Are you Thinking Small??
It’s a question that every woman who runs her own business needs to ask herself. Limiting beliefs can hold us back and prevent us from achieving our full potential.
As a little girl at school, I was painfully shy, I can remember watching from the side lines, dreaming of being part of the crowd of cool kids. Wishing I could have the confidence that they had to go and chase my dreams.
Do you ever get that feeling like everyone around you is expanding and growing and you are just watching and wishing from the side lines? Do you berate yourself because you are not where they are? We hear you.
Are you ready to scale your business?
When looking to scale our businesses, it’s important to recognize the obstacles that we may face and to believe in ourselves and our abilities. Limiting beliefs come from a variety of sources, including our upbringing, the norms in society, and even our own self-doubt. I was taught to believe that success is not something that comes easily, and that we must work hard and sacrifice to achieve success.
Have you ever been told that certain industries or types of businesses are not suitable for women, or that women are not capable of being successful entrepreneurs. These beliefs can be difficult to shake off, especially if we’ve been hearing them our whole lives. But it’s important to remember that they are just that – beliefs, not facts. We do have the power to challenge them and to change them if we choose to do so. It’s important for us to recognize the unique challenges that we face as women.
Personally, my reason for starting my own business was to be able to set my own schedule and work around my children. We are expected to juggle multiple roles and responsibilities, including caring for our children and elderly relatives, managing households, and fulfilling societies expectations around our appearance and behaviour. It can all be exhausting which can make it difficult to find the time and energy to focus on our businesses. It can also prevent us from taking risks and pursuing opportunities that could lead to growth and success.
Ladies we can’t let these challenges hold us back. It not easy but these challenges can be overcome believe me I have been there. We need to find ways to prioritize our businesses and to carve out the time and resources we need to achieve our goals.
How can we do this?
3 tips to prioritise your time and resources
- Set clear goals and priorities – get really clear on your business goals and objectives.
Break them down into actionable steps that you can prioritize based on importance and impact on your business growth. By having a clear plan/roadmap you will be able to stay focused and allocate your time and resources effectively. Be selective on the tasks and projects you take on, are they aligned with your vision and goals – if not say no so you can keep your priorities aligned with your long-term vision
- Delegate and Outsource:
You can’t do everything alone. Many of us feel like we have to be experts in every aspect of our business, from marketing and sales to finance and operations. Why do we think this? It can be overwhelming and prevents us from seeking help and support when we need it for fear of being judged or seen as a failure. But the truth is, no one can do everything alone. Outsource tasks that don’t require your involvement or expertise so you can focus your time and attention to your high priority activities to contribute to your business growth. Find reliable people who you can trust to become part of your team so that you can focus and don’t have to constantly check or micromanage them.
- Practice Effective Time Management:
Managing your time effectively is essential to maximising your productivity and achieving your business goals. Work out when you are most productive and schedule those important tasks into those hours. Break down your day into blocks of time where you dedicate to specific tasks or types of work. Use productivity tools or software to help you to stay organized. Avoid multi-tasking as it decreases focus and efficiency– focus on one thing at a time. Set realistic deadlines to maintain a sense of urgency and accountability.
Recognise your strengths and weaknesses
We all have our strengths and weaknesses, and it’s important to recognize when we need help and to ask for it. I make that sound easy but one of the hardest challenges for me as a business owner has been to ask for help and that is for all the reasons mentioned.
Whether it’s joining a business networking group, hiring a mentor, or outsourcing certain tasks there are many resources available to help us grow our businesses and overcome our limitations all available for you here at Women’s Business Networking.
We need to be willing to take risks and to pursue opportunities that may be outside of our comfort zones. This can be scary, but it’s often necessary if we want to achieve growth and success. Whether it’s launching a new product or service, accepting a public speaking opportunity, or pursuing a collaboration opportunity, we need to be willing to take calculated risks and to believe in ourselves and our abilities.
Women make an Impact in the world of business
The impact that our businesses are having on our clients and on the world around us is so important.
The Rose review reports All-female-led companies represented 20% of all businesses in the UK in 2022, up from 16% in 2018. In 2022 women in the UK established over 150,000 new companies which is more than twice as many as in 2018. Their findings also show that 16- to 25-year-old women founded nearly 17,500 businesses in 2022 which is 22 times greater than in 2018. The goal of the Rose Review is to unlock the £250 billion of new value that could be added to the UK economy if women started and scaled new businesses at the same rate as men.
We have a unique perspective and set of experiences that is so valuable in creating businesses that are not only successful, but also socially responsible and sustainable. We have the power to make a positive impact and to inspire others to do the same. Finding the right support network both at home and work is a game changer to us being able to realise our true and full potential.
So, to the little girl watching from the side lines, dreaming of being a confident woman chasing big dreams: don’t let anyone or anything hold you back. Believe in yourself and your abilities, and don’t be afraid to take risks and pursue opportunities outside of your comfort zone.
Remember that success is not something that comes easily, but with hard work, determination, and a willingness to challenge limiting beliefs and overcome obstacles, the possibilities are endless.
How can you start to realise your full potential TODAY?
Sign up to join us at one of our bi-monthly online networking support meetings. Come along and meet our fantastic community of like-minded women forging their business journeys together. Safe in the knowledge they are fully supported, have a place to ask for help, support, motivation. A place to learn and grow together. Book your place today here
Not quite ready but keen to learn more what it’s all about book a free discovery call with me Sharon – I am excited to chat to you and learn more about you and your business journey.
Looking for a mentor to help you bring your vision to life and work with someone who has been where you are and experienced all the things you are going through?
I have been supporting small businesses since 2006 and been a multiple business owner since 2009 and won multiple Awards for service and networking.
I offer A Power Hour and mentoring packages to work with you 1-1 on your business journey. Book a free discovery call to see if we could be the right fit for each other
