As an entrepreneurship mentor and a single mom, I love the idea of celebrating both fempreneurs (female entrepreneurs) and mothers during Women’s History Month. After all, they both have such a profound impact on shaping our environment. So, as part of that, I’d like to share a passage from my new book, Launch Your Inner Entrepreneur, which brings motherhood and entrepreneurship together:
Remember What Mom Said
Many girls learn the most from their moms (or another female role model). Whoever your role model was, you can draw on her advice and influence, as it can have a tremendous impact on your entrepreneurial mindset shift and ability to succeed as a fempreneur. I’d like to share a few things that I learned from my mom in hopes that they inspire you as well. While I don’t remember her offering me loads of business or career advice when I was growing up, there were three sayings that she repeated to me often, and they more than apply to entrepreneurship:
• “God helps those who help themselves.” At times, I thought Mom was saying this because she was busy and just didn’t want to stop what she was doing. But in retrospect, I can see what she was really telling me was to develop the mindset of taking initiative, standing on my own, and not waiting around for other people to make things happen. It worked. Now I never pause waiting for others, particularly as an entrepreneur. I always take the first step and make sure I achieve the goals that I’ve set for myself. Being self-motivated is what a woman’s entrepreneurial journey is all about.
• “Fight your own battles.” While hearing this as a child could be very frustrating, this saying has also grown on me over time, particularly where entrepreneurship is concerned. Whenever there was a squabble or a problem, I wanted my mom to intervene on my behalf. Instead, I was met with that same phrase. Once more, she was trying to build resilience and get me to resolve my own conflicts and setbacks when they arose. A fempreneur needs to have the ability to handle obstacles and pivot. That I do, and you can too.
• “You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” This has been a big one in my mental toolbox, and a principle that I always try to live by (though it’s not always easy). My great-great grandmother embraced this saying, and continuing to pass it down, I frequently repeat it to my own two girls. It means that being kind is always the best option, even in a tense situation. When you are nice, people are more willing to help you, listen to you, buy from you, or give you what you need. If you are angry or defensive, they will usually become the same and will be much less likely to do what you want. Let’s face it—as female entrepreneurs, we need to catch all the flies we can, so lay that honey out there.
“Excerpt from Launch Your Inner Entrepreneur: 10 Mindset Shifts for Women to Take Action, Unleash Creativity, and Achieve Financial Success by Charlene Walters (McGraw Hill, February 2021).”
If you want to learn more about how to develop an entrepreneurial mindset and thrive as a business owner by boosting your confidence, overcoming impostor syndrome, dealing with haters, managing work-life balance, taking action, boosting creativity, building presence and growing your resilience, check out Launch Your Inner Entrepreneur.