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Being an entrepreneur in itself a huge challenge, but being a successful female entrepreneur is more work than most can imagine. As the number of thriving businesswomen continues to increase across continents, these women, our role models and mentors, have come up with different elements of the winning business and lifestyle formula. Here are some of the best-kept secrets of successful female entrepreneurs who know how to carve their marks in the business world and make their name stand out in the entrepreneurial crowd.
The Thick-Skinned Bird Catches the Worm
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The business arena is merciless, and blows are more numerous than pats on the head, especially for newbie entrepreneurs. Ladies who want to carve a slice of the corporate cake for themselves need to have the card of resilience up their dress shirt sleeve, and they should brace themselves for countless failures and tough patches on the road to corporate stardom.
“We must develop a thick skin. With an unshakeable sense of self – and a commitment to being compassionate – nothing will faze you.” – Mari Smith, Social Media Expert (Queen of Facebook)
Surround Yourself With Optimism and Faith
Negativity can grow on you like moss if you’re exposed to it constantly, and once pessimism takes root, it can shatter your business success and land you in an emotional ditch of low self-esteem. Rising to the top is much easier if you’re surrounded by people who have faith in your skills and resourcefulness: a positive mindset is a magnet for peak business results.
“Do not bring people in your life who weigh you down, and trust your instincts. Good relationships feel good. They feel right. They don’t hurt. They’re not painful. That’s not just with somebody you want to marry, but it’s with the friends you choose. It’s with the people you surround yourself with.” – Michelle Obama, FLOTUS
Think Outside the Box –and Live Outside It Too
In entrepreneurial waters, there is never a single fail-safe route to success, and you’ll often be compelled to steer your corporate ship across unmarked territory. For this reason, it’s important to think outside the box and have a backup plan and alternative options in place for the times when the journey slides off the beaten track. By thinking this way, you will help make the most of your available resources on the quest to corporate growth.
“Option A is not available. So let’s kick the sh** out of option B.” – Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook COO
Giving Up Doesn’t Always Mean Admitting Defeat
Mishaps happen, projects don’t pan out, and certain failures in business can’t be avoided – but if you fall down flat on your face, get up gracefully and touch up your lipstick. Renouncing an endeavor that costs you more than it’s worth is not a sign of defeat: it’s a sign of common sense and solid analytical skills which is essential for survival in business.
“Sometimes you can gradually improve things. But sometimes, they don’t work, and you’ve just got to just say: Let’s grind this baby to a halt.” – Abigail Johnson, Fidelity Investments President and CEO
Don’t Bank on Growth Sitting in Your Comfort Zone
Few, if any, leaders are born for success. Climbing up the business ladder is a task that requires courage, sweat, tears, and the eagerness to keep learning and using the newly acquired knowledge to adapt to new circumstances. You’ll never know all there is to know about certain aspects of business because the market landscape is changing every day – but if you let fear override you, the match will be lost even before it begins.
“I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that’s how you grow. When there’s that moment of ‘Wow, I’m not really sure I can do this,’ and you push through those moments, that’s when you have a breakthrough.” – Marissa Mayer, Yahoo President & CEO
Dress to Impress and Attract Success, Every Single Day
Getting dressed properly isn’t the key to success, but what you wear does impact the way clients, colleagues, and potential business partners see you. Don’t dress for the position you have, but the one your want! Your coworkers are privately checking you out from behind their suave perfectly organized desks, so dress like the #bosslady you are, and inspires them both in spirit and with your style.
“Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman.” – Coco Chanel, Designer
It’s an entrepreneur-eats-entrepreneur world out there, so you should arm yourself with the essential survival skill kit if you want to make it to the top tiers. Good luck!