Are you an aspiring female entrepreneur? Do you have a vision, purpose, and the drive to communicate it clearly with others?
Before you begin your exciting journey, you should know about some essential lessons for female entrepreneurs, and some insights from the most inspiring women entrepreneurs. Here is everything you need to know as a female entrepreneur.
What You Need to Know as a Female Entrepreneur?
Lessons for a Female Entrepreneur
Lesson 1: Time is a Precious Resource, Use it Wisely
Building a successful business takes time, patience, and unwavering dedication. It’s essential to understand that overnight success stories are the exception, not the rule. And you will probably have to work hard, put in extra hours, and say no to a few family gatherings. But in the long run, you could claim passion, purpose, and purpose.
Plus, you could find a work-life balance for women if you:
- Prioritize your tasks
- Create flexibility
- Ask for help and support
- Practice self-care
Famous female entrepreneur and founder of HuffPost, Arianna Huffington famously said, “We think, mistakenly, that success is the result of the amount of time we put in at work, instead of the quality of time we put in.”
Lesson 2: Embrace Diversity in Your Team and Network
Diverse teams outperform homogeneous ones in innovation and problem-solving. Teams that have both men and women, diverse backgrounds, and perspectives perform better. When hiring, keep this in mind.
As a female entrepreneur, you can create diverse teams if you:
- Set diversity goals
- Use peer reviews
- Actively look for your organization’s blind spots
- Broaden your network
- Promote different perspectives but inclusive values
Inspiring women in business and the CEO of Accenture, Julie Sweet is a huge advocate of diversity and actively supports women in the workplace. She says, “A culture of equality helps everyone. It is not a zero-sum game.”
Lesson 3: Think big and plan, but Stay Focused
Planning is crucial in the world of entrepreneurship. Developing a clear business plan, setting goals, and creating a roadmap for your venture is essential. But, it’s equally important to be adaptable and open to change. You don’t always have to have all the answers right in the beginning, your answers can change or develop as the business landscape shifts.
Being flexible allows you to seize unexpected opportunities and navigate unforeseen challenges.
Bold Businesswomen and founder of Experiencegift, Loes Daniels says, “Think big and stay focused. Set ambitious goals for your business. Project where you want to be in 3 years and create a roadmap to get there.”
Lesson 4: Persevere
Lastly, you need to be determined and keep going – even when you feel unmotivated.
Women advocate and founder of Girls Who Code, Reshma Saujani says, “Everything I’ve Achieved Has Come From Perseverance.”
Recommended Reading: 5 Challenges for Female Entrepreneurs in 2024 and How to Overcome Them
Examples of inspiring women in business
1. Sara Blakely
Sara is the founder of Spanx, an undergarment company for women. From a fax machine salesperson to one of the most popular female entrepreneurs, her story is remarkable.
2. Whitney Wolfe Herd
Whitney Wolfe Herd, founder of the dating app, Bumble, has been a buzz for a while now. She is just 35 years old and quickly became one of the world’s youngest female self-made billionaires. She has built a brand that provides a platform for women to make the first move – Bumble has experienced over 1.5 billion first moves.
3. Sheryl Sandberg
Sheryl Sandberg is an iconic leader in tech. She worked at Google as a sales executive and, most notably, was instrumental as the COO of Facebook.
4. Rihanna
Rihanna is not only a famous singer but a famous female entrepreneur. In 2022, Rihanna became the youngest female billionaire in the world and the richest female musician. She reached this status after starting her beauty brand, Fenty.
5. Melanie Perkins
At just 19 years old, Melanie conceptualized the design software platform and unicorn startup, Canva.
Recommended Reading: Inspiring Women in Business And Their Net Worth
How can you start a business as a woman?
Do you want to leave the 9 to 5 and build a business and join the ranks of inspiring women, but don’t know where to begin? Here is how to start a business as a woman, including some good ideas and questions to ask when starting a business.
7 Business Ideas for Women
1. Build an Ecommerce Business
Platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce make it easy to set up and manage an online store. Focus on a niche market to stand out, and think about what you are interested in. Remember to think out the box.
Learn from these Innovative E-commerce Entrepreneurs
2. Create an Online Course
If you have expertise in a particular field, create a compelling course and sell it. This can be highly profitable because it has low costs and high rewards.
3. Create an Engaged Community
Building an online community around a niche topic can generate multiple revenue streams, and you can get creative with how you monetize those streams.
4. Become a Seasoned Podcaster
Podcasting has continued to show a steady rise in listeners, and you can jump on this trend. Starting a podcast allows you to share your knowledge and connect with a global audience.
5. Travel Planning
If you have a knack for planning and an insatiable love for travel, set up your own travel agency. Use your experiences, best tips, and Google to source the best deals and build up a reputation as a boutique travel agency
6. Jewelry Making
If you have an eye for jewelry, start making your own products and use e-commerce platforms like Etsy or Shopify to sell them.
7. Freelance Writer
If you have a way with words, freelance writing is a flexible option that can be done from home. You can write articles, blog posts, web content, or even ghostwrite for others.
Read How to Start a Business as a Woman to Discover The 20 Best Business Ideas for Women
When you start your business, you need to think about how you can choose a profitable business Idea. Here are 5 of the most important question you need to think about as a female entrepreneur.
What Questions Should You Ask When Starting a Business
1. Aim for a good AOV (Average Order Value)
2. Think Scaleable
3. Try to Create a High-Profit Margin
4. Try to Build a Bootstrappable Business
5. Think About How You Can Be Niche strong
Recommended Reading: 10 Questions to Ask When Starting a Business in 2024
Conclusion: Your Time Is Now
It is an exciting time for women entrepreneurs. If you are about to embark on this exciting journey, here is everything you need as a female entrepreneur, from challenges to lessons from inspiring women in business to the best business ideas for women. Plus the most important questions you need to ask yourself and what you need to embrace – confidence and perseverance.
The world needs more female entrepreneurs, and with the right mindset and lessons, you can succeed. So, go forth, seize the opportunity, and start now, start today. Make your entrepreneurial dreams a reality.
What to read next? The 16 Best Business Books For Women in Business