HOW TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL FEMALE ENTREPRENEUR

Last week, I spoke to the gorgeous team at MyDomaine and they asked me what it takes to become a lady boss.

Here, I’ve listed what I believe is required to create a successful business:

STOP DREAMING, START DOING

It takes a lot of courage to start your own business. In fact, it can be downright terrifying! It’s no secret that there’s a lot of risk involved. But, if starting your own business or brand is something you find yourself thinking about at every moment, morning and night, then you owe it to yourself to try. It sounds corny but when taking a leap of faith, it’s imperative to BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. My boyfriend Mathew told me this short and sweet sentiment the night before I resigned from my dream job as Beauty Editor at InStyle Magazine Australia to throw it all in and work on GrittyPretty.com full-time – it was a defining moment for me. Author J.K Rowling once said, “It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default.” Remember that, people.

EXERCISE PATIENCE

Only the foolish expect to have it at all, all at once. Don’t fall into that trap – you will need to practice patience. In Australia, where I live, 80% of small businesses fail within the first two years because they either don’t understand how social media works to support business; or they go too hard, too fast. Take your time. Learn. Accept that success takes time, diligence and extremely long hours. Working 17 hour days, 7 days a week, can be a common occurrence for me but if you love your job, it’ll never feel like “work”.

LISTEN TO YOUR GUT

When the devil of self-doubt starts knocking on your door – and if you are a human being from Planet Earth, they will – then realise that you and only you have your company’s best interest at heart. You developed a business because you saw a need in the marketplace. Others, while helpful or equally as passionate, may not have the same vision as you. If anyone tries to get you to move in a direction that doesn’t feel right, DON’T DO IT. Your intuition isn’t some form of wizard magic – it’s real. Listen to it. It often comes in the form of reoccurring dreams or, for me, throat-tightening and stomach-wrenching sensations. Always, always listen to your gut. Usually, it’s right – and if it’s not, it results in a lesson learned.

YOU’RE NOT SPENDING, YOU’RE INVESTING

Another defining moment for me was knowing I had to spend a huge amount of my life savings on my business and online publication. I knew I simply had to in order to make Gritty Pretty work as a legitimate digital publishing business. But, it wasn’t until my boyfriend (who is my soundboard) told me, to stop thinking of it as ‘spending’ and think of it as ‘investing’ that I developed a newfound confidence in my business. In saying that, you certainly do need smarts when it comes to finance. For most businesses, cash flow is a weak point. If you can manage your business expenses well, it should make cash flow easier to handle.

THE ART OF DELEGATING

If your business encompasses employees, remember a good leader doesn’t micro manage – they know their own strengths and weaknesses and therefore they know how to delegate. If you’re all working towards the same goal, then be conscious of the fact that you’re only as good as the people around you. This is something I constantly remind myself of. Remember this notion when hiring, too.

In this world, we’re all part of the sisterhood and I believe nothing connects us more so than our perception of beauty – however you define it. In business in particular, we need more women supporting women.

Discover more of my tips on MyDomaine here.

[responsive imageid=’14858′ size1=’0′ size2=’641′ size3=’1024′]

[responsive imageid=’14859′ size1=’0′ size2=’641′ size3=’1024′]

[responsive imageid=’14860′ size1=’0′ size2=’641′ size3=’1024′]

[responsive imageid=’14863′ size1=’0′ size2=’641′ size3=’1024′]

[responsive imageid=’14871′ size1=’0′ size2=’641′ size3=’1024′]

[responsive imageid=’14862′ size1=’0′ size2=’641′ size3=’1024′]