What This Founder Says About The Glass Ceiling
This quote by Heddi Cundle, Founder of Big Cheese, My Tab Inc. in the infographic below says it all. “[Understand that] you do not need a male founder to grow your business. The more female founders breaking the glass ceiling, the faster venture capitalists and angel investors will invest in female entrepreneurs. It’s up to women to bang to the beat of their own startup drum, for that natural shift towards a more balanced entrepreneurial ratio”.
Goldman Sachs believe in women-led businesses. They have funded 10,000 women businesses. This is Why Goldman Sachs Is Betting Millions On Female Business Owners
We need to CRASH through that glass ceiling and here’s how!
Strength and Determination
If you are looking for success in your career or your own business, women need a large dose of strength and determination to keep going when the going gets tough, and it does get tough. Not only do many women have to be outstanding to be noticed, on the home front, there are lots of challenges too. Can you have it all? Yes you can if align yourself to attract what you are looking for.
A Supportive Environment
A supportive partner is a must if you are in a relationship. You can’t do it on your own and the same goes with your partner. Your goals have to be aligned. Communication is a must in order to get issues out in the open. Make a list of the chores and split them 50/50. No, 70/30 doesn’t work. Someone will get burnout with that ratio. Women are sometimes guilty of taking on more than they should, just to keep the peace, but that is not the answer.
If you are not in a relationship, it is still important to manage your work/life balance. Taking on more than you can handle is a recipe for disaster. So get to know yourself, your energy limits, time when you are most productive, “me” time allocation etc. to avoid burnout. It’s all about working smarter not harder or longer.
Recognize that you can’t be on the entrepreneurial journey by yourself. Surround yourself with positive people who care about YOU as a person. These people are ‘givers’. They understand that first you have to build relationships with people. They, themselves, are surrounded by similar people (the law of attraction). This is a tribe of people who are unselfish and once they know you, they will open up their networks and introduce you to people.
Find a mentor. You can have more than one mentor. Listen to the wisdom of the mentor. They aren’t trying to run your business, they are there to be a sounding board because they have been where you are trying to go.
Setting Goals
Write out your goals first and then take baby steps towards them or giant ones if they come up. Always accept the challenge and then figure it out later. Nothing like a time crunch or a request that challenges you intellectually to get your creative juices flowing. If it means job hopping in order to get the experience you need, even if it is a lateral move or even lower job than you currently have, bite the bullet and do it. You are investing in YOU.
All the women in this infographic (courtesy of Brighton School of Business and Management) are accomplished and successful. If they can break through the glass ceiling, then so can you.
It’s time to take charge of own destiny, whatever that is, and pave the way for more women in the next generation to have the opportunity to excel in business.
If you are starting your own business, and having problems, contact us for a free assessment to see if we can help you breakthrough the roadblocks. If you are beginning your journey into entrepreneurship and have no idea where to start, perhaps our popular book “Fabulous Fempreneurship” will help you decide.
Double click on the infographic below to make it large enough to read.
