It is a really exciting time to be a woman right now, especially a women looking to venture into the business world and entrepreneurship.
I am seeing women from all over, from their 20s, 30s, 40s and up making moves and changing their lives and deciding to start their businesses or start new careers because they see a need that they want to meet and they believe they can help.
No offense to our male counterparts, but women are kicking butt, and making an impact. I love it.
When you consider what happened during Covid and years following the shutdown, that number shot up to 47%. A lot of my friends who lost their jobs during Covid partnered with different network marketing businesses or started affiliate and digital marketing businesses as a way to make additional income.
Why are women starting their own businesses?
There are a ton of logistical reasons as to why women are deciding to go on their own and ditch the traditional 9-5 work force:
Financial Freedom: They want to be able to make money on their own terms and not have to ask their boss for a raise. Now, when you own a business, if you don't work, you don't get paid. And you may not always see the financial return in the first 3 years of your new business. This is why most women will work their businesses on the side while still maintainig their full time job, working to one day make enough income from their business so they can transition out.
Time Flexibilty: This is a big one for mothers. We don't want to sacrifice our children and families on the altar of making a buck. The hustle isn't worth it that much. Most women want the freedom to do the work that fits their current reality and schedule. When I had my network marketing business as a health coach, my children were in elementary school and I was able to stay at home and work while they were at school (or during nap time)! Granted, we do understand that having time flexibility isn't a given on day one. Life changes and you learn to adjust, but the biggest point is that she gets to choose when she works and she doesn't have to ask permission for time off in order to be there for her family.
Purpose Driven: This is where I want to hang out and the sole purpose for this post. Women desire to not just make an imcome, but they want to make an impact. When women make money, everyone wins. I fully believe that. Women tend to reinvest 90% of their income into their families and their communities. That means, contrary to the jokes and biases about women just being spenders, they aren't out there buying Louis Vuitton bags and going on expensive luxury trips or experiencing a mid-life crises and buying luxury vehicles (Ahem, gentlemen).
The money they are choosing to make, the businesses they are choosing to start, the career path they are choosing to take all starts with purpose. They see a need they want to help meet. They have the skills, the experience, the education, the knowledge, the creativity and the audacity to step into that space and make it happen. They even dare to venture into fields that are predominately male because they believe that women can greatly benefit from having a female voice and perspective. Education is powerful. Representation does matter.
Women, I believe, want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. They want to know that they have made a difference in their homes, in their communities and in their work spaces. Women are driven by their WHY. Women are driven by the desire to help others.
How do we create a business that centers around meeting a need and not just a profit? Keep in mind that it is not wrong to want to make money. Ladies, you can make an income, make an impact and have a family. It doesn't make you masculine or a man-hater. I want both my family and something of my own. I am not busting my butt studying for these exams for a career in financial services because I hate men. Far from it. I am doing it because I want to provide for my family and I see a need for more women to be educated in the realm of finances, retirement, money after divorce, investing and living generously. Men having NOTHING to do with it.
All that being said, money isn't the driving factor either. It goes beyond that.
For the purpose driven woman, here are some things to consider as you get started in your purpose driven business/career:
Identify The Purpose: What is the need and challenge that you see that needs to be met. Part of the work in this will be discovering the niche or individuals or group of people that would greatly benefit from what you have to offer. Does it align with yours and their values? What matters to them? What questions are they asking? What problems are they facing?
Passion: This goes without saying. I don't think I need to really expand on this idea very much, but I will state this. It has to be something you care about. It is more than just wanting to make a quick buck. People will see through that real quick. If they see that you truly care about them and the needs of others, they will trust you because they see your passion and your consistency in meeting those needs, whether it is offered for free or they invest in a tool/course/product you have created as a solution to their problem.
Build a Business with Integrity: Who are you when nobody is watching? Authenticity and honesty is crucial as you build your business that involves serving people. Your word matters. Who you are matters. How you act matters. Acting ethically and being transparent, again, you will earn the trust of those who are observing. You also earn the respect of colleagues as well!
Being a Part of Your Community: The purpose driven woman in business is not just content on hiding away at her office. She is connected to her community, to her peers and she networks and builds relationships. This networking isn't self-serving. It is important to link arms with others, bounce ideas off one another, and take part in events and charitable work within your community so that you can continously give back and find ways to continue to serve others. The purpose driven woman recognizes that this isn't a one woman show. Together, we can do a lot more good than just on our own.
Empower, Empower, Empower: Lift other women up. It is hard enough as a woman to build a successful business and have longetivity. We already don't get the capital for startups as our male counterparts, and many still don't take us seriously when we mention our businesses. Collaboration over competiton is an idea I fully believe in. I am a girls girl, so I will absolutely push you to share, encourage, shout out other women who are also building purpose driven businesses. I just recently highlighted a few of my favorite accounts on the dreambuildher IG stories because I love what they are doing and I want others to know about them. Lift each other up! Her success should be celebrated. Chances are she has experienced the same doubts, fears and criticisms you have. You, and She, have got this!
The purpose driven woman is unique in that it is a new and better way into the world of entrepreneurship. Her heart is not just settled on making money, although that may very well be a goal of hers. Again, there is no shame in wanting to make an income. However, it is more than that. She wants to make a difference. At the end of it all, she wants to hear that what she did and what her business provided was transformative for her customers.
It is a win-win for everyone.
Rooting you on.
Your Dream BuildHer Bestie,
Tiffany Rhea
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