How mums develop the best skills to become successful Entrepreneurs
(Article first posted on Mum CFOs)
I know my place of genius and I know the clarity that sits behind each of my decisions, but that hasn’t always been the case and this is why I do what I do today. I don’t want people to wait until they get older to learn what I know, that’s why I share knowledge and help them achieve success earlier in life.
When I look at businesses, I look at the people in them, I look at who they are and what they say they want to do. I hear their story but mostly I listen to what they don’t say. There are patterns in each of us and I look for them to help you navigate forward, I remove blind spots.
When I look at some of the traits or behaviours of successful entrepreneurs, I see the following: -
Being able to balance competing priorities
Being able to negotiate
Effective time management
Strong and effective communication skills
Being able to build relationships
Are you starting to see the pattern? Can you see that the skills that you hold as a mum in everything you do are the very same things that successful people in business display?
Pause for a moment to think about where you are today and where you would like to be.
As a mum, I know you just look at what you do every single day as simply what you need to do so you can get the job done. But, each of these skills that you possess also makes for the best entrepreneur. Yet, we don’t seem to see these skills as transferable skills in business.
For those of you who had a career before family, all you can see is yourself in that old job and wonder how you can find your way back into that corporate ladder. Holding onto the limitations that had been placed upon you from old beliefs and an industrialised age of employment.
I encourage you to pause and ask yourself: what is holding you back? What is the thought process that keeps you in the confines of your perception?
Knowing where to start is what holds you back – not fear!
Let’s start breaking down the barriers. Whilst there will be trepidation in taking those steps forward, I would like to share some insight so you can begin to shift the lens through which you see things.
Fear may be a driver that precludes you from taking a step forward, as will doubt, but the reality is that what really holds most women back is to gain the clarity on how to step forward,
Yes, it is that simple.
You now know that there is a path. You now know that you do have transferable skills and well, let’s face it, time is not going to be an issue because you have been mastering that from the moment you became a mum.
Don’t’ bounce back, bounce forward
I have set up businesses and scaled them across the globe and across multiple industries, so what I am sharing with you comes from lived experience. Knowing the foundations of where to start is important so that you begin the journey of discovery.
As a strategist, I love this initial process of discovery. Breaking down the moulds and leaving behind the shackles of who you were to who you choose to be is the most rewarding.
I share the same creative journey when I talk to young people when they look at their future and ask themselves “what do I want to do when I finish school?”.
This process is not a marketing strategy, although many will try and sell that to you. It is a process that allows you to identify what IMPACT you want to make.
Bouncing forward allows you to leap well into the future; to see yourself as you exit your business and the person you want to be known for.
As a mum, you have some ideas about what that looks like because you look at your child/children and know that you want them to know what you stand for. You want them to know what your values are and you want them to have the confidence in doing what they want in life.
Aligning values in business shapes a better tomorrow and that is what mums do best
When you know your values in life and align them into everything you do success becomes a natural path. There is harmony in the way in which you engage, there is honesty and transparency in the way in which you do business.
It’s about having the structure to step forward and recognise that there are blind spots and that it’s ok to ask for help. Seek out support from someone who has done what you want to do so you can get there faster. Finding that someone who actually knows the end-to-end process in setting up a business and being able to show you how to find your “North Star” and keep you on track is what you need, not a marketing strategy. Marketing is only one part of business.
So, as you now pause again to think about all the skills you hold, think about taking ownership and giving yourself the best opportunity to succeed so when the kids grow up you know who you choose to be.
More importantly, you become the role model you aspire to be because you are showing them the way and breaking down the old shackles that women before you held.
And if not today, then when?
If you have a little tingle in your belly or can hear the little voice in your head, don’t leave it for another day. Know that you hold the skills and traits already, it is just about being clear about your intentions and knowing the way to step forward to become the entrepreneur you know you want to be.
How to step forward
To step forward take these first 5 steps
Put fear and doubt behind you
Write down all of your transferable skills
Make a note of things that give you joy
Identify the “impact” you want to make
Seek out the right support and invest in yourself.
No matter who you are, opening the door to opportunity is about giving yourself permission to follow the path to your next destination.
I wake up with a smile on my face every single day in doing what I do and knowing the impact that I will make. You can do this too. Choose a date, place a line in the sand and begin your journey forward.