Guide to Becoming a Successful Woman Entrepreneur

If you are interested in starting your own business, there’s a good chance you have completed one or two of the numerous self-assessment tests available in books and on the internet today.

These tests often ask broad questions like, “Are you a creative person?” “Are you optimistic?” “Are you a great leader?” “Do you work well with others?”

In reality, these tests will not help you determine if you will be a successful woman entrepreneur because they don’t ask the right questions. After all, no one can be optimistic 100% of the time and even if you could, that type of attitude could result in poor decisions about your business.

It is much more essential to be realistic about expectations. While you may be a great leader, it is also important for you to act as if you are part of a team, guiding and assisting your employees so they can help you be successful.

And working well with others?

This question is much too broad. It’s easy to get along with easygoing employees you aren’t related to, but what if you are working with family or with individuals who are constantly cranky and annoying?

Becoming a successful woman entrepreneur involves so much more than simply taking an assessment test. If it is your dream to start your own business, consider the following.

The Mark of a Successful Woman Entrepreneur

Becoming an entrepreneur give you the independence to run your own business the way you want to. However, it can also be a double-edged sword. You alone are responsible for whether the business is successful.

Here are some steps you can take to make sure you are doing everything you can to help your business succeed:

• Strive for Greatness – Many entrepreneurs get stuck in a rut of producing “good” or “adequate” work. As a result, their businesses are simple “good” or “adequate.” There is nothing special about them. Steve Jobs once said, “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. . . If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking, and don’t settle.” This couldn’t be closer to the truth. If you want your business to succeed, stand out as great and avoid the seduction of producing “good” work.

• Have the Right Attitude – While you can’t always be optimistic, having a “never say die” attitude can take you far. When things get tough, the best entrepreneurs consider alternative strategies and new ideas to make their plan succeed. They don’t simply throw in the towel.

• Networking – There are few things that will help your business grow more quickly than networking. As an entrepreneur, you are expected to run and understand every part of your business. However, no one person can know everything or do everything, so find others who can do them for you. Networking with professionals allows for increasing your knowledge, publicizing your business, improving your business’ efficiency, and increasing your chances of success.

• Learn How to Communicate Your Vision – As an entrepreneur, you will most likely be leading and working with a group of employees who want your business to be just as successful as you do. However, before they can help you achieve success, you must be able to communicate your vision to them. You can speak it, draw it, or even write it, but you must find a way they can understand. When you attempt to explain to them what your business is going to be doing, have your employees explain the concept back to you. This will let you know if they truly understand what direction your business should be heading.

You shouldn’t decide whether you will be a successful woman entrepreneur based on a couple of self-assessment tests.

Rely only on what truly matters: your passion for your business and your vision of success and financial independence.

Tagged as: entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, starting a business