Entrepreneurship is always an uphill battle in the business world regardless of your background, but it’s an even harder climb to the top when the deck is stacked against you. Even with many modern protections against gender discrimination, women entrepreneurs often face added difficulty when attempting to start their own business. However, just because it’s more challenging doesn’t mean it’s impossible; here are a few tips that can help you succeed in starting your own business. (Image Credit: Khusen Rustamov/Pixabay)
Solo or Partnership?
If you’ve got your business idea set and ready to go, one of the issues you may be running into is the practical side of starting the business. There are countless hurdles to jump when getting your business started, and sometimes having a partner when starting your business can help you get through the initial stages. Just be careful when working with others on your business; statistics show that up to 70% of all business partnerships fail. Be sure to weigh the pros and cons before deciding on working alone or with a partner.
Keep Moving Past Resistance
From the first time you come up with your concept all the way to your tenth anniversary of being open for business, people are likely going to try to stand in your way. Make sure you move past the push-back when it comes up, and try to make it through. In Washington, D.C., Venture Capital firms invested more than $700 million into tech firms in 2018. What they’re not saying, along with Silicon Valley, is how many times they told eager companies no. Don’t be discouraged by resistance, it’s part of the game. Just because one person doesn’t agree with you doesn’t mean your business idea is doomed to fail; it might just mean you need to share your opinion loud enough to be heard over them.
Stay Creative, Use Perspective
Remember that all businesses, at the end of the day, are created to solve some sort of a problem that someone has. Most male entrepreneurs are woefully unaware of the problems that many women face on a day-to-day basis. You, on the other hand, have firsthand experience and perspective that can be incredibly valuable in starting your business. Focus on building a business around problems you’d like to see solved – you’re likely not the only woman who’s had this problem before, but you could be the first to come up with a new and creative solution.
Staying ahead in the business world as a woman is still tough, unfortunately. However, these tips can help you tackle the business world and the patriarchy, so you can start your own business and help it thrive.
