One of the most impactful and frightening decisions I made in life was changing my career from being a registered nurse into a plugin developer. I never knew how to code before but was drawn to it while looking after my newborn child.
Over the next few months and with advice, I learned to code and developed a product that helps hundreds of thousands of small business owners today.
Learning the ‘secrets’ of successful businesswomen can make it easier for you and other women to grow their own business. Let’s look at some helpful tips to remember on your own entrepreneurial journey and to keep you motivated.
Self-doubt is normal
Good leaders have an almost mythological status in people’s minds. Leaders are thought of as being confident, decisive, and even infallible. But the truth is that all leaders feel self-doubt. It’s common for highly successful businesswomen to have ‘imposter syndrome’ and to feel anxious about their own abilities.
If you’re holding yourself back because you feel like you can’t start your own business, then recognize that this feeling has no basis in reality. You can develop new skills, learn on the job, or work with a mentor.
The key to success in business is to ‘feel the fear and do it anyway’. Don’t wait to feel confident or to find a perfect time. Just start your journey as an entrepreneur and work in spite of any personal misgivings.
There’s no substitute for hard work
The truth is that there’s no real secret to success. When 14 women store owners were asked about what they found fun in the process of growing their business, some of them laughed or were surprised at the idea that fun was involved.
The reality is that starting a business is difficult, uncomfortable, and a lot of hard work. While many people do work hard, not many are willing to be uncomfortable. This can be changing one’s line of career, learning a new language, or moving to an unfamiliar place.
When I started my business, I had very little experience as a business owner or coder. But today, I know that going through the discomfort of learning an entirely different field of information and persisting is what has led to success.
It is important to get comfortable with discomfort and to work hard. It can be frustrating, but positive outcomes are only possible when you’ve done the work.
Own your finances
One of the most important things a successful businesswoman does is to take charge of her finances. She won’t shy away from facing a bank statement and or acknowledge debt. A businesswoman also makes the effort to learn about money management and investments even though they work with accounting and investment professionals.
You can’t run a profitable business without having a clear picture of your business’s finances. It’s also vital to be mindful of your personal finances too. Make sure to budget, save, and generally stay in control of numbers.
It’s important to remember that many successful women did not start out learning how to do these things. You can make changes at any point in life. The important thing is to get started.
Know your value
A great book for women seeking to become entrepreneurs is Women Don’t Ask. It has several lessons for women and one of which is that successful businesswomen place a high value on their experience and work. And they make sure to ask for what they deserve.
It’s important to note that these women do feel imposter syndrome and often doubt themselves. But they still negotiate for what they want in a job or a business deal.
There are several practical steps you can take to make sure that you understand the value of your offerings and services.
Take online courses to build your knowledge and to boost your negotiation skills. Also, make sure that you do research and understand the value of your products and services. Armed with knowledge, you’ll ensure that you get renumerated for your efforts and support your business too.
Conclusion
The secret to being a successful businesswoman is that there’s no real secret. It’s a form of work that can create multiple benefits for you and your family if you’re willing to put in the hard work and create success.
You need to plan, manage finances, learn new skills, and also, get help from others. Consider joining forums for women or to find membership sites to find a mentor. Such places will give you resources, support, and even opportunities. By working together with other women, you’ll create your own successful business.