There is no better time than today, to step out and pursue what you truly believe in.
Don't let these traditional mindsets hold you from success
Women entrepreneurs have been around for a long time, but not celebrated as much as they run and manage businesses.
In many cases, the financial needs of the family have pushed women into starting a business. In some cases, family-owned by businesses are headed by women.
In very few cases they have started a business from scratch and made it into a large corporate entity.
One example of this is Shahnaz Hussain who created a beauty empire and the world sat up and noticed.
Another illustrious example is Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw who built India's largest publicly traded bio-pharmaceutical company.
Let us look at 10 specific areas where women need to break free from our traditional way of thinking.
1. Home and children are the responsibility of women
Sorry, women are not solely responsible for running the home and taking care of children. Both partners should share equal responsibility.
Children need attention from both parents to develop well. So women need to start seeing this as a shared responsibility.
2. My husband's work is more important than mine
Work is important, period. Whether it's your job or business or your husband's job or business, it is important.
The gender of a person does not and should not determine the importance of work.
3. I am not into business to make money
Creating any business requires vision and a higher calling. The business leader needs to be able to inspire others to work towards this goal. But money is actually a tangible measure of business success.
4. I can never grow my kitchen enterprise into a proper company
Every business starts small but grows over time into something big.
What is needed is the ambition to grow big and think big.
5. I am very good at what I make or do but I am not good at sales
Selling is at the core of any business. The day customers stop coming is the day the business closes down. So whether women like it or not, it is important to focus on sales.
Whether they believe it or not, each one of them can sell.
6. I am not good at networking, it feels very sleazy
Sometimes women's ideas about such things are so much influenced by movies or television.
Networking is not about going out for late night parties and drinking, however, it is more about making a professional connection, creating an impact, and maintaining that relationship over time.
7. I can't take time off to go for a training programme
Nobody is responsible for your personal development other than you.
When women start a business and make it grow, they need to constantly keep updating our skills to handle different situations.
8. I find it hard to say No
Women are socialised into being nice, polite, and agreeable. However, they need to accept that time is the greatest resource at their disposal and learn to value their own time.
Women need to learn to be firm and say no when things don't make sense or take away from their productivity.
9. Oh this is nothing, I could not have done this without the support of my family
Women so often tend to belittle their own accomplishments and give credit to others.
Agreed that a supportive family helps, but it is the hard work and perseverance of the women entrepreneurs that takes them places.
10. I always have the choice of dropping this and going back to managing my home
When women give themselves this choice, they take away their determination and perseverance. No business can be created without determination and perseverance.
There will be many obstacles in their way, there will be many conflicts.
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