There is an old childish expression which was used on the playground to demean others, but today is apropos for women entrepreneurs "It takes one to know one".
Yes, women entrepreneurs are a special breed who have decided to take control of how they spend there time and how they create wealth for themselves and their families. Only a woman entrepreneur can completely understand the motivation of another women entrepreneur.
Of course, there are male entrepreneurs, but there experience doesn't compare to that of women.
When women make the decision to launch a business they must be prepared to deal with failure as well as success. Men don't have the same societal pressures to be sure. In other words, society views male and female entrepreneur's failure very differently.
You must have noticed over the years that a man is given opportunities to start businesses over and over again without anyone ever proposing that he didn't have what it takes to succeed. On the other hand, when a woman fails it is immediately suggested that she didn't have what it takes to operate a business and what was she thinking to even try.
There are many serial female entrepreneurs who build company after company and even when they slip a little they get right back up and build another. As women entrepreneurs WE must demonstrate they we believe in each other.
When One Woman Wins All Women Win!
There are 3 ways women entrepreneurs can help each other:
(1) Be a role model and mentor other women entrepreneurs.
No matter how busy you are you must spend time with other women entrepreneurs sharing your story. No woman is successful over night. We all struggle. But it is allowing other women to spend time with you and visualizing themselves in your shoes that assists their journey. Don't worry about what you will say or how you say it - just being present for other women entrepreneurs is what is required to empower them to succeed.
(2) Support and attend women business events.
There are industry groups, college groups, networking groups and more. As Woody Allen famously said, "90% of success is just showing up" and when you show up you not only help yourself but other women entrepreneurs too. You can learn something from newcomers to entrepreneurship and the best place to find them is at a women's business event.
(3) Actively choose to do business with other women
This should be a no brainer for women who care about the success of other women, however, too many women believe that it is bias to select only women to work with. Nonsense. Men have been hiring men for generations, not because they discriminate against women but because they understand men better. Well, women understand women better so hire her, refer her, work with her. Women entrepreneurs will succeed when other women support them -- it is as easy as that.
Start today by reaching out to another women entrepreneur and inviting her to spend time with you -- if only for a cup of coffee. Think of it as a flash mob for women entrepreneurs - one ripple of support at a time builds to a wave of victory.
Email me and I will be happy to spend time sharing my story with you.
Or request my whitepaper on mentorship.