QUEENS, YOU WILL FOREVER REMAIN POWERFUL

Bokang

There is a powerful woman of some kind lurking in all of us! And this month, I feel like a superwoman – a woman who can vault the wall with cat-like agility.

But it’s almost month-end and fear is crippling; we are to abdicate our thrones and, for some, a husband is yet to be angry and quick with his hand.

We are to remain slaves of our past, slaves to being underlings because there is just one problem: When it comes down to it, it has not yet dawned on us, women, that we are more than how we think of ourselves.  We refuse to challenge the conventional wisdom.

If there is anything women’s month has taught me it is that we are powerful beyond measure!

I know many strong and proud women who never move from their ground-level stall as the sun burns their children and the flies torture their eyes when they haven’t managed to make a sale. Pity the same women know everything about their flaws; nothing about their strengths.

It is time we focus on self-improvement and overcoming challenges rather than seeing our mistakes as the product of insurmountable personal flaws. With that new attitude we can be the best there is, even in business.

Hear this out: according to the Marketing to Women Conference, eighty-five percent of buying decisions are made by women. This is a massive market segment that you can’t ignore.

Why?  You are a woman and you can easily identify women’s needs and make them feel special. Doesn’t that make you think about starting your own business?

Yes, it’s a known fact that starting a truly sustainable business – one that generates an income to live on, or adds an existing in a way that improves a lifestyle – is hard work. So, be prepared to fail in all sorts of ways.

For many moms, failure is a scary thought – the cost of a childcare is a major factor in career decisions making pay-cuts a luxury of the relatively young and unattached. I know women who long to have autonomy in their work, or be more creative with new projects but are scared to leave their day to day job.

If you are one of them worry not: Big companies are cottoning on the fact that if they allow their employees more freedom to create their perfect career, be intrapreneus, they can hang on to them, and then benefit from these new skills or ideas. And, if the idea works, it could mean a bonus or promotion.  So, an intrapreneur is an “in-house” entrepreneur.

I just love it. No more spending hours helping your boss prepare for an important meeting, which he aces but fails to acknowledge your contribution. Forget about managing-up (making your boss look good in an effort to enhance your career) – well, I don’t think it always works – do your thing, intrapreneurship is the solution.

But, intrapreneur or entrepreneur, you still have to work hard. And it would be wise to remember that history is littered with examples of entrepreneurs and outstanding ideas that required several drop stitches on their grand tapestry.

If your company does not offer that opportunity and are willing to take all the risks involved in starting a business but minimize them, well there is something you can do to minimize the costs of starting a business.  Ever heard of a work hub? If not, you may ask, What is a work hub? Collaborative work spaces.

They are open-plan spaces where entrepreneurs and sole traders can rent work space, network and collaborate with other like-minded workers. Great news is, renting a desk is much cheaper than renting office space.

As if that is not enough, users say it can boost your business by five to 50% because of new business opportunities, new skills learnt, and mentoring from other workers.

It will do you good to remember: it doesn’t have to cost the earth to start a business. Some of the biggest businesses have started from home – think about Bill Gates – in the founder’s own time, with start-up funds of a few thousand rands, dollars, whatever currency it is. So, you can start from home, with a few thousand maloti and in a few years run an empire.

I wish you all the luck in the world. You will succeed and these three tips will guarantee you that: believe that hard work can and will lead to improvement; have confidence that you are at the right place that is you are where you belong; and belief that what you are doing is valuable and relevant to your goal.”

Times are tough, everybody knows that, but this does not mean it’s the end of the world. Regard these challenges as an opportunity to find new exciting solutions of doing business. And don’t abdicate your throne, get into the month of September with a plan!