The world of business which is often reflected in the Forbes billionaire list as a place for powerful men, suggests that men dominate the world of business. However, women have literally begun taking the bull by the horn. There is news of inequality, unequal pay, a lack of women in politics, in government and at boardroom levels which suggests that women are still facing challenges.
Women can testify to the taunting, misogynistic and condescending comments they may have received at the onset of their career or business as a result of being looked at as a woman first, before a professional.
There is however a growing list of successful female entrepreneurs who started their businesses from scratch and now own multi-million dollar empires. These women have their footprints in the sand of time; they aren’t your average thinkers. Examples of this calibre of women include Oprah Winfrey, Folorunsho Alakija, Mo Abudu, Adenike Ogunlesi, Martha Stewart, Iman, Estée Lauder, Carmen Tal, Bola Shagaya, and Rachel Ray.
What traits do these women possess that guarantee success?
Faith and Belief: These are essential traits that every woman should have; the power to move ahead in the face of uncertainty and believe in themselves to move further in life. Mo Abudu’s famous line is “if you can think it, you can achieve it.”
“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” Harriet Tubman
Passion: Have you listened to successful entrepreneurs speak? They are passionate about what they do. They build businesses around what they love e.g. Oprah, who is passionate about public speaking thus her highly successful talk show.
“I really love what I do. It’s extremely motivating to me.” – Jenny Craig
“I became successful due to several reasons. I never gave up and I never let anyone or anything get in my way. I use the power of positive thinking to tackle obstacles and challenges so they don’t defeat me. Passion for my work and my business are other important reasons. I really love my work and I get great satisfaction from it.” – Lillian Vernon
Zest For Learning: Being an entrepreneur alone is a daunting task talk less of being a female entrepreneur. They constantly attend trainings and study to update themselves, seeking answers to the constantly changing questions in this dynamic world.
Perseverance: Starting a business is the beginning of a journey. If most successful women had not endured and stayed in the game for so long, the success they enjoy now and the accolades they have would be limited.
“Perseverance is my motto.” – Madam C.J. Walker
Ambition and Vision: Successful female entrepreneurs are not mediocre in thinking; they think big. They envisioned a successful global company and stepped beyond their comfort zone. They took a step further by paying the price of success, never settling for less.
“I envisioned a company in which any woman could become as successful as she wanted to be. The doors were wide open to opportunity for women who were willing to pay the price and had the courage to dream.” – Mary Kay Ash
Confidence and Assertiveness: They earn trust and build a reputation. To be successful, assertiveness has to be conveyed by being fearless, and speaking with authority (not condescendingly) purpose and confidence. Additionally, one must be able to confidentially and rationally deal with criticism and be calm, and considerate most times.
“I don’t believe in failure. It’s not failure if you enjoyed the process.” – Oprah Winfrey
“My philosophy is that not only are you responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.” – Oprah Winfrey
Hard work and Bravery: They are prepared to do what it takes, work long hours, and sacrifice time to push themselves out of their comfort zone. Hard work is the secret to success and time has to be sacrificed.
“I used to want the words ‘She tried’ on my tombstone. Now I want ‘She did it.’” Katherine Dunham.
As part of efforts to increase the number of successful female entrepreneurs in Nigeria, RegCharles Foundation, the non-profit member of the RegCharles Group, is preparing to hold its annual Female CEOs Roundtable – a high energy hub for leading women entrepreneurs to network, engage and drive value exchange for Nigerian businesses. Visit http://regcharlesfoundation.org. for more information.
