Seven Ways to Empower Women Into Business Enterprises

In 2008, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) reported that 52,000 Nigerian women were dying annually due to pregnancy and child-birth related complications. In more comprehensible terms, the number translates to 145 women per day.

Population is a critical asset for any nation, with far-reaching social, political and economic consequences. In Nigeria, it also happens to be a controversial issue because of regional, inter-state and ethnic ramifications. Its dwindling female population however has consequences that go much beyond the immediately obvious effect of a rapidly skewing sex ratio. Nigeria has ambitious rapid development plans to take it to the top twenty world economies by 2020. The eventual success of this endeavor is inextricably linked to entrepreneurial performance, as well as to the management of its womenfolk who comprises close to half its total human resource.

Although there are dissenting voices on the subject, it is widely accepted that women in Nigeria are systematically discriminated against, harassed and abused at home and work, and suffer violent crimes and unequal treatment both within their homes and outside. Deep-set regressive and repressive practices have led to unabated misery for Nigerian women in various forms: social inferiority, economic disempowerment, denial of access to property and inheritance, sexual abuse, trafficking and proliferation of HIV/AIDS.

A 2000 World Bank study titled ‘Can Africa Claim the 21 Century’ sets forth two fundamental premises that hold especially true for Nigeria2:

* Gender inequality is both an economic and a social issue.

* Greater gender equality could be a potent force for accelerated poverty reduction in Africa.

Given the acute poverty situation in Nigeria – where close to 76 million are officially classified as poor and 54% of the citizenry live on less than $1 per day – women’s empowerment and their worthwhile inclusion in the development processes is key to sustainable growth. The country has huge oil and natural gas reserves that have earned it an estimated $600 billion in the past half a century. However, successive decades of political turmoil and government mismanagement have rendered the vast majority of its people destitute, and left facing multifarious problems arising out of unequal wealth distribution and an extreme divide between rich and poor. Illiteracy, unemployment, rampant crime and organized violence are just a few of the outcomes of this unfortunate situation.

The impact of Nigeria’s history has been particularly severe on its women, leading many to take up traditional, village-level enterprises to eke out a meagre subsistence and supplement family income. The motivation here, importantly, is basic survival – food, clothes, household needs – and not wealth creation. Faced with often insurmountable circumstantial challenges, individual and groups of women entrepreneurs have traditionally held on to extremely small scale ventures in the manufacturing and services sectors, largely without any organizational support or guidance.

Curiously, this sad state of affairs is simultaneously an attribute that offers policy makers a substantial if dormant advantage. By virtue of their involvement in cottage and village level enterprises, Nigerian women are already an active entrepreneurial group with uncharted economic and human resource potential. To perhaps overtly simplify, all they need is a policy-level nudge in the right direction to help them capitalise on their accrued talents to bring about exhaustive development across the battered landscape of their country.

The fate of both Nigeria’s 2020 target and Millennium Development Goals hinges substantially on its ability to drive an entrepreneurial revolution that suitably develops and taps the latent abilities of its massive female population. The following are 7 creative proposals that could make it happen:

1. Introducing legal reforms to ensure equal rights of women to ownership, inheritance and financial control; with a view to reinforcing their special skills and advantages and leveraging them for immediate and long-term macro-economic gains, at both local and national levels.

2. Re-prioritising budgetary outlays and official expenditure models with the specific objective of improving gender equality, through the introduction of special schemes and programs that effectively encourage women’s involvement in entrepreneurial activities.

3. Enforcing equitable gender participation through the development of focused entrepreneurial activity for women that takes their socio-cultural, legal and economic constraints into account. Policy changes must be initiated to overcome hurdles in the gainful involvement of women in viable enterprises.

4. Initiating government incentive programs for existing and emerging enterprises that proactively involve women in different hierarchies. Educating present and future entrepreneurs on the unique business and social advantages they stand to derive from this dynamic group.

5. Facilitating partnerships between women and financial, advisory and support agencies; in a way that compensates for their lack of formal business acumen, experience and access to funding. Fostering partnerships between women entrepreneurs in related sectors to help share expertise and resources.

6. Instituting effective start-up and ongoing support structures with safety net provisions to provide continuous financial, technical and know-how assistance and minimize failure rates. Ensuring ground level efficacy of such measure through continuous monitoring and survey.

7. Enhancing accountability on women empowerment issues at both state and federal government levels through unbiased assessment of executive agencies and relevant state-sponsored programs. Suitably highlighting achievements and deficiencies to enable constructive evolution of such practices.

In terms of subjective ground reality, these suggestions are by no means definitive or exhaustive; however, they do hold up the broad framework that any substantial policy redirection must incorporate in order to achieve the sustainable and accelerated economic growth Abuja has projected. Localized adaptation is necessary for each guideline in order to suitably address historical and regional imperatives. Further, there is a considerable amount of introspection and groundwork that must be undertaken before these parameters can be put in place. Basic human development initiatives, especially those related to easy and universal access to health care and modern education, are paramount. Nigeria has inherited a broad spectrum of fundamental deficiencies concerning infrastructure, logistics and power that have to be sufficiently addressed beforehand. There are additional and considerable risks attending to policy changes that have to be both acknowledged and anticipated.

For the purpose of encouragement, what Nigerian leaders and policy makers would perhaps do well to take heart in is an old aphorism: one that says you invest in the entire community when you invest in women!

3 Small Business Ideas For Women

Starting your own small business can very exciting and scary, but the risk is worth the reward. For women with children this can seem daunting because of all of the responsibilities of family and social stigmas of working mothers.

Many women do not know where to start when thinking about their own home based business, which is why having 3 practical small business ideas for women, is necessary. Anything can be a business, but you shouldn’t just do anything. You should do what matters to you, what you care about.

The 3 small business ideas for women can be broken down into continuing your career, finding a new career, and how to discover how to start a business and business ideas using the internet.

1) Continuing the Career. Some of us had former (or current) careers that we enjoyed and learned the ins and outs of. You may have been thinking about getting back into your career, but you know you don’t have the time to go to work while raising your small kids. Here is where small business ideas come into play, especially those geared towards women. The internet is a wonderful place where you can find all kinds of opportunities related to your career niche. It’s important that you fully check out all of the available options you truly have.

2) Career trailblazing. Some women want a new career, something fresh and exciting. A few may know what it is, but some do not. The great thing about the internet today is the amazing amount of information that is readily available. It’s as easy as taking a few business ideas you have and researching them online. You can find all sorts of opportunities to start your own business, as well as find others who are doing the same thing.

3) How to find what you need. The best way to find job ideas and places to get started is to search for terms related to your idea, or former career, or to working in home in general: i.e. how to start teaching swimming lessons, or small business ideas for women. You can find plenty of websites offering advice on how to get started online. You can find directory sites to get ideas flowing or to focus in on one idea. A couple of good sites for that are the site listed below, and powerhomebiz. Take full advantage of online directories and communities and blogs and you’ll see you business start to grow.

3 small business ideas for women to get started right now in turning their dream work from home idea into actual reality.

4 Home Business Ideas For Women

Women everywhere want to spend quality time at home with their young children and still feel accomplished in their careers. They want the freedom and luxury of being able to be home and have their own lives, yet still make money. That’s why finding some home business ideas for women can be difficult. Are there specific opportunities for women? Or is it a more even playing field online and from home? We’ll look at these questions as well as finding legitimate ideas for women starting their own home businesses.

Here are 4 home business ideas for women. These are just a few ideas out of many that are out there, so make sure you do your own research as well, so you can find the right opportunities for yourself. But, let me save you some time with 4 solid ideas you can start with right now.

1) Do what you know best with where you are now. Many small home business ideas start with where you are at right now. Look at the careers you have before starting a family, and research what you can do from home in those fields. You might find similar opportunities in related fields as well. It’s important to spend time researching what you are qualified to do, as well as what you can learn to do if you have the time to study on your own.

2) Find your niche and make your presence. Once you have figured out your home business ideas take the next step and make your presence online. If you are working with or for someone else, do your best and make an impression. If you are working for yourself, get your foot in the door. You can build your online presence around a website or blog that caters to your unique strengths. You can generate buzz through local directories, news websites, social networks like Facebook and Twitter, and by visiting blogs and forums related to your niche, both professional and social. Get yourself out there.

3) Sideline ideas that could work. It’s also beneficial to look at your hobbies and tasks that you do daily, things not connected to your former work or profession. Are you an amazing cook? A skilled craftswoman? Into photography or web design? Are you known for your charitable works? Market yourself. Get involved in your community. You might just see more and more people requesting your services. You can make income from your hobbies and you may just find a new career path, one you can do from home.

4) The 21st Century. More and more home business ideas go to the internet each and every day. More and more opportunity for women is found online. You can start a blog, make it semi-popular by social networking, and add advertising (i.e. Google AdSense) and make money. You can become a freelance writer about any subject at all at sites like Elance.com. You can affiliate market other people’s products, and even conduct online research for companies. The opportunities for online work is limitless. Take your skills and find something that works for you.

These are just a few tips for you to get started immediately. Whether you renew your former career from home or venture onto something new, there are plenty of home business ideas for women out there, get started now!

Time Management Tips for Women – Making Time for Work, Family and Friends

Years ago when I worked for a technology consulting firm in the mid-80’s, I learned what would become of many hard earned lessons in time management. This was an exciting period me as well as the industry due to the lightning speed advances in technology. Our mid-sized firm was rapidly growing and I had recently taken on the role as Human Resources Director. This was a newly created role for the company and boy was I excited. However, my go-with-the-flow natural tendency would be challenged by the rigors and demands of my schedule.

I traveled extensively to top-tier universities scouting for super-smart talent, all the while, training all new hires, developing an HR system, raising two small children, and attending school at night. Yes, I was over my head. Well one day the owner sat down in my office, (as he could see my projects were piling up) and asked me to write down in 30 minutes increments what I was doing. Can you imagine that! I felt totally humiliated! That is a moment I will never forget, as then I realized I had never been taught to manage my time- effectively.

Flash forward to 2011, I’m now a work-from-home entrepreneur running an Internet Marketing firm and Style Coaching business. And things couldn’t be tougher to stay on task, and produce projects (such as this newsletter) on time.

When I see pictures of moms holding kids at a computer, I shake my head in sadness. That image has turned out more stressed out non-productive people you can imagine! There was a time I used to be one of them, but not anymore. Let me share with you the top time management tips of some of the most successful people I know.

1) Completely clear the clutter from your work space. Nothing creates more mental stress than to see piles and mounds of half completed projects. Immediately clear them away and notice the immediate peace that will overtake your spirit.

2) Work in solitude free from distractions. No TV, No music, No surfing the net, if your serious about working from home, achieving the success you desire you have to commit this no excuses. Now this was a tough one for me, because I love me some good music! Don’t get me wrong, I still crank up the music, but not while concentrating on completing a project.

3) Do not answer your phone. If your like me and have children, put the phone on silent and look at it every 15-30 minutes to see if you have missed THEIR call, no one else. Kids love to text- so use that tool to keep in touch. I’m baffled by parents who do not like to text, especially with their children. How on earth can they and you stay on task by engaging in distracting phone conversations throughout the day?

4) Choose a time of day to respond to email. We live in a society of email overload by stuff you’ve signed up to receive and loads of other mystery email that show up in your box. Whatever email account you use, most offer sophisticated tools to help sort and prioritize your emails. Don’t respond randomly throughout the day or you’ll lose precious moments staying focused and on task to complete what you really should be focused on.

5) Block out time in 30 minute increments for projects-then take a stretch. It’s important to know where your time is going and what you’re doing so you can adjust to stay on track. If your like me, your managing several blogs, writing newsletters, coaching clients, board responsibilities, all the while creating new and exciting projects. You cannot overemphasize the importance of time and energy control when you are trying to run your own business or simply be productive. You need to learn the value of time blocking, activity batching, and scripting your day. Stretching sends vital oxygen to your brain and energizes your cells. Try it, it really works!

6) Put your family and friends on notice about your schedule changes. This is a hard one for them to accept. Most people don’t believe you can make money from home, but oh are they dead wrong. By responding to their every request, you’re giving them permission to devalue what you do. What’s even worse is that you’re not getting the results your hoping for, and we all know what that leads to-frustration, fighting and non-productivity.

7) I strongly recommend going to bed early. Even “cool and hip” New York Times best-selling author and celebrity Neil Strauss admitted that an early morning schedule allowed him to get more done. You’ll find that you’ll get “2 hours of afternoon work” done in 30 minutes of morning productivity. Again, I was sure success hinged on the idea of working myself to a pulp. Yep, that’s about what you will become. Pulp!

It is well to be up before daybreak, for such habits contribute to health, wealth, and wisdom. ~Aristotle

If working from home to you means relaxing with a laptop and coffee in hand at your local Starbucks or mentally fussing about things that need to get done at home, your aren’t going to create the life you’re hoping for. I’m sorry to tell that’s just not going to happen.

Here’s how to get MORE done. PERIOD.

You need to get serious about simple planning and a time management checklist.

The very last thing you should do each workday is to prepare a schedule/checklist for the next day’s work. Develop a template based on your current projects and literally block time for each task.

In order to “create” this schedule, you’ll need to use a journal to record how you are spending your time right now. Recall my opening story of having to “track my time?” Carry a notebook with you for a couple of days and write down exactly what you are doing every 15 minutes. Do this all day for three straight workdays. You will then identify the things that cause you to waste time, and you can work on eliminating those.

You may notice patterns of falling into the trap of checking emails that then taken you to far away places, like sports sites, fashion newsletters, twitter, etc. You see where this is going and so is your time. See that’s why having your schedule is so important. It will bring you right back to where you need to be.

Lastly identify the time of day when your most productive. What I’ve found is this may interfere with another family task. This is where family and friend support is so important to fill in those spaces of time so you can stat on task. Otherwise, you may find success eludes you for a long time, until you apply these time tested principles.

7 Women Business and Leadership Role Models From the Bible to Inspire Christian Women in Business

Christian women today have many women mentors and role models from Bible days on which to base their business and leadership ventures. The qualities and characteristics of these women from long ago provide patterns for running successful enterprises as well as for being involved in government, legal matters, community organizing and even military operations. Most of these women were married and some functioned from their homes. The activities of these women are often not discussed, leaving some of the best means of motivation and encouragement for contemporary women unknown. This article presents a brief background along with the qualities and skills of only 7 top Bible women in business and leadership who have lessons to share for today.

1. Rahab: Joshua 2:1-22; 6:17-25. Rahab was a businesswoman who ran a lodging place and provided for her family members. Often misrepresented as a prostitute, there is no evidence of this in the Bible. She became known for her willingness to take great risks to negotiate with new people for the protection of herself and her family. Running a lodging facility meant being able to manage a staff of workers, keep clients happy and serve the needs of people from all backgrounds. It also meant being misunderstood by those who didn’t understand this nontraditional business role for women. The leadership qualities and skills of Rahab included being industrious and wise, having a business plan, management abilities and negotiation skills.

2. Lydia:Acts 16:14-15, 40. Lydia was a well-known businesswoman who dyed and sold purple cloth. Royalty and the wealthy wore purple cloth. That meant she had a high end target market. Her business had to provide a consistent, high-quality product to meet the standards and needs of a wealthy clientele. She also had employees, which means her company provided jobs for people in her community. Lydia was an entrepreneur who probably would have had a corporate structure. She displayed qualities and skills that included organization management and growth, employee training and development, and strong target market skills.

3. Priscilla:Acts 18:1-3; 24-28. Priscilla worked alongside of her husband, Aquila, as partners in a tent making business out of their home. She was first mentioned as the mentor to the great Apollo who she helped mentor to preach with more direction and authority. She also traveled extensively in the capacity of evangelist. Her qualities and skills were in working in harmony in a business partnership, managing a home-based business, business development and growth, multi-tasking, coordination, human relations, and mentoring skills.

4. Huldah:2 Kings 22:14-20: 2 Chronicles 34:22-28. Huldah was a prominent prophetess and married woman who was sought out by the King’s Advisors for counsel about spiritual matters. Huldah was known for being honest, highly intelligent and a scholar of the Scriptures. The qualities and skills she shares with contemporary Christian women include being a strategist, teacher, strong communicator, life-long learner and a leader who advised others and made hard decisions.

5. Phoebe:Romans 16:1-2. Phoebe was a preacher who worked closely with the Apostle Paul. She was sent by Paul to teach and preach the gospel to the new believers in Rome. Paul strongly urged the believers there to accept her preaching and to support her while in Rome. Phoebe understood the right time to approach others with new ideas and came with the proper introductions. She went to Rome as an evangelist and some believe as a deaconess. The qualities and skills presented by Phoebe are project manager, evangelist of new ideas, teacher, preacher, and collaborator.

6. Deborah:Judges 4 – 5. Deborah was the first woman to be a judge over a nation. She was willing to take on necessary hard tasks that others would not do. Through her leadership the laws of the land were understood and she promoted ethical behavior through the law. Deborah led the Israelite army into a victorious battle in a particularly difficult war situation when her General refused to ride into battle without her. Deborah was a powerful law-maker with qualities and skills as an Army Commander, leader of large groups, decision-maker, motivator, judge, and political official.

7. Candace, Queen of the Ethiopians, Acts 8:27. The Candaces were female rulers of in the African nation of Ethiopia (also known in ancient times as Kush). Unlike Queens of some other African Nations of that time, the Queens of Kush, who were independent rulers, known as Candaces, a distinctive title that existed for 500 years. One Candace received the information about spiritual matters from her treasurer who was baptized by the Apostle Philip during a long journey on state matters. She was receptive of new and better ideas to benefit those she represented. These powerful women had qualities and skills of being national political leaders, rulers, and warriors. They were decision-makers, negotiators and goal-oriented.

Christian women in business have some fabulous role models from Bible women for doing business and being a leader in these contemporary times. The few examples given in this article only provide highlights to the types of activities women had as spiritual and church leaders. These women were ministers, servant leaders, organizers, motivators, and persuaders. They used effective communication skills, organized church events, meetings and services. Knowing their lessons can inspire women even in these modern times to reach higher goals.

Women Empowerment And Entrepreneurial Revolution

Women have generally been looked upon with contempt for centuries with various strictures inflicted upon them reducing their status to the mercy of men.

They have been confined to hearth and home. But now the perspective of the society has changed and a general thinking to work for the emancipation and empowerment of women is being developed so that they could also contribute in the advancement and welfare of the society.

Women constitute almost 50% of the world’s population. According to the last official Nigerian census in 2006, women comprised almost half of the then 140 million populace at 68.3million. United Nations updated figures for 2010 put Nigeria as Africa’s most populous, as well as most densely populated nation, at 155 million in 2010, the New-York based Centre for Reproductive Rights and the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) reported that 600,000 women die in the world annually and Nigeria accounts for 10% of this figure; 60,000 Nigerian women are dying annually due to pregnancy and child-birth related complications. In more comprehensible terms, the number translates to 164 women per day.

According to the Nigerian Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, the latest Nigerian census revealed that women constitute 49.9% of the nation’s population; the under representation of women (2%) in the nation’s development processes in finance, business and investment fronts, renders 40% of the population inadequately positioned to contribute to the economic growth of the country.

As long as recorded history has lasted, so too has women’s oppression. To many people, it just seems natural that women are worse off, because of their smaller size or their capacity to bear children. Men comfort themselves with the thought that women need looking after. Not just the capitalist system to blame but also in feudal society, women occupied second place to men.

Early anthropologists began to speak of an earlier time when women, not men, ruled society.

The history of class struggles shows the continual effects of the “world historic defeat of the female sex” interweaved with and subordinated to class relations of exploitation.

The woman is an indispensable part of the family, for children are an economic necessity, but her role is a secondary one.

Women, though their economic activity was more centered on the home, played a large role in social life.

Why women are poor/oppressed

Women face many challenges both at home and in the marketplace when they decide to seek employment or engage in entrepreneurial activities.

Religion discouraged women status

Low literacy of women in the world: over 640 million of the women in the world are illiterates (UN Secretary General).

Amongst the world children, 121 million are not in school, most of them are girls.

Two-thirds of the world’s 774million illiterates adults are women (UNICEF statistics)

Girls represent nearly 60% of children not in school.

Educating a girl child is life saving for the world.

Women are more vulnerable to exploitation.

Uneducated girls are more at risk to be marginalized

Women’s rights and access to land, credit and education are limited; not only due to legal discrimination, but because more subtle barriers such as their work load, mobility and low bargaining positions in the household and community prevent them from taking advantage of their legal right.

Women status/employment- 90% of the world female labour are called housewives and excluded from the formal definition of economic activity.

Women work more hours than men and they are unpaid. The paid ones are paid 17% lower than men.

U.K, Germany, Italy, France- women are paid 75% wages. In Vietnam, Sri-lanka and Australia they are paid 90%

Women perform 66% of the world’s work, produce 50% of the food, but earn 10% of the income and own 1% of the property.

However, in some regions, women provide 70% of agricultural labour, produce more than 90% of the food and yet are nowhere represented in budget deliberations.

Women occupy only 24% of senior management positions globally, 34% of privately held businesses globally have no women in senior management. Managerial position- 39% in developed country, 15% in Africa, and 13% in Asia.

In Arab States, only 28% of women participate in the work force.

Women and society laws

First stage of discrimination begins with women when parents about. In Nigeria, most of the small-scale farming enterprises are owned by men. Women by nature have creative abilities, are blessed with ability to persist and pursue their desires, are good and patient nurtures of children, and this tenacity is usually transferred into business, are good innovators, have ability to develop passion for what they believe in.

Many researchers have shown that poverty is a malady that incapacitates its victim economically and indirectly subject him/her to a state of destitution, voicelessness, powerlessness and even violence (World Bank 2000; Okojie, 2002) Unfortunately, the most affected sex by the above incapacitation are women and children. Statistics show that women are poorer than men. The UNDP (2008) estimated that, about 70% of the world-poor are women. Women are poorer because they are more vulnerable economically.

The findings of Thane (1978), Showalter (1987) and Lewis Piachered (1987) cited in Magaji’s Introduction to Project Evaluation (2004) showed that women have been the poorest sex throughout the 20th Century and have formed a substantial majority of the poor since poverty was first recognized. On why women are the poorest sex, the physical strength of women and various challenges limit them to specific soft duties making it difficult to be enterprising.

Entrepreneurship development therefore is a crucial tool for women’s economic empowerment.

The benefits derivable from empowering the women folk are farfetched, starting with family advancement and eventually touching on the national and global economic advancement.

If women are empowered to do more and be more, the possibility for economic growth becomes apparent; eliminating half of a nation’s work on the sole basis of gender can have the detrimental effects on the economy of that nation. It is the nation that blends the strengths of women and men that will lead the world in development (Kiyosaki 1993) in the field of agriculture and other sectors.

A study found that of fortune 500 companies, “those with more women board directors had significantly higher financial returns, including 53 percent higher returns on equity, 24 percent higher returns on sales and 67 percent higher returns on invested capital (OECD, 2008).” This study shows the impact women can have on the overall economic benefits of a company. If implemented on a global scale, the inclusion of women in the formal workforce (like a fortune 500 company) can increase the economic output of a nation.

Entrepreneurship or investing is not an exclusive reserve of any gender. Both women and men generate the same result provided they follow the principles of investment. Kiyosaki (1993) proves with statistical data in Unites States, that women are better investors than men. Also, a study of National Association of Investors Corporation (NAIC), found that women- only clubs achieved average annual returns of 32% since 1951 versus 23% for men-only investment clubs. The verdict is; women know how to handle money and can be greater entrepreneurs than men if the various obstacles to development is removed or minimized.

Furthermore, entrepreneurship will give women opportunities of owning businesses, thereby increasing their personal wealth. Women’s entrepreneurship will of course generate the needed employment in developing economies in Africa and bring in the long excluded population of women into the labour force thereby empowering them.

The best way to fight poverty and extremism is to educate and empower women.

The Limitations holding back women from achieving much like men in entrepreneurship development.

Finance

Manpower and Education

Culture and Tradition

Technology

Erroneous Ideas about Women

Entrepreneurial Attitude

Gender inequality

Successful Women Entrepreneurs Today In A Competitive World

The successful female operated businesses know the meaning of a true business owner, “One who carries out to conduct a business assuming complete control and danger,” is not gender specific, it is not surprising that most entrepreneurs are men.

Lots of women merely do not have the time to start a company due to the fact that women tend to undertake the greater share of raising kids and keeping the house together!

I had the chance to interview a few who attended the woman’s conference and take a close take a look at the issues that successful women entrepreneurs deal with.

At a current international women entrepreneur’s conference in Glasgow, the Bank of Scotland presented a few of its research studies.

In accordance with the bank, even successful women entrepreneurs tend to: under-capitalize their organizations at startup; have a disinclination to use financial obligation financing and to be more danger averse than their male equivalents,

And they utilize a greater percentage of their individual savings within their service, both at startup and advancement.

They are less aggressive than guys about their understanding and understanding of financial products and services, all which can influence on funding and growing their businesses.

This might be exacerbated by the banks’ historic hesitation to treat their women in business clients in the very same manner as male customers.

Females owned businesses have the tendency to be more service oriented.

Yes, and therefore have less equity than male owned services– another factor banks can be hesitant.

Financing is vital to all commerce and of course the female owned businesses, and possibly managing money is most crucial amongst small businesses, whether at the start or when expanding.

The struggle to keep appropriate cash and financial freedom alive is consistent among business owners.

Is it any surprise then, that monetary concern is the most widespread cause of stress and insomnia!

With female owned businesses producing over thirty nine percent of new start-ups, and just over a third of self-employed proprietorships in Canada owned or led by females, female entrepreneurs have increased by just over more two hundred per cent in the last twenty years.

As an outcome, more black female business entrepreneurs are seeking more opportunities to grow their network and boost their support systems.

The Women Entrepreneurs of North America in Canada was established in Toronto in 1992, as a support, opportunity and resource network for female entrepreneurs.

I found that WEC promotes and fosters the young women entrepreneurs, too, in Canada and assists them to accomplish and define success on their own terms.

It’s important to help promote the interests of successful women entrepreneurs and women in business getting started, and business owners in the larger service neighborhood.

It assists in the transfer of appropriate knowledge that is appropriate to WEC members; and partners with companies both in Canada and abroad, such as the National Association of Women Business Owners in the USA.

And the global groups like Femmes Chefs d’Enterprises Mondiales and the Italian Associazione Imprenditrici e Donne Dirigenti D’Azienda, to bring finest chances, resources and practices to its members here.

This is an organization where women can fulfill their life dreams and blend with other female owned businesses, who deal with similar issues in starting, running, and growing their services.

WEC is a resource that offers a unified voice to federal government and the public, pressing the issues of women in business to a right-minded leading edge.

It is suggested that increased young women entrepreneurs research and study to produce more chances for black female business owners, while bringing exactly what is learnt about women’s organizations updated.

And relating to maternity leave– as female owned businesses are working to do the exact same benefits as for their staff members as they ‘d like to be treated.

There’s the “what might be done” to level the playing field and extend that advantage to all as, for example, it is in Finland?

It’s like the Course in Miracles teaches, “True extension of Self and one’s true free will brings on an awakening worldwide.

There are many organizations that help female owned businesses to interact a confident and refreshingly positive message about the future potential customers for females, and it is gratifying that the message is being heard.

I urge any woman in business, especially young women entrepreneurs to discover more about self-confidence as an entreprneur.

This takes us to wonderful tips for female owned businesses, and encouraging young women entrepreneurs.

Many aspiring female owned businesses, business supervisors and other professionals typically forget that they really have 2 tasks– the very first is to do exactly what they make money for (and do it much better than males).

The other is to proactively handle their profession path and do exactly what is required to guarantee their upward mobility isn’t really based on others– particularly those who notoriously subscribe to the “Old Boys Club” mentality who might or may not be working in her benefit.

The following “secrets”, amassed through my substantial background as both a business entrepreneur and organization experts lending me advice, will help female professionals better handle their success course:

Understand the “circle of successful women entrepreneurs”

A typical piece of suggestions provided to female owned businesses is for them to spend a good deal of time being familiar with, and working side-by-side, with their personnel to make sure each employee has what (s) he needs to be productive.

While that concept is well intentioned, it’s does not offer maximum advantage to all included.

Rather, it is more vital that female managers hang around helping their employer look proficient at every opportunity.

When (s) he understands that you have the ability to assist her/him prosper, you and your group will get more time, attention and resources assisting in optimum productivity.

Many female owned businesses cite male stereotyping and prejudgments of female “appropriate” roles and abilities as a leading barrier to their development.

It’s crucial for women to assess where a male employer stands relative to female specialists.

Previously I discussed women’s insecurity issues can be healed fast and to be a confident woman.

This can be done by analyzing his promotion track record of males vs. females, his balance, or lack, of interactions with female vs. male staffers, and if his interactions with female staffers is strictly expert rather than just inane or flirty little talk exclusively about her household.

How we sound (i.e., one’s unique attributes of the voice such as pitch, volume, and tone) play a crucial role in how females are viewed.

In addition, lots of women tend to mention their opinions, objections or recommendations as a question as opposed to affirmatively and confidently making their point as a declaration.

In a work context, females should command the flooring lest their fantastic ideas fall by the wayside.

Since numerous of us still associate one’s temperament, speaking and appearance capability with their general ability, this stays a powerful challenge for those women who have other or physical stereotype-based characteristics that are tough.

But as humans like the Course in Miracles teaches us, “The ego is aware on how to creep in the back door on us and begin projecting judgment based on fear and self-doubt.”

That said, it might be impossible to change, such as height or weight, blonde hair color, or merely a high pitched voice.

This subjectivity is even worse for young women entrepreneurs as society is generally more able to accept males with what’s considered to be shortfalls more than ladies.

Regardless of these barriers, condition yourself to bring yourself with best posture, speak and gesture in a reliable and confident way, and wear clothes that imparts your female owned businesses success.

To actually stand out from the others and get the crucial promotion, young women entrepreneurs from off site, or in house women execs, ought to guarantee they are in the workplace whenever her employer is in the office.

If (s) he has actually decided that it’s essential to be there after hours, on weekends, or early in the morning, it is entirely to your advantage to be there at the very same time.

Even in this day in age of so-called gender equality, females need to take benefit of all chances to differentiate themselves in the work environment.

It is essential that those who are in the position to benefit a woman’s career in any method know who she is and exactly what she has accomplished.

Effective service people understand the importance of letting others understand about their successes, and go about it in the suitable method.

Ladies need to not wait to get discovered while they toil away at the job at hand, but rather develop the ability of how to tactically talk about her achievements in the work environment.

Far too numerous employees throughout our world are bored and disinterested, which is adversely affecting their performance and creativity.

It’s time for the globe’s corporate leaders to re-engage and invest more time acting as leaders rather than bureaucrats.

The female owned businesses need to exploit this innate capability whenever possible, since such right-minded management ensures that everybody is focused on, and vested in, getting to the goal lines.

(I always suggest searching the web for related information that is a discussion on being a self-assured woman today filled with female confidence. A good conversation might be, should you have a life coach, yes or no?)

To your success in life!

Women & Business Partnership – The Good, the Bad and the Synergy

Team sports prepare boys for the corporate model of business. Girls, however, typically play closely with one or two friends. What great preparation for entrepreneurial partnership! So it is fitting, as women continue to start businesses in record numbers, that many are finding partnership is a comfortable format. In fact, business partnership works for women coming from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences including those tired of hitting the corporate glass ceiling, stay-at-home Moms, and women who want to turn their passions and their social connections into business ideas.

Partnership brings a wide variety of benefits including a sense of connection and someone to cover when you go on vacation. On the other hand, many partnerships end in crisis and conflict. To avoid partnership failure, your partnership needs to possess the following seven components of positive partnership.

Shared Values. Partners need a sense of shared standards regarding what is desirable, undesirable, good, and bad. These values will guide partners’ actions, judgments, and choices. Values, which often carry considerable emotion, may range from valuing family, prosperity, ambition, a work ethic, or a political persuasion. In addition to helping partners make congruent decisions, shared values serve to keep partners united.

Different (Complementary) Skills and Traits. Successful partners will possess different (complementary) skills and traits. The broader the partners’ range of skills, the clearer the division of their labor (and power) can be. It may be easy to distinguish the marketing person from the technical person in a business but other necessary variables are often not as easy to see. Michael Gerber’s classic book “The E-Myth” explains that a business owner needs to play three roles, Entrepreneur – the creative visionary; Manager, the administrator who brings planning, order and predictability; and Technician – the craftsperson. Partnerships have a distinct advantage in that two or more invested people are available to perform the three necessary roles.

Sense of Equity. Equity occurs when the rewards of a relationship are proportional to what each side perceives as his or her contribution. Strangers and casual acquaintances maintain equity by keeping track of the benefits they exchange. However, in long-term and more committed relationships it is not healthy to keep track. Instead, a sense of equity should be established. A perception of inequity (I am giving more then I get) takes a tremendous toll on a partnership.

Growing Together. From the moment we are born until the day we die, we are in the process of growing and changing. Partners and their partnerships are continuously undergoing this process of change. However, we are often not aware of the changes we’re experiencing. And, sometimes change is viewed as a threat to the status quo. Successful partners embrace change and growth, knowing that this attitude benefits both their individual and shared professional identities.

Proactive Conflict Management Strategies. Competing and avoiding are not effective conflict management strategies for partnership. Instead, successful partners will use proactive and strategic approaches to conflict management such as accommodation, compromise and collaboration to resolve their differences.

Shared Vision. Partners need a shared vision or plan for the future. Vision is what determines and expresses where an organization wants to go and how it intends to get there. A shared vision allows partners to focus on their goals and the methods they will use to achieve those goals. When partners hold different visions they become discouraged, overwhelmed, and disconnected. In order to create and effectively benefit from a shared vision, four tasks are necessary: creating the initial vision, translating that vision into the necessary physical actions, articulating and selling the vision to others, and holding true to the essence of the vision when reality changes the plans.

An Exit Strategy. It has been said that a graceful exit is proof of a successful venture. Without an exit strategy in place partners can be faced with making crucial decisions at a time when they were least levelheaded. An exit strategy is a shared sense of when and how an alliance will end and one should be included as the end-point in a business plan. However, while planning for the end may be a critical aspect of owning a business, it is also one of the most neglected. Exits are easy to avoid when the issue is not pressing and raising the issue might sour the deal or suggest a lack of trust. Four questions should be addressed when considering an exit plan: what events might trigger an end to the partnership; how will the business be valued at the end; which options for future ownership are acceptable; and what post-alliance ties and restrictions, such as non-compete clauses, need to be included.

When you enter into a partnership that is strong in these seven components you have the potential to create synergy and reap some amazing benefits. True synergy comes about when two (or more) people work together to create results that would have been unobtainable independently. In a synergistic partnership 2+2>4 and the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

How Did Women Make Money In 1887?

Mrs. M.L. Rayne’s 1887 book, What Can A Woman Do? provides a fascinating look at how Victorian women could make money in the 1880s. It’s rich with information and vignettes that show what was possible for working women some 120 years ago. The opportunities for enterprising women were greater than most of us imagine.

The book is subtitled “Her Position in the Business and Literary World”. A sizable section is dedicated to women poets but it is the business opportunities for women that are most intriguing. Rayne looks at careers for women as well as a variety of ways women could make money on their own.

A chapter is devoted to women in the legal profession. The author notes that there were some ninety women practicing law in the United States in the 1880s, most of whom had graduated from the University of Michigan, the first U.S. university to admit women to its law school. In an early version of networking the author suggests that readers contact one of the female attorneys she mentions and ask them for advice on pursuing a legal career.

There is also a chapter about women in medicine. The author writes that Europe was far ahead of the United States in opening its medical schools to women. In the US, a medical school for women was opened in Boston in 1848. In the 1880s close to half of Boston University’s medical school students were female and Rayne lists four other US medical schools that admitted women.

Other occupations that are discussed in the book include stenography and typing; wood engraving; nursing; telegraphy; and government work. There is much discussion of wages and earning potential in the book. In the chapter on telegraphy, a profession for which there were actually specific educational programs, Rayne writes about the income disparities between men and women operators. Women were paid on average $500 per year while men earned an average annual salary of $840.

Rayne’s feminist bent extends beyond wage disparities. She writes of how a woman’s work is never done. A man goes home to rest and read while a woman returns home to work and weariness. Clearly Rayne was a woman ahead of her time. Chapters are devoted to women as inventors and women of enterprise. She writes of women who received patents for their inventions and women who started their own businesses.

A number of the ways to make money discussed in the book are still popular today. Raising chickens, even in the city and suburbs, is becoming more popular. The book includes a chapter on raising poultry that will be of interest to backyard poultry enthusiasts. There’s also a chapter on making money with bee keeping, another increasingly popular hobby nowadays. Other perennial favorite money making opportunities discussed in the book include dressmaking, housekeeping, cooking (today we call ourselves caterers), and taking in boarders (nowadays we call it getting a roommate).

For those who thought that women first entered the workforce in the 1970s or no earlier than the days of Rosie the Riveter, Rayne provides an eye opening account of women’s first forays into the working world. Whether it’s a century old perspective on making money with your own enterprise or an eye-opening look at the early days of feminism, What Can A Woman Do sheds much light on the early days of women in the work force.

Best Business Ideas for Women In the Modern World

It’s no longer a man’s world out there. We live in a world where men and women alike rule the world; where women can be who and what they want to be without prejudice. According to the published report by the Catalyst, a non-profit membership association increasing opportunities for women and business, women make up the 7.6% of the Forbes 500 top earners and 46.7 % of the American workforce. Here are some of the best business ideas for women you should consider when thinking of having your own business.

In our world, men are not the only ones wearing the trousers; women nowadays are actively participating in making decisions for their careers, families, and their lives in general. For most women, starting a business can sometimes be gruelling. It’s hard to choose which idea can be great to start a business and a career. However, the most simple and unlikely ideas can sometimes become one of the best business ideas for women.

Any woman can be successful in any business she ventures into. Most women nowadays, like women who stay at home to watch over the kids, search for business opportunities that won’t compromise their responsibilities at home. For home-staying moms, you can start a home-based business.

Depending on your skills, capabilities, resources, and passion, a home-based business can be a great success. For those who are computer and internet-savvy, starting up a home-based virtual assistant service is one of the best business ideas for women. If you have a background in sales or customer service, you can start a call center facility. If you have superb writing skills, you can create a writing business, creating marketing and promotional write-ups for people and products.

Best business ideas for women include starting an interior design business, catering service, accessory-making and writing and PR services. A woman who enjoys baking, can start a pastry business; a woman who is passionate about beauty and wellness can start a spa or a beauty salon business. Depending on her skills, a woman who has technical dancing skills in ballet or musical talent like playing the piano, violin, guitar or any musical instrument can start her own dance/music class at home.

The list can go and on but before deciding which business idea to consider, take into account your capabilities, skills, budget, time, and the amount of passion that you can pour into that idea. Starting a business can sometimes be demanding, but with the right attitude and frame of mind, a start-up business can become a successful one.

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