Successful entrepreneurs are proactive not reactive. In case you don't understand the difference, the difference is making decisions before the roof falls off and you have nowhere to turn. I know from experience that women entrepreneurs have the guts to take action quickly and brutally if necessary. 
Let me give you some examples so you can relate. First, I have a client who was stalled in her business. No matter what she did to increase revenues her profit margin stayed the same. She knew that time was running out for her to take action and risk change to act. She opened up a second location. She risked her brand and her time (something we all only have an infinite amount of) and took the risk to be a startup again. The result: sales are off the charts for the second location and the first location seems to have been re-energized and is increasing sales. Is it a coincidence that the business is growing and expanding because she took a risk? NO! The fact is being proactive and changing the way she was running her business has impacted her business and her desire to succeed. Starting a second location brought back the excitement of a startup and she is energized in a new way in her business. Her energy and enthusiasm rubs off to staff, customers and vendors, and is creating greater success for both stores. Her proactivity has generated a better business model and more customers for her business. Taking action is not 'rocket science', a term which actually means, according to Wiktionary, complex, detailed or confusing. Taking action is most often your only choice to reach success in business.
Entrepreneurs who resist taking action find themselves mired in going nowhere in their business. If, and when, they reach out to consultants or others to ask what is going wrong they resist the advice to taking a step forward. I often hear that moving forward so often feels and sounds like a risk whereas standing still and going along to get along feels safe. Ask many of those in the newspaper business or the photo developing business why they aren't risking taking a change in course. You'll hear reason after reason for why staying with the status quo has suited them for generations and a change is risk they just aren't willing to take.
However, if you are an entrepreneur reading this blog, I ask you to think about the many successful businesses you know and explore the reasons for their successes. Here is a list of some of the well-known ones to get you started: Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Dell, Wal-Mart, Google, Yahoo, and HubSpot. Take a moment to go to any one of the websites associated with these companies. Take a look at the link to press releases or what's new and soak up the changes every one of these companies' reports to be making. I promise you, you will be in awe, as I am, to the proactivity successful companies are focused on.
As an entrepreneur, when you are proactive and lead the customer forward your business will reap the rewards. Business must be seen as a living, breathing entity that needs constant attention and revitalization to keep it current and fluid. The rush an entrepreneur feels when starting a business is just as great when (s)he takes a proactive approach to taking the business to the next level. If you ever get tired of feeling that sting of excitement then you'll know it is time to exit the business.
Remember, taking risks are the only way forward for entrepreneurs who believe in their ability to succeed. Decide NOW - are you ready for change? Do you thrive on the thrill of risk? If not, is entrepreneurship really for you?
