This Women's Month, we celebrate female entrepreneurs and businesswomen.
Osidon co-founder and COO Melissa Ferreira shares her business success tips and advice for female entrepreneurs.
Stop making excuses
One of my role models recently inspired me with these words: ‘Be greater than your greatest excuse.’
Even the most successful entrepreneurs started out with an idea. The ability to transform that idea into a business is what sets everything in motion.
You have what it takes. Stop making excuses and find ways and reasons to accomplish your goals.
Manage your various roles
As a businesswoman you are required to fulfil many roles (businesswoman, wife, mother, etc.), which can be overwhelming at times.
These are some of the principles I use, which may help other female entrepreneurs:
- Prioritise your to-do-list according to the Eisenhower Matrix, also referred to as the Urgent-Important Matrix
- Make appointments with yourself throughout the day to spread out your tasks
- Delegate or ask for help
- Learn to let go
- Learn to say no
- Don’t be too hard on yourself
Cultivate what you have
Be a good steward of what you have received in life: your family, health, abilities and talents, money and material possessions.
Only by taking good care and cultivating these seeds, can it grow to produce fruit.
Work for a greater cause
Many successful female entrepreneurs have impacted the world in positive ways as many of them work for a greater cause.
When you have your own business, you do not just make your own money.
You can provide employment for a lot of people and in your own ways, you can help your community and society through corporate social responsibility and other means.
Be grateful
Find one thing to be thankful for in your life and business every morning. This will change your outlook on life and ensure you approach the day with a positive attitude. This will also help you deal better with obstacles in your way.
Give it your all
There is one thing that all successful women have in common: all of them have achieved their success by working hard. Your success as a female entrepreneur or business owner is not dependent on your intellectual abilities or talents, but rather on the extra time, effort, passion and dedication you put into reaching your dreams. If you really want to make it big and succeed in your business venture, you should be ready to give it your all and never complain.
Fear less
The biggest mistake that you will ever make if you are an aspiring entrepreneur is to allow fear of failure to achieve your goals. By letting failure get the best of you, no matter how great your business idea is, you have already set your path to failure. If you make a mistake or fail, admit it, learn from it and move on.
By growing a thick skin and focusing on your goals, you can build a successful business.
Be patient
Growing your business and achieving your dreams will take time. Consistent effort over the long term will lead to lasting, postive results.
You want to build a business that will last for years, offering great solutions to your customers’ problems. Don’t do it if you think you’re going to make a quick buck. Think about where you want your business to go and work out a way to get there. Setting measurable goals every year, five years and 10 years will help you maintain focus.
Act!
In everything that you do, successful women entrepreneurs always emphasise the importance of doing your best. To be successful you should never settle for mediocrity. Excellence should be the norm. What you do counts more than what you say. Make sure you deliver on your promises. More than the words on your website, delivering high quality products or excellent service is what will create a loyal customer base.
Believe in yourself
No matter how rough the road is, you just have to keep that faith and believe that despite the odds, you will make it through. Be confident in yourself and in your products or services. You can’t expect others to believe in you and your business if you don’t. When you believe that everything can be done, everything is possible.
Celebrate success
As a female entrepreneur and business woman, you take on the world - be proud of it. Never be afraid to have your own independence and have the ability to pursue your passion and your business goals. Celebrate both small and big successes on your business journey.
Be authentic
Draw inspiration from others, but be true to yourself and your purpose. Let your uniqueness be the distinguishing factor, that sets your business apart.
Maintain balance
Do something you really enjoy, that makes you laugh and that relaxes you at least once a day. Resting and reflecting is crucial to keep you going.
It is important that you take time to focus on your personal life and your wellbeing. Commit to a regular fitness routine and make sure you have time in your schedule for breaks and healthy meals and snacks. Make time for your family, friends and loved ones.
