Be the real girl-boss

(Going out to females especially)

Despite the current economic situation, practically as females, rising to the top of one’s grind as a successful girl-boss is achievable. And even though it is definitely not going to be a roller coaster ride, a lot of sacrifices and perseverance would sure do the magic.

In my home country especially where unemployment is rife, a large percentage of the educated populace are not able to ‘clinch’ the supposedly decent and seeming high waged jobs. This is because there are more qualified people than the available jobs which has made the competition quite high. Meanwhile, there are some more factors standing in the way of females, and it is not out of place to say that; the working condition may not be totally said to be favorable to us. 

Therefore, I would prefer an average female begin to look in the way of a ‘personal grind/hustle’ even as you gallivate your 9-5 daily.

Don’t just work to build someone else’s empire, create yours. Besides, our offspring cannot inherit our certifications, only a business empire (if successful though) one could relinquish to generations to come, so no doubt, owning a SHE-business is actually worth a thought.

This is why when I see females opt for entrepreneurship, when she refuses to live according to the dictates of someone else but channeling all of her time, energy and intelligence towards doing her own thing, then trust me girl, you deserve a medal.

Anyway, as beautiful as a business plan or idea may sound, it is obviously not going to be a cup of tea, so you’ve got to be prepared and be equal to the task.

At the same time, some motivational speakers and supposed advocates of self-employment, may have not effectively communicated the challenges of what to expect on the journey to being a successful entrepreneur. And as a result, not a few females have become erstwhile bosses of businesses that have clearly gone into extinct. And sometimes because of fear of the unknown or factors like paucity of funds, lots of fantastic business ideas have remained a wish that is buried in the minds of people who are unable to birth same into a reality.

However, to be the real girl boss and be able to maintain it like the world’s renowned female bosses such as; Sara Blakely, Shelia Lirio Marcelo and Opray Winfrey, and then our very own Folorunso Alakija and Hajia Bola Shagaya, not a few points are to be noted from them. Worthy of note is that most of them started from the scratch with little or no experience to build multi-million dollar business empires. But as many as the tips needed to successfully manage a business are, going by the interviews of a few of these women, starting up a conglomerate may be tagged simple as building up letters A B C into the formulation of much complex words.  

Getting started

It’s hard to be a business owner by default, it is either a conceived idea from the onset of one’s life or that it is stumbled upon later in life. But whichever way, a business idea is needed in one’s chosen field. I had intentionally skipped starting out with funding, as far as I am concerned, that should come much later. Nobody walks up to a financial institution to get a loan without a prior deliberation on what to sell or services to render.

You clearly need a business plan.

It is also advisable that anyone chooses a field that clearly defines their personality. It is best to sell what can be conveniently bought by you or render services you would patronize, as you are the first model of your product. How do you relate this, that you hate tattoos yet you have a shop that offers such a service, does that sound well?

Afterwards, experience from others who have been in the business before is also needed. And to achieve this, an aspiring entrepreneur can opt to work in similar fields so as to gather more experience or make some meaningful research. Then there is the expected determination to make it work no matter the obstacles that comes from being inexperienced. You have really got to be smart too. Opray Winfrey once worked in the media {though fired}, before owning her own show. Billionaire businesswoman  Rosalia Mera, co-founder of Inditex (the parent company of discount fashion retailer Zara), who dropped out of school at age eleven, worked as a stream stress where she gathered much experience. Can you relate now? Gather more knowledge than you think you have, plan, have a budget, map out strategies on how to kick start.

Getting funded

Your partner, friends, relatives are examples of people to consult for soft loans. And if that is not coming, cleverly get a piggy bank and give yourself a time frame. As crude as that may sound, it works wonders.  It’s better if you are presently an employee. Slip in unspecified amounts on a daily basis, deny yourself of some frivolities like buying things that are not really necessary and let the cash in into your piggy bank. Because really, if you cannot take eyes off your funds, the business will head for the rocks some day.

No one has to know you are saving in a box, let it be kept in a safe place away from prying eyes. You could do this for months or even up to a year and let’s see what you have gotten. Approaching a financial institution for a business loan is not bad after all, but be sure to opt for a plan that suits your intended business venture.

Maintaining funds

It is not just about starting up but maintaining it even after you are already doing business. As an entrepreneur, you really need to stay disciplined so as to stay afloat.

Restrict the frequencies at which you dip hands into your business capital. Endeavor to make all expenses from your profit. You stand a chance to grow so well if you consider such spending a loan, which has to be refunded to the business as soon as you can.

 Familiarize yourself with the seasonality of your business. With the exception of very few products, sales of varying commodities fluctuate within the year. This is brought about by periods and maybe the weather. The good thing is that you should know how to ‘gauge’ what you offer when sales are at the lowest ebb to minimize loss. If you are starting out at a time when it is widely believed that those selling similar products or offering same services aren’t making much sales, you are bound to get discouraged.

Stay determined because consistency is key.

And trust me, it won’t be rosy all through. But armed with all of these and maybe a little more, the sky is just a starting point for us all.

Cheers