YES, I AM GOING THERE!
WHY? Because this is an issue I’m seeing entirely to much and it is time for the women who are experiencing lack in their business to take a look at what could be the problem and take the steps to correct it.
What gives me the right? Well, because I’ve been there. Early on in my online entrepreneurial journey, I was a self proclaimed “Women Entrepreneur” for a long time, not making any money.
I thought entering the World Wide Web would bring me almost instant success (I said almost, because I knew I wasn’t going to become rich over night…but sure it was going to be soon after)
I’m not ashamed to admit, I didn’t have a clue…at first. I had an opportunity, a few ideas and was positive, I was gonna get paid! But after months of barely making enough money to pay my web hosting, I had enough sense to see what I was doing…was SO NOT working.
What I see today with many women, some of them in my circle, is that they are not making any money, yet they continue to do the things that are NOT giving them the results they want.
If you want to be a women in business, making a generous profit that continues to increase month after month, you have to make some serious changes…PERIOD, starting with, (1) Changing your way of thinking, (2) Be willing to learn and/or invest in what it takes to “Get it Right” and (3) Be intentional and seriously, GET TO WORK!
Let’s Be Real… This thing called Entrepreneurship, is not easy. It takes a lot, and that’s why it is not a preferred choice for everyone. You have to be willing to give it your all…and then some, make sacrifices, and by no means can you give up.
What I discovered for myself, and from talking with those women who aren’t making money in their business, is that there are a few things that always arise and are key setbacks that prevent you from really experiencing an abundance in your business.
1. There is a lack of focus, clear direction and an actionable plan. For the most part, many women just simply don’t know what to do. They have no clue where to start or even how to start so they operate in spurts based on what they see others doing.
One week they are actively promoting their business, sharing and interacting online…then they disappear, only to resurface weeks later and repeat the cycle. There is no consistency so these women fall off the social radar and are rarely taken seriously.
2. The “Serial Entrepreneur”. Many of my Go-Getter sisters fall into this category and I totally support multiple streams of income…however, the problem here is with the women who are starting a new venture every other week and have yet to completely establish the previous business.
To be quit honest, these are the women who generally make the least amount of money, if any at all because they are often paying out, way more than what is coming in. With the different businesses they operate, they are often unable to discover and connect with a specific target market and in the process, reach only a very few.
3. Not committed to the full investment of time required. These are the women who have a clear goal and know what they have to do but are unable to dedicate the amount of time it takes to get it done. Because of this, they often go unnoticed even if they provide a remarkable product or service.
This woman may have other things going on in her life that keep her from being able to pursue her business in the manner in which she desires.
4. Making Excuses. This is another area many women fall into. Far to many excuses as to why they can’t start or grow their business. A lot of times it is because of a full-time job, or they are a single parent, or school or money…for some, these can be legit reasons BUT, there are lots of women who have the same things going on in their lives and still make it happen.
Most of the time, excuses are a disguise for fear. Fear of the “what if’s…”. As a lot of us do know, FEAR will stop anybody dead in their tracks and surly keep you paralyzed in your business.
Do you fall into any of these categories?
If so, I encourage you today to take a step back and reassess your situation. Acknowledge where you are falling short and determine the steps you need to take to move forward in prosperity.
It’s not easy, and we have all been in at least one, or some of these places at some point in our journey. The key to getting unstuck is to seek out the best support for you.
Connect with a Network Community of like-minded women for support.
Choose the educational tools you need to help you become business savvy.
Consider investing in coaching to develop small business “know-how” and skills.
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Oh my, talk about an article that can make you squirm! You hit this right on the head and I am embarrassed to admit being guilty of more than one of these. Thank you for this insightful article.
Hi Regina, nothing to be embarrassed about because we have ALL been there or are still there, myself included. What’s important is recognizing where we are REALLY, and learning how to transition from being in that stuck place and move towards prosperity! Thanks for your honesty.
Wow, Tamyka! I’m sure you stepped on some toes with this one. You’re right on target. I hope your readers will “get a clue” and take advantage of the awesome opportunity you’ve made available. Great stuff, Girlie!
Thanks Wendy, I truly value your feedback! The truth hurts sometimes but my passion is to help women achieve great success in business, so I must keep it real so that the women who are struggling, will recognize where change needs to happen. Entrepreneurship is NOT easy, so those of us who have “been there, done that” can help support and guide those who are on that path.
Well, I’m convinced, Tamyka …
You must be in the big leagues! I see Wendy Y. Bailey stopped by. You’re keeping some mighty fine company. Mighty fine.
This line in #3 fits me to a “T” …
“This woman may have other things going on in her life that keep her from being able to pursue her business in the manner in which she desires.”
Bingo! That’s the ticket for me. NO excuses, just the cold hard facts. I work three part time jobs offline to support my family and doggone it! I need the clock to have a minimum of 30 hours. So far, the clock is not cooperating with me.
I understand other women entrepreneurs who are in those same trenches and it ain’t easy, my friend!
But I will give myself a big pat on the back. I deserve it. I utilize every single free minute I have to work on my business. “Lazy” isn’t an adjective anyone would pin on me.
Thanks for a great big chunk of transparency on this topic!
Melanie
You are so awesome Melanie! You deserve a pat on the back…it is a challenge trying to find the time to work a business when you have another job…let alone THREE! What’s important is that you are being diligent with the time you DO have…hat’s off to you! I love your determination.
And yes…Wendyy is awesome!!!
Okay I have to admit…I have been guilty of being a serial entrepreneur! LOL I really needed to read this. I have a lot of ideas but no action plan! Thanks Tamyka!
Thanks for that pat, Tamyka …
It sure feels nice!
And what you say is 100% true — making the most of the minutes you have to build your business is what counts — especially when you don’t have a lot of them. Diligence matters!
Great Post Tamyka! No excuses ladies…Let’s Do It!
Thank You Christina!
Excellent article, Tamyka. Sadly, women don’t have a monopoly on these behaviors that impair profitability. I’ll share your article with the ActSeed entrepreneur community via our Facebook wall where we try to spur dialogue about the realities of business-building.
For your community, I thought I’d share a video from Angela Coppola, founder of Sacred Silks. In this video, she talks about confronting fear as a small business owner:
http://bit.ly/ActSeedTV-video-Coppola-Fear
All my best, and keep up the good work!
.Bill, CEO, ActSeed
Thank you Bill, I appreciate your support!
Yes, there I am, hanging out in number 2 and number 4 and sometimes I wander into excuse #3, and, ok, to be perfectly honest, #1 is me too………… That is one of the reasons that I am now connecting with like-minded women for support. Thank you Tamyka for being one of them.
Thanks so much Fran! I’m so happy that women are able to “see” themselves in some of these categories, it helps us to be able to recognize the areas in which we need to make some changes so we can truly experience increase in our business!
Yes! Another on-point article. #1was a struggle for me. Although I was consistent in growing the business, promoting online did not come easy. However, I realized my weak area and decided to make it strong. Once getting it together, the increase came and continued.
I recall the times I got the side-eye and sucked teeth when mentioning #2 to women entrepreneurs. It’s true….
Thank you, Tamyka