Guest Post by Beverly Mahone (learn more about Beverly at the end of this post).
Although there is no tried and true formula for success, studies have shown that successful entrepreneurs share many common characteristics.
It takes courage, determination and foresight to decide to become an entrepreneur. Leaving the relatively safe corporate world, where paychecks arrive regularly, and benefits are guaranteed, you will be venturing into the uncharted territories of business and it can be a daunting adventure, but if you’ve got what it takes, it can be the best challenge you ever face.
Unlike men, our challenges as women entrepreneurs can be greater. In addition to pursuing our own goals and dreams, many of us also have responsibilities that include taking care of families.
While there is no recipe for success, most successful entrepreneurs share many common characteristics. To determine whether you can be a successful woman in business, or if you are better off to work for somebody else, here are some guidelines to consider:
1. Do you have big dreams? To achieve the kind of success that you want, you need to dream big. Every success story starts with big dreams. If you’re going to be a successful entrepreneur you have to believe the sky’s the limit. Just making enough to pay the bills or getting a few customers is not enough of an aspiration to fuel you forward. No doubt, the journey to becoming a successful woman in business won’t be an easy one but you can do it with determination, motivation and inspiration. In addition, you dream should not only inspire you, it needs to inspire others as well. Your dream should be something that others will believe in, see as worthwhile and want to support.
2. Clarity and vision. You need to have a clear vision of what you want to achieve. Along with dreaming big you should actively visualize success in your mind so that you can almost feel it, touch it or see that it is within your reach. You should play this image back at every opportunity. Create a vision board that you can look at daily as a reminder of what you’re striving for. .
3. Passion for what you do. It is not enough to just have a good product or service, you must have passion. Success comes easily if you have a great love of what you do. The reason is because we are more motivated in our pursuit of goals for the things we love. Entrepreneurs who succeed don’t mind the fact that they are putting in 18 hours a day in their business because they absolutely love what they do and they believe in their mission.
4. Knowledge is power. You don’t need a degree in business to succeed at your own business. Studies show that most self-made millionaires have average intelligence. Nonetheless, these people reached their full potential and achieved their financial and personal goals in business because they were willing to learn. To succeed, you must be willing to ask questions, remain curious and open to new knowledge. This willingness to learn becomes more crucial given the rapid changes in technologies and ways of doing business and those that are open to change based on knowledge are the ones that have the best chance of being successful. Become a student of business best practices. You will want to learn about other businesses and strategies that have worked and see if you can adopt them to your business. Sticking with what you know because it’s all you know won’t get you very far. There is a wealth of knowledge out there; those who find the knowledge that will best serve them and then put it to work are those who reap great rewards.
5. A Healthy Mind & Body Go Hand in Hand. It is not uncommon for entrepreneurs to put in two normal work days for every one weekday as well as spend time on the weekends in their business, especially in the first year or two. In addition to mental dedication, this takes physical stamina as well. Maintaining a healthy diet, exercise regime and high energy level are highly recommended because they will strengthen your body and your mind to enable you to deal with the business challenges. People love energetic people and they tend to make natural assumptions about their success level, their intelligence and their competence based on this energy.
6. Persistence and faith. The people who say that the road to success is easy are forgetting the drive it took to get them there. Even with all the hard work and good intentions imaginable many entrepreneurs will fail. Some successful entrepreneurs suffered setbacks and defeats and even bankruptcy, but they managed to stand up again and make it big in their fields. The courage to persist in the face of adversity and ability to bounce back after a temporary disappointment will assure your success. An entrepreneur must learn how to pick up and start all over again. Persistence is the measure of the belief in yourself and if you persist you can succeed.
Becoming a successful entrepreneur is hard work. It takes time and effort and a certain drive, but it can be one of the most rewarding and best things you do in midlife.
About the Author
Beverly Mahone is a veteran journalist who spent more than 25 years in radio and television news. As an Entrepreneur, she is the owner of BAM Enterprises—a media consulting firm. The company specializes in coaching speech and media interviewing techniques and also offers marketing and promotional assistance. In addition, she is also an author and motivational speaker who has been classified as a baby boomer expert by the media. She has appeared on and been quoted by numerous media outlets including MSNBC-TV and the New York Times Newspaper. To learn more, go to: http://www.talk2bev.com or contact her at: [email protected].
Read Beverly Mahone’s other guest posts on Women On Business:
Who are You and Why Should the Media Care?
Susan Gunelius
Susan Gunelius is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Women on Business. She is a 30-year veteran of the marketing field and has authored a dozen books about marketing, branding, and social media, including the highly popular Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing, 30-Minute Social Media Marketing, Content Marketing for Dummies, Blogging All-in-One for Dummies and Kick-ass Copywriting in 10 Easy Steps. Susan’s marketing-related content can be found on Entrepreneur.com, Forbes.com, MSNBC.com, BusinessWeek.com, and more. Susan is President & CEO of KeySplash Creative, Inc., a marketing communications company. She has worked in corporate marketing roles and through client relationships with AT&T, HSBC, Citibank, Intuit, The New York Times, Cox Communications, and many more large and small companies around the world. Susan also speaks about marketing, branding and social media at events around the world and is frequently interviewed by television, online, radio, and print media organizations about these topics. She holds an MBA in Management and Strategy and a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and is a Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC).
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