Women TIES

There are times in our lives when we want something so much that we work day and night, seven days a week, and months on end to achieve it. Grit, resolve and fortitude live in our soul.

Sometimes you witness this in ordinary life, a son trying out for a limited spot on a basketball team, a politician fighting for a key position or a volunteer knocking on doors to ask for donations for a worthy cause. Individuals are motivated to dig deep and push beyond their typical limits when their passion for the position or cause is strong.

There are times in women entrepreneur’s lives when this happens too. We work 24 hours a day to finish a large proposal, we invest large amounts of money to bring innovation into our companies and we knock on the doors of big potential clients hoping to land a new account. We do it even though we might be afraid, doubtful, or nervous.

The biggest triumphs in life come after we have given our all to accomplish something important. Winning truly comes from having what it takes to go through the long, hard process no matter if you achieve what you want or not.  We are changed by the challenge forever. We become more motivated for the next opportunity. We become less afraid to strive for something larger next time.

Today’s message is meant to remind you that you have all the strengthen you need to accomplish your entrepreneurial goals.

The other night long after the work day was done I turned on the television to find Suze Orman(http://www.suzeorman.com), famed financial advisor, speaking to an audience of women.  She was giving them advice on how to bring wealth into their lives. The strategies she discussed weren’t based on financials and investments but rather on key characteristics women must possess in order to attract wealth. There were a few key characteristics she spoke about which resonated with me as a woman entrepreneur.

Don’t Be Afraid

Suze talked at length on how fear can stifle a woman’s wealth. Sometimes women entrepreneurs are: afraid to increase rates every year, scared to charge appropriately on big proposals, and tentative to stick to our fee when we are asked to lower them.  As women entrepreneurs, we cannot be afraid to charge appropriately for our services. We should increase prices if we need to, we must give ourselves a raise or bonus each year just like business professionals receive, and we should decline projects not worth our time. 

Cleanliness Adds In Clarity

One of the subjects she talked about was how cluttered environments, like our desk, drawers, and offices create too much disorganization in our lives. This disorganization leads to unfocused behaviors and prevents clarity from being present in our business life. Organization is a key to success. Whether it’s having a to-do list everyday, a clean work environment, or an orderly filing system, organization is essential to work efficiently and clearly.

Be Balanced

In order for wealth to enter your life, you must be balanced and harmonious. Burnout, stress, emotional strife are barriers to wealth. In order to be productive as a woman and entrepreneur, you must be in line with your personal goals and in good mental and physical health. Many women entrepreneurs are so overworked striving for success they forget to take care of themselves. Being mentally and physically healthy, as well as harmonious with your core beliefs, is extremely important in achieving goals.

In 1963, Mary Kay Ash began her rags-to-riches story when she risked her life savings by investing $5,000 to start her company. Over forty years later, her business Mary Kay Cosmetics generates annual retail sales of nearly $3.2 billion, has 3,500 employees, manufacturers over 200 different products, and has one million independent beauty consultants worldwide.

Monday I managed a large event for one of my long time Five Star Event (http://www.five-star-events.com). The first thing I did when I returned home late at night from the event was to send a thank you email to the owners of the golf course where the event was held. I wanted them to know how hard their staff worked to make sure the hundreds of details we needed done, to make the event a success, was accomplished. Appreciation for someone else’s hard work, which then reflects positively on us as entrepreneurs, should never be overlooked. Most importantly it should be recognized.
 
The first thing I did early Tuesday morning was to send a note to my clients thanking them for their business. Even though they have been my clients for eight years, I do not take them for granted. I don’t expect to have their business next year just because I have worked with them for a long time. Each time they hire me for an event, I know my performance and service will determine whether they have me back. So thanking my clients is a priority. 

I realize in a competitive marketplace another company can be knocking on their doors trying to obtain their business. Nothing is secure in the entrepreneurial world except for our ability to perform at the top of our game, deliver what is promised, and go the extra mile for our clients. When we give it our all, we should end up with a long list of repeat clients who appreciate us and share our name with others who can benefit from our services. 
Never forget, a simple thank you goes along way in a competitive economy. 

Yesterday as I drove to an appointment, I stopped at Starbucks for a coffee, picked up a pair of Nike sneakers and stopped to “Xerox” off some documents. There was nothing extraordinary about these errands except that I instinctively referred to the brand names of three major products in describing it to you. Starbucks, Nike and Xerox have created strong brand names. Creating a brand distinguishes successful companies from others. Brand names infiltrate our language and penetrate our mind.

Just like these multi-million dollar corporations, women entrepreneurs should strive to brand their name in today’s competitive marketplace.  The largest corporations spend thousands of hours on creative marketing meetings and billions of dollars on advertising to make their products a household name. Women entrepreneurs might not have as much time and resources as these large companies but they should consistently work towards branding their product or service to be more successful.

How often do you wonder how a product, you could never live without, was conceived? Every time I use my EZ Pass on the Thruway, I thank the person who invented it! This innovative product and service makes me appreciate the inventor every time I sail through the line, don’t have to find loose change and arrive at my destination sooner. I believe it is one of the best inventions in the last decade, besides Mapquest.  You might be able to tell, with a growing state-wide organization, I rely heavily on both when traveling to meet inspirational and hard working women entrepreneurs.

But who thought of it? Who had the guts to research the idea and then follow through with the patent? Who produced the prototype and then sold it? It takes a lot of work to create something new, make it a success and reap the rewards. Innovation takes time, inspiration, research and input. But think of those rewards and more importantly how the consumer is helped by what is developed.  Women TIES inspires women in business to be innovative today.