All across the world women are starting businesses at record numbers. Some build businesses by asking their employer to outsource the work to them so they can labor from home. When this is successful, they have the capability to expand the new entity with other clients.
Many women take a love of a hobby and turn it into a business because they are asked so often to sell what they make. With the appropriate business assistance, a unique hobby can be turned into a successful business.
Other entrepreneurial women, women who just can't do it like others in the industry, create businesses that fill a narrow niche and succeed by shear passion and adrenaline.
No matter which category you fall into as a women entrepreneur you MUST start your business with ABC.
A is for Action - stop talking about it, stop dreaming about it, stop procrastinating about it....take action to get your business out of your head and into the marketplace. Every small business becomes a living breathing entity of its own once it is started. When it is still in your head or on the drawing board it won't fail, but it won't succeed either. Yes, others will marvel at your idea and your guts to talk about starting a business, but until you start it and give it life you aren't an entrepreneur you are a dreamer.
B is for Business Plan - write a business plan. Many entrepreneurs hate the idea of taking the time and energy to create a document that provides the roadmap for their business. But, "If you don't know where you are going, how do you know how to get there"! The business plan forces you to take one step at a time in starting your business. It demonstrates the truth of whether or not your "brainchild" is a feasible business. By taking the time to explore who your market is, what they will pay for your product/service, do they even want it what you are selling, and then what will be left over in the form of profit, you will know before launching the business whether or not it can make it. The reason the statistics for new businesses succeeding are so poor - only 20% of businesses succeed in the first year - is because too many entrepreneurs don't take this step. Write a business plan and find out whether or not what you want to do can make money - that is make profit. It isn't a business if it can't pay you for your time and energy.
C is for Communicate - entrepreneurs must be the spokespersons for the business. If you are not comfortable tooting your own horn, talking to complete strangers, doing interviews, begging for business: then entrepreneurship may not be for you. You must be able to communicate what the value is of doing business with you and your business. There is no more important moment when your potential customer will want to know "WIIFM" (what's in it for me) to do business with you. Is it price? Is it convenience? Is it speed? Is it eco friendly? Is it new and improved? Is it something I have waited all my life for and now I can have it?
What is your value proposition? If you can't communicate this your business will be one of the 80% that fail in the first year.
There is help for women entrepreneurs who want to start businesses --- look for it on the internet. Here are some suggestions:
SBA - Small Business Administration - look for the women business centers in your area
Chic-CEO - simple startup steps to follow
Spark and Hustle - conferences to help you start
Ladies Who Launch - online assistance
VickiDonlan - business coach with the experience to get you to know your ABCs.