Women business owners often have to overcome tons of obstacles just to make their dreams a reality, and when you see someone becoming successful after struggling so much, it leaves you awestruck. Or at least it does to me. Having spoken to many women who own businesses, I realized that becoming a Female Entrepreneur is a lot harder than it looks. This is especially true when you’re female. Here’s what you should know if you want to take the path less traveled as a woman.
1. You will deal with a lot of naysayers, haters, and people who are threatened by you
Female entrepreneurs, in my experience, get as much if not more negative remarks from people than their male counterparts do. If you’re an entrepreneur, you will need to have thick skin for the job, because people will put you down – especially in the beginning.
2. People are more likely to try to take advantage of you since you’re a female
People make assumptions about women in general, and it only gets worse when you’re a female entrepreneur. You might be surprised at how many people will try to guilt you into getting them jobs or try to find a way to get you to buy services. Some might even react angrily if you reject them. This is yet another reason to have a thick skin.
3. If you’re a mom, other moms might judge you for choosing to run a business
I can’t name how many times I’ve heard moms ask working or entrepreneurial moms, “But don’t you care about raising your kids?” Enough Mommy Wars, everyone!
4. Some of the issues will seep into your personal life, too
Sadly, there are men out there who want to have a sugar mama. We’ll keep it at that.
5. This is a life choice that will make you learn about EVERYTHING
Oh, will you learn! You will learn how to network, how to be assertive, local laws, as well as just about everything possible about marketing in your industry. You will learn skills that you never even thought you’d need. Prepare to learn!
6. You’ll also fund your own business
Sure, you can start a business with no money, but it’s not always wise. You’ll learn about SBA loans from banks, alternative funding sources like Capital Key, as well as how to crowdfund a project. There’s a lot about fundraising that you’ll learn.
7. Time management and prioritizing will become a major factor in your life
Time is always precious, but that soon becomes magnified when you’re running your own business. You’ll soon find that you will have little time for nonsense, and little time for anything other than your company and your family. So, you will use that time wisely.
8. Appearances count
Sooner rather than later, your wardrobe and look will need an upgrade.
9. Like attracts like
You’ll meet other business-minded women when you yourself are an entrepreneur.
Entrepreneurialism is hard, but it is oh, so worth it. To those who are strong enough to tackle it, I salute you!
