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Women Entrepreneurs – Doing Business in a Feminine Way
By admin | June 3, 2009
Supporting entrepreneurial women is my passion. With that in mind I wrote this article for female/women entrepreneurs only, so I could focus and celebrate the feminine way of doing business. I’m eager to share with you communities that support doing business in a feminine way.
This is an important subject since women are starting businesses at nearly 3 times the rate of men. Currently there are 11million women owned businesses in the US. What’s motivating women to start their own businesses? According to a survey by Ladies Who Launch, women launch a new business for the following reasons:
- To have more FREEDOM and CONTROL over their schedules and LIVES.
- To pursue their PASSION and DREAMS.
- To create REVENUE and MAKE MONEY doing what they love.
The specific motives are unique to every woman yet they reflect a pattern. Women want their business to fit in with the rest of their priorities and values in life.
The Feminine Approach to Launching a Business
Women generally rely on a more intuitive approach to starting their businesses. In order to get started, women need to feel the creative juices flowing and then have the freedom to act on their ideas. Ladies Who Launch is the first online and in-person platform to recognize and cater their program (for female/women entrepreneurs only) to the uniquely feminine approach to launching.
The feminine approach is celebrated through the Ladies Who Launch Incubator program, where you can get through the first stage of launching and find the resources you need to continue growing. As an Incubator leader in my local area, I’ve watched that the participants’ businesses truly expand and grow more quickly when they are connected to other women in their area. Click here (insert link) to learn more about Incubator programs in your area.
The Feminine Approach to Running a Business
Women tend to be collaborators and prefer not to go it alone. This can be a tremendous advantage because they’re always on the lookout for help to get their business off the ground more quickly. Most women don’t have a problem admitting that they’re not sure how to proceed and will ask for direction. Their businesses benefit as a result.
At whatever stage their business is at, entrepreneurial women are always looking for:
- Inspiration – Women are inspired when they see and learn from other women who have great ideas, a broader, more creative perspective and who are already achieving the kind of lifestyle they visualize for themselves. Learning from other successful entrepreneurs gives women a sense of who’s doing what in business and if she can do it, I can do it!
- Resources - Women want training and coaching from business experts on the latest business strategies. They also want advice on how to create balance and a high-quality personal life.
- Community – Women crave a like-minded community of women for a daily dose of wisdom, support and guidance.
Women need a venue to get the inspiration, resources and sense of community they crave. A few years ago I began hosting a monthly “Great Women’s Gathering” in my home. These few joyful hours of unstructured sharing are tremendously valuable for everyone in attendance. It gives us a chance to connect, gather together and learn from one another in a completely supportive environment. Consider starting your own group as a way to reach out to women in your community.
I launched Metromom.com and created The Metromom Entrepreneurs Association for female/women entrepreneurs only. This online community helps metromoms-entrepreneurial moms in home-based businesses-find all the business support and business supporters they need to be successful. I wholeheartedly believe there’s plenty of room for every woman to shine in all that she does-and this quality of abundance is a very important way to celebrate the feminine way of doing business.
Watch the video related to women entrepreneurs
www.prettyceo.com Some tips on how women can avoid awkward advances in business, how to use your personality to your advantage without flirting too much, what’s appropriate business flirting and more.
Help answer the question about women entrepreneurs
Does anyone know any women entrepreneurs in Mangalore?I'm planning to do a series of write-ups on women entrepreneurs, business leaders, in and around Mangalore city. If anyone knows any names please be forthcoming.
About Author
Kim DeYoung (aka “The Metromom”) is committed to helping moms—with entrepreneurial spirit—to be successful in all aspects of life. She provides dynamic coaching and trainings every month to help women maximize their potential at Metromom.com, an interactive community for moms in direct sales. Kim will show you how to dramatically increase sales and connect with like-minded women in her FREE CD – “The 7 Deadly Sins Women in Direct Sales Make… And How to Avoid Them.” Learn more and order your FREE CD now at www.metromom.com
Topics: Networking | 10 Comments »
June 3rd, 2009 at 10:44 am
good video
June 3rd, 2009 at 9:52 am
They frown on that there. Its a very backwards country. So there arent to many.
June 3rd, 2009 at 10:22 am
Aurora International is an international website for women in business, including entrepreneurs.
Rediff has a section profiling 21 top Indian women entrepreneurs.
There is also a Federation of Indian Women Entrepreneurs. They would be an interesting place to start, I would think!
Best wishes
June 3rd, 2009 at 11:46 am
profit motive trumps all "isms".
(send me your business plan, and we'll talk).
June 3rd, 2009 at 8:02 pm
June 4th, 2009 at 10:51 pm
More women are starting new businesses in 1st world nations than are men today. And, 3rd world entrepreneurship hinges on "cottage industries". All cottage industry is dominated by women initially but tend to be plundered or taken away from women by men or local governments when they become profitable.
June 5th, 2009 at 1:58 am
Contrary to what you see on late-night television, there are no grants for individuals.
The Grants that are available are, for Rural Community Development, not for personal use.
If you want to open your own business, you're on your own.
June 5th, 2009 at 9:07 am
In the best of times, women entrepreneurs are hard-pressed to find start-up capital. The number of venture-backed, women-led companies stands at only 6 percent, and in the third quarter venture capital funding to all start-ups fell by 23 percent.
Some $4 billion was invested in companies led by a woman chief executive officer last year, and in the last three years the percentage of venture-backed, women-led companies has increased from 2 percent to 6 percent, according to VentureOne, a research firm specializing in venture capital research.
The outlook this year is uncertain, given the struggling economy. During the year's third quarter, venture capital investing in all start-up businesses fell 23 percent, according to an October PricewaterhouseCoopers MoneyTree Survey with VentureOne.
Women will need to due their due diligence and pursue other creative financing measures. Doing their research on unconventional ways of funding their companies will lead with hard work to the financing they need.
June 6th, 2009 at 5:15 am
Yes, they definitely have better lives because they are allowed to approach their employment in more non-traditional ways and don't have to worry about the glass ceiling. Depends on the business though. Being a small business owner, especially in retail, can be VERY stressful and you often end up putting in long hours. Every success is YOURS and every failure is YOURS. If it doesn't work out, it is a lot harder to bounce back from but overall can be a very rewarding experience.
June 6th, 2009 at 4:07 pm