- Advertisement -
HomeWomen Entrepreneur4 Things Women Entrepreneurs Should Know

4 Things Women Entrepreneurs Should Know

- Advertisement -

Entrepreneurship is never easy. For everyone who attempts it, there are hurdles galore. In fact, the greater part of succeeding as an Women Entrepreneurs is simply learning the skill of obstacle navigation, regardless of the business, you’re in. The challenges, however, are not necessarily the same for each individual. Depending on your demographic, you may face challenges—and possess advantages—that others simply don’t. For women, breaking into independent business involves a host of factors that don’t affect men, for better and for worse.

Let’s address the elephant in the room first: I am male. I type this with a fully functioning Y chromosome at my disposal, and I’m not unaware of the irony of our tasking a man to chart the lay of the land for the ladies. However, that’s part of navigating the gender gap—understanding that men and women both have insights to offer each other, even concerning each other’s perspective. My writing this blog while producing testosterone also serves to illustrate what I think is a dearth of female voices in an independent business, and my conviction that women entrepreneurs are an underserved market.

I’ve known and worked with many outstanding female entrepreneurs, not the least outstanding of which is my partner in business and life, Nicole (who personally edits this and all my blogs, in case you thought I was doing this all by my manly self). I want to see more women use their unique advantages and breakthrough their unique obstacles, as she does on a daily basis. Hopefully, these few little insights can encourage that:

1. Women entrepreneurs don’t have to cater exclusively to women

One obstacle faced by women entrepreneurs is assumptions and not just those of men. Often, a woman’s own assumption is that her best chances are with exclusively serving other women. There’s nothing wrong with catering to women or having a feminine brand—unless you’re doing so simply because you don’t think you can cater to both genders, based on your own.

Women entrepreneurs

Again, if your product is strictly for the ladies, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. What’s worse, though, is when an entrepreneur accepts baseless limitations or imposes them on herself for fear of an inability to compete. Most of the most successful female entrepreneurs I’ve seen have made unisex products, catering to the fellas as well or better than the fellas themselves do. Marketing expert Dorie Clark, Heroic Public Speaking cofounder Amy Port, Arianna Huffington: none of these women allowed themselves to be boxed into women’s markets, and we’re all better for it.

The reality is that the unisex business world is dominated by men. I don’t think that’s because men are inherently better than women at business. I think it’s because of the limits that are imposed on women artificially. Businessmen rarely feel incapable of marketing to women, so why should the opposite be true? And why confine yourself to only ever selling to half the population?

2. Opportunities abound for women entrepreneurs.

Related to the first point, there is definitely room for more female entrepreneurs in the market. This is because, again, the artificial limits imposed by sexist assumptions are keeping the supply way behind the demand. The different experience and unique perspective of women is simply something that consumers (and other budding business people) don’t get as much of. It’s a classic case of “who goes first?” With relatively few female mentors and role models to follow, the market needs pioneers. Remember: entrepreneurship is all about solving a problem. If you’re an independent businesswoman, you can help solve the problem of female underrepresentation. Why not you?

That’s not to say that only women need female leadership. Men need it too. Everyone in business can benefit from as many perspectives as possible—especially the ones that aren’t their own. For that reason, I hope to see more women acting as ambassadors; learning public speaking, taking on leadership roles, and generally putting themselves and their perspective out there.

3. It’s still an uphill climb for women entrepreneurs

This is just a cold, hard reality. While modern society likes to congratulate itself on making progress from the past, true equality of opportunity has not yet arrived—though it’s closer than ever. Regardless of how far the business world has come, a woman will be asked to prove herself more thoroughly, demonstrate greater competence, and work harder than her male counterparts to achieve the same status, pay, and respect.

If you’re a woman, your competence and confidence will have to be the twin hammers with which you smash through what’s left of the glass ceiling. I advise every entrepreneur to lead with value, to make substance the basis of their image. That goes double for double X. Don’t hesitate to demonstrate your abilities and tout your successes. Look at the language on your website or in your professional dialogues. Are you underselling yourself? Are you focusing more on how you feel than on what you can do? You’re under no obligation to be submissive, however much it may be expected of you.

4. Many women entrepreneurs have abilities that many men don’t

While we can’t assign a certain skill set to all women, there are some things more common to women than men. Emotional intelligence. Empathy. Emotional endurance. It’s been my experience that our culture has encouraged these abilities less in men, and more in women. Men were subject to irrational and sexist expectations as well, many are underdeveloped in these areas. That’s where women can have a huge advantage, and why the female perspective is so desperately needed in business.

Being a woman in business (especially independent business) is a fundamentally unique experience. For all its disadvantages, the advantages are there. The need for a stronger female influence can be felt across many strata of the business world. I think that’s an opportunity. I hope that down the road, enough women will have seized that opportunity to make blog posts like this one much less relevant.

Article Written by Omar Zenhom

- Advertisement -spot_img
- Advertisement -

Must Read

- Advertisement -

Recent Published Startup Stories

- Advertisement -

27 COMMENTS

  1. I am just writing to let you understand what a superb experience my friend’s girl experienced going through your blog. She figured out several issues, including what it’s like to have an excellent giving mindset to make other people clearly know precisely a variety of very confusing subject areas. You really exceeded our own expected results. Thank you for producing such helpful, healthy, revealing as well as fun guidance on this topic to Kate.

  2. Hi there, You’ve done a great job. I’ll definitely digg it and personally recommend to my friends. I am sure they’ll be benefited from this site.

  3. Thank you for sharing superb informations. Your site is so cool. I am impressed by the details that you have on this website. It reveals how nicely you perceive this subject. Bookmarked this web page, will come back for extra articles. You, my pal, ROCK! I found just the info I already searched all over the place and simply couldn’t come across. What a perfect web site.

  4. Thanks a lot for providing individuals with a very pleasant chance to read articles and blog posts from this website. It’s always so useful and jam-packed with a great time for me personally and my office fellow workers to visit your website the equivalent of 3 times a week to see the latest tips you will have. And indeed, I am also actually amazed concerning the stunning information you serve. Selected 1 points on this page are ultimately the most impressive we have had.

  5. Great amazing things here. I am very happy to see your article. Thank you a lot and i am having a look ahead to touch you. Will you please drop me a mail?

  6. It¡¦s really a cool and helpful piece of info. I¡¦m satisfied that you just shared this useful information with us. Please stay us up to date like this. Thanks for sharing.

  7. I savor, result in I found exactly what I was looking for. You have ended my 4 day lengthy hunt! God Bless you man. Have a nice day. Bye

  8. Good write-up, I¡¦m normal visitor of one¡¦s web site, maintain up the excellent operate, and It’s going to be a regular visitor for a lengthy time.

  9. You can definitely see your enthusiasm in the work you write. The arena hopes for more passionate writers like you who are not afraid to mention how they believe. All the time go after your heart.

  10. Hiya, I’m really glad I have found this info. Today bloggers publish just about gossips and internet and this is really irritating. A good website with interesting content, that is what I need. Thank you for keeping this web site, I’ll be visiting it. Do you do newsletters? Can’t find it.

  11. Thanks , I have just been looking for information about this subject for ages and yours is the greatest I’ve found out till now. But, what concerning the conclusion? Are you sure about the supply?

  12. You made some decent points there. I looked on the internet for the subject and found most people will agree with your website.

  13. Hi there, just became alert to your blog through Google, and found that it’s really informative. I am going to watch out for brussels. I’ll be grateful if you continue this in future. A lot of people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!

  14. Very efficiently written article. It will be valuable to anyone who employess it, including me. Keep up the good work – looking forward to more posts.

  15. I simply wished to appreciate you yet again. I’m not certain the things that I would’ve sorted out without those tricks shared by you on that problem. It was before a real fearsome situation for me personally, but viewing a specialised avenue you processed it forced me to cry for contentment. I am happy for your information and in addition sincerely hope you are aware of a powerful job you’re undertaking instructing men and women via your web site. I am sure you haven’t come across any of us.

  16. Hi there very cool site!! Man .. Excellent .. Wonderful .. I’ll bookmark your blog and take the feeds additionally¡KI’m happy to search out numerous useful info right here within the publish, we’d like work out extra techniques on this regard, thank you for sharing. . . . . .

  17. Wow! Thank you! I continually needed to write on my blog something like that. Can I take a fragment of your post to my website?

  18. You made some good points there. I looked on the internet for the subject and found most persons will go along with with your site.

  19. Magnificent site. A lot of useful information here. I¡¦m sending it to several friends ans additionally sharing in delicious. And certainly, thanks in your effort!

  20. Thank you a lot for providing individuals with a very special possiblity to read in detail from this blog. It’s usually so superb plus stuffed with a great time for me personally and my office mates to search the blog at least three times every week to study the new issues you have got. And definitely, I’m so actually fascinated with your impressive suggestions you give. Certain 4 points on this page are undoubtedly the most effective we have all ever had.

  21. I¡¦ve learn several excellent stuff here. Certainly worth bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how so much attempt you put to create this sort of magnificent informative site.

  22. I and my guys were found to be reviewing the excellent thoughts from the website then then got a horrible feeling I had not expressed respect to the site owner for them. The young men came for that reason glad to see them and have now certainly been having fun with them. Appreciation for simply being indeed kind as well as for finding this form of outstanding useful guides millions of individuals are really needing to learn about. My sincere regret for not saying thanks to you sooner.

  23. I enjoy you because of all of the hard work on this site. My niece really likes doing research and it is obvious why. My partner and i know all concerning the lively ways you give precious thoughts by means of your website and therefore welcome response from some other people on that matter plus our daughter is now understanding a lot. Have fun with the rest of the year. You have been carrying out a powerful job.

  24. I wish to show my affection for your kind-heartedness in support of women who have the need for help on the area. Your real dedication to passing the solution all around had become incredibly interesting and has continuously made workers like me to get to their targets. Your own informative tutorial denotes so much a person like me and extremely more to my mates. With thanks; from everyone of us.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Select Language »