … 3

 

 

Let’s now briefly discuss the inexorable connection between culture & soft skills in your business(es).

 

Are soft skills a necessary part of a vibrant entrepreneurial [workplace], culture?

 

A great number of signs point to a clear, resounding ‘yes’, since these skills are so often not taught in classrooms in all ‘tracks’ ( K-12, up to & including graduate level studies )

An entrepreneur is likely to become a magnet to others if she offers them as part of ongoing professional development for her staff, regardless of industry. If you’re dealing with confounding challenges that coaching or some other service pro hasn’t yet solved, or, maybe you just seek to expand, laser focus here;  you are onto something BIG.

 

What do others say?

 

Here’s a post well worth reading …

 

And this author comes to a like conclusion.

 

A personal story & opportunity to serve

 

My own entrepreneurial journey wouldn’t be nearly as rich without the visceral impact of these skills on my own ventures.

 

Through the fall of last year, I had the high honor of being a member of a nationwide committee

And, for that same organization, I was asked to be a co-panelist on this webinar.

 

If you’re offered anything similar, what’s commonly known as an influencer, as I was, please, I implore you: take it!

 

Our discourse at networking events, in business dealings with peers, levels of customer service, engagement & satisfaction amongst your staff, decreased turnover:

I truly believe all would benefit positively.

 

A Sampling of @Twitter Thoughts [from across the ‘Twitterverse’]

 

Future Learn

Vala Afshar

Scott Hartley

 

What soft skills should I focus on to improve my business’ culture?   

 

The answers will vary considerably from venture to venture, industry to industry. After all, this field is not barren; it is richly blossoming in content of all kinds which you can surely beta test, or go all in & fully invest your development dollars from the get-go.

 

 

Should I hire, fire, outsource, and/or promote with these skills as the key determinant?

 

Yes.

You can always get someone up to speed on ‘harder’ (read: technical) skills if you have an individual who understands how to prioritize ( time management ); whom has a good attitude;  who can work on any team and contribute; who knows how to resolve a conflict; and whom can build her leadership abilities through influence, vision, & service rather than expecting others to follow a title, or positional authority.

 

What’s the best way to deliver them?    

 

This, too, is flexible.

In a hyper competitive industry (e.g., real estate, insurance, financial services, banking), encouraging your staff, & leaving room in your own day for lifelong learning would be smart. Many of these professions already require ‘CE’ , however, incentivizing ongoing development of soft skills through ‘comp time’, bonuses, etc., will offer you a clear edge. Everyone else is aware of the former, while you also recognize the latter = difference maker.

Finding ways to collaborate with a services professional who offers group facilitation, mentorship, business coaching, or a consultant with focused training program would be a clear win:win.

 

Next steps:

Take action!  The Gig (Sharing/P2P) Economy moves infinitely faster than its predecessor eras. And, expecting that the conventional schooling institutions will begin to offer these skills so you won’t have to invest wouldn’t be advisable.

 

Learn more. If this post & the related links doesn’t yet convince you of their importance, attend a conference, lunch & learn, register for a webinar, or listen to a podcast that discusses professional development.

 

In short …

 

  • Soft skills should be taken very seriously
  • Culture is a foundational necessity.
  • If offered an opportunity to spread the word about soft skills, accept it with a smile
  • Fundamental challenges ( i.e., turnover, satisfaction, engagement ) can be solved at the root
  • Reconsider your standards for hiring, firing, and promoting staff.
  • Delivering soft skills into your culture can be done in numerous ways
  • Don’t stand still

 

________

Thank YOU for reading!

The Faces Of Shame @AngeKYoumatter

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by Angela Kambouris | Featured Contributor

The digital world has given a voice to the people on a scale never seen before. At its worst, it is a weapon of mass destruction. The digital world has amplified slander, intensified bullying and masticated reputations like a lion chewing a piece of meat.  Shaming has become a digital centerpiece that can destroy lives and livelihoods.

No one is immune to shaming. Whether it be the stay at home mum, a woman period-shamed at work  or the 70-year-old female body shamed at the gym . One tweet, one article or a post captures the fat shaming, slut shaming or career shaming that runs rapidly across the globe.

Public shaming has been synonymous with the justice system dating back centuries where petty criminals were sentenced to public floggings, drawing in large crowds and binding communities to ensure justice was served. Today, public shaming continues as a form of punishment. Whether it requires shoplifters to carry signs stating they stole, or a Californian state website that contains the names of people who don’t pay their taxes or gossip in a workplace, shaming has such a scale and speed that the results can be soul destroying.

In a TED Talk “When Online Shaming Goes Too Far” Jon Ronson shares the story of Justine Sacco who sent an ill-considered tweet in 2013 that blew up her life between her flight from London to South Africa. A 64-character tweet and with only 170 twitter followers, ignited an international feeding frenzy of online mob mentality expressing collective rage, her name synonymous with racism, her hashtag #HasJustineLandedYet waiting for her public hanging. As a former senior director of corporate communications, she was to find her fate via a twitter post advising of her termination. Justine was publicly sentenced and hung out to dry for a holiday tweet that had no intent behind it.

Women’s behavior is still subject to much scrutiny, and if the narrative is not adhered to, then shaming is activated. Despite the feminist movement, slut-shaming continues in great force around the globe. In August 2018, Rachel Hundley, a council member in Sonoma, California received a threatening email accusing her of immoral and unethical behavior and demanding she drop out of the city council race or a website with photos of her from Burning Man would be released. Serena Williams shamed on social media for her supposedly “large” and “masculine” appearance. Amy Cuddy gets your “power pose” on her Ted Talk which originated from noticing a gender grade gap among her students at Harvard Business School. Despite her critics and shameful attacks on her and her research publicly, she intended to help empower women in the workplace, even little girls.

Let’s delve into the good, the bad and the uglies of shame.

Self-shamer

Shame is that deep, painful feeling attached to how you negatively see yourself. You identify yourself as bad, mad, flawed or less than what you ought to be. The only people who don’t experience shame have no capacity for human empathy or connection. Here is your opportunity – embrace that you are human and experience shame or embrace the first step of the 12-step recovery program, “l am a sociopath.”

In the book Daring Greatly, Brene Brown describes shame as “the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging.” When you delve in deeper, Brown differentiates between guilt and shame. Guilt being “l did something bad”, shame equating to “I am bad.” Shame embodies blame, and when you step into that moment, you deflect all responsibility.

Shame can be an early warning system

Shame tells you when you have hurt someone. When you have crossed a boundary that violates a person’s dignity. It grabs your attention, and if you pause long enough, you have an opportunity to correct your behavior. I’m sure you have heard yourself in the workplace in that fleeting moment– “You are so self-centered”, “You only care about yourself and not the team”, “You took our idea and made it be your own”,  or “Sweetheart you are too big for your boots”. Sounding familiar.

The moment when foot in mouth disease kicks and the bull has charged for the red flag. In a fleeting moment, you regain your sanity, you begin to feel shame for having attacked someone you respect you have violated a person’s human dignity. Recognizing the vulnerable feelings that underpin your verbal attack, can be the catalyst to acknowledge your behavior and apologize to rebuild trust.

Shame can be used as an early warning system that you are poised to break trust and violate another’s dignity. Your self-awareness enables you to preserve trust and safeguard your relationships.

Publicly shame people out of their jobs

Think about how it plays out in the workplace. When you embrace full responsibility for your value, your attitude and beliefs then you shape your character, and you choose your behavior. When you lead by example and uplift your colleagues, the environment reflects the values.

For instance, if you saw Zoe in a team meeting speak over another person and exclude them from the conversation your response must be “Zoe, l noticed you excluded Josie from the discussion in the team meeting. I could see her feelings were hurt. I was surprised as you usually are very patient, engaging and encouraging other’s people’s viewpoints. You are an incredible advocate in everyone’s voice being heard”.

In contrast, if you were to shame Zoe the conversation would have a different flavor – “Zoe, you acted like an overbearing mother in today’s meeting. You had no respect for your colleagues. It was all about you. Given l recommended you for the manager’s position l was embarrassed for you in front of the team, and if you continue to play at that level you will shun the team, and no one will have your back”. Imagine the impact of being Zoe and experiencing shame responses time and time again.

Modulate responses

Rather than jumping on the bandwagon when an email or post comes your way, one thing you need to learn is to modulate your responses. Sometimes, it is the 30-second pause from hitting the send, post or tweet button and giving a people a chance to clarify, explain, recant or apologize privately. When you are not involved at all, maybe asking yourself – “Why do l need to jump in and magnify the response? How is that serving you? What are you getting out of it?

What if the shamed become the bullies – are you justified?

Most of the population despises racism and discrimination of all sorts. People who say indefensibly terrible things online or offline, most people want to make them accountable. The trademark of being a bully isn’t just being mean, it involves a power differential. The bully is the one who is punching down. How often you hear stories of adults who have been bullied as children and as an adult are triggered by unresolved childhood issues. Taking past events and justifying the current behavior of shaming, judgment or aggression and wanting to “teach” them a lesson. Even if you believe your bullying is serving a greater good, the fact remains that you are engaging in bullying behavior, one punch at a time.

The antithesis of shame is empathy.

When you judge people in areas that you are vulnerable to shame, you find someone to put down, judge or criticize to get out of calling attention to you. The inner critic will drive your thinking, so if you are doing worse than l am at something, l probably will be able to survive better. When you feel great about you, your weight or how you see yourself as attractive, you won’t need to be jealous of other women, draw comparisons or make snide comments. When you believe and feel you are enough, you don’t need to put others down.

Worldwide, it is time for an intervention within our culture, the digital world and within workplaces, where compassion no longer is deficient, and empathy is the driver.