“Women are the largest untapped reservoir of talent in the world.”
Hillary Clinton
Women Entrepreneurs in the global phenomena of entrepreneurship are taking the world by surprise. Entrepreneurship takes place in various social settings in widely varying dimensions. The need to act upon such a courageous perception rises from many aspects. One might feel the need to introduce an idea that is difficult to resist, while one might work upon an idea out of the need for an income. Whatever the reason and the motivation behind delving into the world of entrepreneurship, the ambitions and results are always worth reading into.
Moreover, in a world where social settings and expectations are greatly influenced by gender differences, women appear to be in the spotlight in the field of entrepreneurship. The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor reported that in 2020 there were six economies in which the level of female entrepreneurship exceeded the male rate.
However, it is not a piece of cake, it requires hard work, courage, perseverance, and resilience. If you are a woman struggling to make your way up the career path, here are 8 important lessons from leading women entrepreneurs around the world.
Read on to find out how these inspiring women made their mark in the world and what they have to say about entrepreneurship.
1- Break The Mold That Is Set For Women In Society
Oprah Winfrey, the founder of the Oprah Winfrey Network, is of the view that ‘the greatest discovery of all times is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude’. In this world where perceptions have been set and roles have been assigned, women must build strong attitudes. It takes a mindset change to break through the glass ceiling.
Only a few decades ago, the world was full to the brim with successful men in various fields in entrepreneurship. However, women now have shed the cloak of invisibility and are stepping up.
If you feel that you are all set to be in a career that society approves of, well, it is time you gear your attitude towards ‘I can do anything. Broaden your circle of experience, network, build and make your mark. Because life is too short to regret your actions.
2- You Learn Along The Way
It is important to remember that you cannot yield results all of a sudden. It is also almost impossible to take in every possible lesson all at once. It takes time. Life is a set of experiences and lessons. Cher Wang is the CEO of HTC and one of the most powerful women in computer technology. She says that ‘ It takes humility to realize that we do not know everything, not to rest on our laurels and know that we must keep learning and observe. If we don’t, we can be sure some startup will be there to take our place’.
And she is not wrong. One must realize that lessons come as we build the courage to take risks. In Entrepreneurship, Success is not about what results you wish to achieve, it is about what you learn along the path.
You try, you fail, but never give up. Try again, try harder, and never lose sight of the vision. You may lose sight of the shore but never forget what you are working towards, let your circumstances and your failures be your motivation.
3- Let Go of Your Fears
Giving in to fear is the death of ambition. It stunts your growth. Failure gives you lessons and motivation to keep going, but fear kills the fighter inside you. It was in 1990 that Vera Wang opened her own bridal boutique, and she was 40 years old. Wang says that ‘Because I didn’t come from a bridal background, I think I brought fashion to [the bridal industry]. I was fearless because I really didn’t know any better.
The late bloomer and fashion entrepreneur started her journey a little late for the always in the rush business world. However, without the fear of being criticized or failing, she set out along the entrepreneurial way. Today, she runs a successful business as a Fashion Designer and is known throughout the world for her exotic couture venture.
Every woman out there needs to know that it is never too late in life to act upon that idea you had been holding back. Who knows, you might have been born to be an entrepreneur.
“People don’t take opportunities because the timing is bad, the financial side is not secure. Too many people are overanalyzing. Sometimes you just have to go for it.”
Michelle Zatlyn, Co-founder of Cloudflare
4- Embrace Your Individuality
Women, where they embrace beauty, family, and friends, also need to embrace their individuality. In entrepreneurship, what matters the most is how you stand out and what aspects of your idea as well as the personality you choose to project. It is a competitive world, and for women, it comes as even more difficult owing to stereotypes. However, when you embrace the aspects of your individuality, you make it easier for yourself to strive to the top.
Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of Facebook, emphasizes that ‘true leadership stems from individuality that is honestly and sometimes imperfectly expressed. Leaders should strive for authenticity over perfection.
One of the crucial leadership qualities and needs is to speak out in difficult circumstances. Women need to speak up and to be heard, and no matter how uncomfortable the situation gets. Well, somebody has to keep up with the world.
Thus, embrace and celebrate your individuality and enhance it to great extents. Simply because you can.
5- Remain Confident
Confidence is what helps you move forward when you hit rough patches. Huda Kattan, who runs a successful makeup empire by the name Huda Beauty, says ‘Whenever you are pushing boundaries, there will be pushback from people. Embrace what you stand for, and accept that there will be criticism’.
Rise above what the world has to say about your choices, struggles, and success.
The world of entrepreneurship yields great results but the path is a rough track with landmines. There are going to be difficulties, however, remain confident and goal-focused. You are not responsible for what the world’s opinion is about how things should be. You are only responsible for your goals and your success.
“Women need to shift from thinking ‘I am not ready to do that’ to thinking ‘I want to do that and I’ll learn by doing it”.
Sheryl Sandberg
Moreover, you never know who takes inspiration from your struggle and takes that leap of faith. By building confidence, you not only help yourself but also, powerfully and empathetically, encourage others to do so too.
Here are some ways that can help you remain confident;
- Practice positive self-talk
- Practice gratitude
- Practice ‘focus’
6- Unfasten Your Ambitions
Many a time, women lose opportunities because they do not express their concerns in any setting. In a professional setting, women are often less assertive and tend to belittle the importance of their ideas. However, for women in entrepreneurship as well as all other walks of life, it is important to unfasten the reign of ambition. A woman must be unapologetic about her ambitious nature and should voice her concerns no matter what the setting.
Jue Wong, CEO of the skincare company StriVectin, says that in the first years of her business being assertive came across as being counterculture for her. However, later she learned that being assertive does not imply that one is disrespectful or imposing. Rather, it is the business way of presenting one’s viewpoint.
“When you undervalue what you do, you will undervalue who you are”.
Oprah Winfrey
7- Practice Positivity
Practice positivity. Not only for yourself, but for those around you. When you practice positivity, you attract good things to come your way. In a world that is fueled by bad news most of the time, you have the chance to spread good old positivity.
Moreover, Caterina Fake, founder of Flickr, describes positivity as a prerequisite for entrepreneurship. She says “The most successful entrepreneurs I know are optimistic. It is part of the job description”.
When you see an opportunity, go at it. If you do not see opportunities, create them. That is how the laws of karma work; you wish for it, you work for it, and it comes to you.
Women, females, her; these are just classifications of human beings based on gender. And make sure you perceive those as the mere classification for the sake of academic or scientific research, nothing more. This does not define who you truly are or how capable you are. You can start that business and delve into the world of entrepreneurship, you can compete in that marathon and win. You are more capable than you think, and you can achieve whatever dream it is that you hold.
