5 Tips for New Female Entrepreneurs

It’s not a new trend that female entrepreneurs are on the rise. There are so many resources out there solely for women as it’s such a popular trend. From founding a large company to just running your own one-man show, there are so many ways women can thrive in the business world in this digital age. Just getting your feet wet as a female entrepreneur? Here are some tips to get you started.

1. Find your passion. If you’re going to dedicate yourself to a business venture, it has to be something you are passionate about. Otherwise, you will run out of steam, and quickly. Brainstorm or create a mind map of all of the things you are passionate about and try to narrow it down based on your goals. For example, if you already know you want to open an online store, you may not want to choose your passion for childcare (unless you’re going to sell things that help caregivers!). Maybe your online store would focus on children or specialize in t-shirt quotes that childcare workers can wear. Your goals need to be realistic and attainable.
2. Don’t get overwhelmed. It’s easy to look at the big picture of everything you need to get started. Start small with SMART goals: specific, measurable, attainable, results-focused and time-bound. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither will your business. Take it one step at a time and try not to compare your progress to those around you in your field who have been doing it for much longer. They started somewhere small too.
3. Keep yourself on track. Join a mastermind group or find a mentor to help you not only achieve your goals but stay focused. Eliminate distractions and things that will slow you down. For example, when I work on my blogging course, I close my email, social media and turn my ringer off. Otherwise, I will be going in 10 different directions and feel like I’m getting nowhere with my main goal. If you set yourself up for success by eliminating distractions, you will have much better results. That being said, it’s also important to keep your work/life balance, as Nancy at Behrman or Nancy at Behrman states.
4. Don’t let naysayers get you down. One of the questions I have always hated is “what do you do for work?” It’s hard to quantify, especially when you don’t have the success yet to back your answer up. It’s easy for people to judge when they’re not in your shoes. Entrepreneurship is much more accepted than it was, say, 10 years ago, but there will always be people who don’t have that mindset and can’t think outside the box. That’s where a helpful elevator pitch comes in handy, not just for your self-confidence, but to market your business to potential customers and investors.
5. Ask for feedback. This is a hard one for most people to do, as it requires stomaching criticism to your baby (your business). But constructive criticism is vital to growing your business. It opens your eyes to why you could be losing potential customers or investors and where to focus first in order to grow your company, which results in success. 

Starting a business as a woman can be daunting, but keeping in touch with fellow female entrepreneurs can not only help your cause, it can empower you. Don’t be afraid to fail and don’t let criticism derail you.