I love emails from women entrepreneurs with new ideas for small businesses. So many of them evolve from dreams of living a life with more control -- more purpose -- more satisfaction.

Many women believe in themselves and are looking for others to believe in them too! Without encouragement, inspiration and motivation to move forward with their creativity, too many women continue their future only in their dreams.

My job as a business coach is to provide the encouragement women need to live their dream. We all need a boost to get us moving out of our comfort zone. Launching a small business is a risk very few people take. Many people talk about it but a small minority actually do it. From this small number of risk takers, less than 20% actually survive in the business for more than 5 years. Therefore having a trusted advisor who has been there and can be a sounding board for your ideas will add to likelihood of success.

Women are often told they don't think big enough when starting a business.

The first belief every woman entrepreneur needs is the belief that she can reach her goals. In order to do that she must define them clearly...and then, work every day on accomplishing them.

The second belief every woman entrepreneur needs is the belief she has what it takes to succeed. Too often women listen to the naysayers that want to hold them back. No one can hold you back unless you give them permission to do so.

The third belief every woman entrepreneur needs is the belief that learning is part of the experience of building a business. No one knows, not even the men who pretend to, everything there is to building a successful business. The savvy businesswoman believes in her ability to keep learning as she goes ...filtering information as needed and asking for help.

The fourth and final belief every woman entrepreneur needs is the belief that no matter how hard she works, how determined she is to succeed and how clear her dream, every thing is NOT in her control and SHE WILL SURVIVE. There is no failure in doing your best. Every entrepreneur on the planet has failed at one time or another at something. I call them lessons learned rather than failures. There is no shame in failing.

If you are not living your dreams, you are not fulfilling your purpose. Believe in yourself, ask for help and be the woman you were meant to be.