Starting a business is a big decision, and for women entrepreneurs, the stakes are often even higher. We know the statistics—about 20% of startups don’t survive their first year, and nearly half fold by year five. While passion and a solid business plan are non-negotiable, there is another critical factor that often flies under the radar: location. Where you plant your … [Read more...]
Women in Business: How to Run a Successful Business Online
Now, more than ever, women are becoming business owners. And not just any business owners but online business owners. What has brought on this change? Many different things. For some women, owning their own online business has given them independence and freedom, both financial and non-financial. Other women entrepreneurs use online businesses as a source of additional income, … [Read more...]
Ultimate Guide to Starting a Small Business as a Female Entrepreneur
You've decided you're ready to start your own business, but what do you do first? There are so many things to consider when starting a small business - from the initial planning stages to the day-to-day tasks of running your company. It can seem overwhelming, but don't worry. Just go one step at a time and follow the tips discussed below. In this guide, you'll learn everything … [Read more...]
How to Know if Your Startup Business Idea is Good
You've got a great business idea, and you're ready to make it a reality. That’s great, but before you start investing time and money into your new venture, you need to make sure that it's actually viable. Can your idea be profitable? Is there a market for it? Getting answers to all of your questions can be difficult, but don't worry, this article provides tips to determine if … [Read more...]
4 Low-Tech Action Steps to Implement When Starting a New Business
Business development and growth is a long-term project. The first thing a leader needs to remember when launching or growing a business is to embrace a healthy perspective and mindset. It’s all about how to use your time being productive rather than simply being busy. Being productive means that you tackled tasks that when completed, improved business in some way. Being busy … [Read more...]
Entrepreneur Journey – Tips for Being Better Without Being Bitter
As a serial entrepreneur, I get the question a lot on how I got through not only one company but multiple. Did I have great mentors? Did I learn from someone? Did I learn in school? I think most entrepreneurs have different journeys of how they got to where they are today and what inspired them. What makes us all unique is we have our own stories, our own journeys, and our … [Read more...]
How Not To Fund Your Startup Using Credit Cards
I attended a startup event the other day. It was a fireside chat with an accomplished business founder who now owns over 350 locations, worldwide. As this founder was going over his entrepreneur journey, he mentioned how he funded his startup using credit cards and how he applied for 15 of them. This is not the first time I’ve heard of an entrepreneur funding his/her company … [Read more...]
Best Practices to Help Your Startup Business Take Off (Part 1 of 2)
If even established companies encounter occasional catastrophes, startups just getting a handle on their businesses will definitely experience a few bumps along the way. In fact, venture capital database CB Insights found that nine out of 10 startups fail due to practical reasons. These include the lack of a market need, financial instability, and cost issues. These cold … [Read more...]
4 Ways Startups can Support Work-Life Balance
A startup employee who works 9 to 5, Monday - Friday, with a half-hour lunch break every day is, in my opinion, the modern-day equivalent of a mermaid. People say they exist, but I know I’ve never met one. Working for a startup can be a lot of pressure, but it can also be incredibly exciting. Watching a business grow from humble beginnings, and contributing directly to its … [Read more...]
Find Reliable Business Feedback by Avoiding Nay Sayers and the Yes Group
When you are starting or growing a business, you typically can’t do it all alone---even in the early stages where the first steps might be proof of concept and customer validation, which are fancy ways of saying you're finding out if your idea is as great as you think it is and getting an idea of the demand for your idea in the market. This may mean conducting a survey or … [Read more...]