5 simple steps that empower women in business

Going into business can be overwhelming and there is still a genuine shortage of women in business, which can make it more intimidating for a female entrepreneur. The good news though, is that you can empower yourself to succeed with a few simple steps, writes Belle Chapman, award-winning photographer and founder of the Forevermore Initiative.

1. Enthusiasm is contagious

Our best relationships and connections with others come from happiness and shared passions. An empowered person knows that they can surround themselves with people with similar objectives in life and that you can build off each other’s passion.

You don’t want to surround yourself with people who think things can’t be done because they’ll be right, but only because they lack the vision and creativity to make those things happen.

Your self-confidence will shine forth when you’re around people with as much enthusiasm for life and business as you have.

2. Empowered people are great teachers

When you come across someone who has an air of the kind of empowerment that you seek, why not stop them and ask them about their journey?

This is a great way to become more empowered and to forge relationships that can help you throughout your entrepreneurial life.

Envision the kind of people you want to be like and when you meet them in real life, take a mental snapshot of their aura and then find out what makes them tick.

Even if you don’t use their ideas, you’ll have learned something useful – what you don’t want to do in your journey.

3. Be forgiving of yourself

Being in business is a marathon, not a sprint. If you’ve ever watched a marathon race, you’ll know there’s a moment when things get really hard – the runners ‘hit the wall’.

That’s OK. We will all find obstacles in our way as we attempt to run our own entrepreneurial races. The secret is to know that at some point, things will get tough.

And some runners buckle the first time that they hit the wall; that doesn’t make them failures. You’ll see them in another race and next time, they’ll be better prepared for the wall and ready to move on.

Winners forgive their own mistakes, learn from them and then go back and tackle the hard stuff again. Empowered women know that they can forgive themselves and start over.

4. Embrace learning

Nobody has all the skills on tap that they need to meet every challenge in their lives – that’s OK. The good news is that you live in the internet age.

When you find yourself struggling with something, you can find resources or people to help you overcome your challenges, quickly.

Get a mentor, read books, subscribe to relevant blogs, attend webinars and conferences, listen to podcasts … soon, you’ll have all the skills you need to be where you want to be.

When you have a lifelong learning mindset, you can’t lose in business.

5. Learn to say “no” and to speak your mind

This is a super tough lesson to learn if you’re a natural people-pleaser, but you have to learn to safeguard yourself to be truly empowered.

That means learning to say “no” when people are asking too much of you and when you feel you’re not getting much in return.

It also means being brave enough to speak up and stake your ground even when you’re in a high-stakes environment.

It’s hard to do this at first, but in the long run, it will ensure the people who know you respect you.

Final thoughts on being empowered as a female entrepreneur

Nobody starts in business with every skill and aspect of their personality perfected. Empowerment comes from recognising that fact and then preparing yourself to learn, and surrounding yourself by those who can support you on your journey as you support them on theirs.

This article was first published on Flying Solo, read the original here.

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