According to the World Bank, there are more than 230 million women globally that meet the criteria as “self-employed and own 50% of> their business”. It’s an impressive number considering that 10 years ago the same statistic read “33 million women globally”. Women are taking charge of their careers and becoming entrepreneurs at an alarming rate. Many women prefer to work independently in a company with fewer than five employees, which is why we see so many women-led startups popping up every day. The reasons for this trend are varied and often point toward a need for greater balance in life – from finding time to focus on personal growth and relationships to eliminating the disparity between work life and home life. However, it isn’t always easy for women entrepreneurs to succeed in such a male-dominated industry. Here are some tips on how you can thrive as an empowered woman entrepreneur in today's digital world!
Networking Is Your Friend
You might be surprised at how many opportunities for growth can be found in simple networking. After all, your industry likely has a number of conferences, summits, and local chapter meetings you can attend to build connections in your field. What’s more, if you’re looking to break into a new industry, there are likely networking groups for that, too. If your industry has a strong online community, you can also find networking opportunities there. You might want to consider joining online communities like Women Who Code, or Women in Tech. Many of these online communities feature a section where you can post questions, and get feedback and advice from other members.
Don’t Fear Failure, Fear Escaping Unscathed
This is something that will probably come up more than once in your career, but it’s important to remember that failure is part of the process. If you have a strong desire to succeed, and are willing to work hard to get there, you will most likely fail at some point along the way. If you’re able to look at failure as a positive experience, you can learn from it and use it to propel yourself forward. In fact, many successful entrepreneurs cite failure as a major contributor to their success. However, if you’re not careful, you can let fear of failure prevent you from taking important risks and moving your business forward. You need to find the right balance between taking calculated risks and playing it too safe.
Build a Brand, Not Just an App
Yes, we live in a culture where apps can be found for pretty much everything but that doesn’t mean you should focus all of your energy solely on building an app and ignore your branding. Building your brand is important because it helps you connect with your audience and build a loyal following. It also helps you build a reputation that precedes you. While apps are great, you first want to make sure your brand is in place. You want your brand to speak to your audience and help you build credibility in your field.
Find the Right Development Team
You’re going to need a team of people that can help you grow your business and find success. But who do you hire? How do you know if the person or company you’re hiring is a good fit for your company? What can you do to make sure you hire a team of people who will be a great fit for your company? You should utilize freelance websites and development forums to help you find the right team. While you’re browsing through websites like Upwork, you can also read and leave reviews for other companies you find. You can also post on forums that specialize in your industry and ask for referrals. You can read the reviews people leave on these forums, and you can also post on forums and ask for advice on who you should hire.
The Importance of Product Testing
Even if you aren’t building a new app, you still need to make sure your products work before you start selling them. You don’t want to be that brand that everyone talks about for all the wrong reasons. You want to be the brand that everyone talks about for all the right reasons. You want to be the brand that everyone wants to buy from because of the high-quality products you produce. You can conduct product testing in a number of ways. You can hire a small group of people to beta test your products, or you can work with a focus group or product testing company. What you test for will vary depending on what products you are producing. You want to make sure that your product works as intended, and you make sure there are no defects or kinks in the design.
Whether you’re just starting out as an entrepreneur or you’ve been at it for years, these tips will help you achieve greater success. Remember, the road to success may be long and difficult, but with persistence and resilience, you'll get there. The key to success for any entrepreneur lies in having the right mindset. Once you've identified your passions, and you've developed the appropriate mindset for entrepreneurship, you can begin taking the necessary steps to achieve success.