As part of the questions answered for the Athena Award, I was asked what advice I would give to women. I’ve learned so much over the years. I wish I would have been kinder to myself when I made mistakes. They are essential for you to change and grow. I wish I would have asked for help sooner. Successful, smart people are incredibly generous. You need only ask. Still, I’m still here growing and grooving on running this company as well as growing my personal brand through publishing and speaking. I hope you “lean in” as Sheryl Sandburg says and know you can absolutely do this. With that, here’s my top 10 plus two!
- There’s no substitute for hard work. None. They say it takes 10,000 hours to master something. It’s true. Commit. Work hard. No one is going to do this for you although there are many people who will help you along the way.
- If you feel the tug to do something – go into business, start a non-profit, lead something, don’t wait for permission. Permission will never come.
- Don’t go into business because you want to be the boss. Being the boss is horrible sometimes. It’s all about serving, not about being somebody. It’s a lonely job too. It’s a terrible reason to go into business. Go into business because if you don’t, the market will suffer, you will suffer, employees will suffer or conversely, go into business because the world you live in will be better because you did and because you can’t imagine doing anything else. I wake up every day fairly energized. I’ve never been bored. This thing makes me come alive in a way that fits me perfectly. I know I was made for this.
- Don’t quit. People often ask how it is that I’ve stayed in business as long as I have. The answer is I always had enough money to go one more day and I didn’t quit. I never quit. My eye is always on what’s next. Keeping one foot grounded in the present and the other on what’s possible is key to my success and yours. Most people quit too soon. Just don’t.
- Network with other successful people. You can get a PhD in just about anything from spending time with smart, successful people who get things done.
- Read books. As many as you can. As often as you can.
- Go to conferences with big ideas, come home and share the ideas and then implement them. They’ll last that way.
- Be kind to yourself. This is harder than you might think. You’ll make a lot of mistakes. You’ll feel like the dumbest kid in the whole class. You’ll wipe out. It’s normal. This is how we learn. Pick up the pieces and get back in there and play. You can’t sit this one out because there’s only one you.
- Be humble. No matter how much you may achieve or may have already achieved, there’s someone who has done more. Be a learner.
- Ask for what you need. Women, on average, earn less than our male counterparts. We get 80% less start-up money than men. We accept less. Stop. Know your worth. Demonstrate value. Always be willing to walk away from the deal.
- Your reputation is your biggest asset. Protect it at all costs. If you have a team member that lacks integrity, they need to go, now. This is not the time to be nice. Be nice at the grocery store. Be in business in business.
- Have a laser like focus on performance. When all is said and done, it’s impossible to fire someone who is performing. Get the job done and contracts are cake.