As more women step into what was previously deemed to be a man’s world, many females are moving into entrepreneurship and starting their own businesses. While the number of female-owned businesses is on the rise, there are still a couple of obstacles women have to face and overcome on their path to entrepreneurial success.
Facing lower expectations
Regardless of their will to succeed and the effort they put into their work, women business leaders often face lower expectations while the bar tends to be set higher when it comes to their male counterparts. This can be very discouraging to women, as they often feel as if they’re living in a ‘boys club’ world, meaning they need to work twice as hard to get to the same level as their male colleagues.
Gender stereotypes may be frustrating, but if you look at this obstacle as something you can use to empower yourself, you can make a positive impact, break down the barriers, and even exceed others’ expectations.
Balancing work life and private life
Women business leaders want it all, and they’re not afraid to take on a couple of different roles. The problem is, juggling family life and work life can be quite frustrating and challenging. Between housework, child rearing, and growing their business, female business owners find it difficult to create some sort of balance in their life, even more so if they happen to be a single mom.
Take a closer look at your schedule and see where you can save some time. Time-consuming tasks can easily be delegated, whether it means hiring a house cleaning service, having your groceries delivered, or ordering clothes online. This should give you some extra time you can spend working on your personal and professional goals.
Multitasking at work
Most women are great at multitasking, but while this skill seems to be useful at the office, it can actually do more harm than good in terms of productivity, making it difficult for women to focus on the task at hand since their mind is all over the place.
In those times when it seems like they just have too much on their plates, female business owners shouldn’t hesitate to rely on people and services for help, delegating whenever possible. For instance, they can choose to rely on virtual office answering service to take important calls and use their time to focus on more important tasks at hand. That way, they can easily manage to complete their tasks in a timely manner while at the same time eliminating unnecessary stress and working more efficiently.
The tendency to push themselves too hard
Female business owners (and women in general) are no strangers to overextending their efforts if that means they’ll prove themselves to others, especially their male counterparts. However, in their aim to rise to the top and achieve success while leaving their competition behind, women entrepreneurs tend to push themselves too hard, so much so that they lose their motivation by the time the goal is reached.
Leading a successful business requires consistency and getting your priorities right, and that means learning how to manage your time properly while also utilizing your resources in the best, most efficient way possible.
Not being taken seriously
Women-owned businesses are often at the risk of gender discrimination, and the fact that it’s more difficult for these businesses to get small-business loans just goes to show how women entrepreneurs are not being taken seriously, causing them to feel as if their gender is somehow holding them back from succeeding.
It takes a lot of courage, confidence, and dedication for a female leader to succeed in a male-dominated world, and if you learn how to play to your strengths, you can rise above the notion of being perceived as less competent and earn respect and recognition you deserve.
Underestimating their personal effort and accomplishments
There’s nothing wrong about being proud of your achievements and owning them, but this is something many women business leaders don’t realize. In fact, many of them tend to downplay their success and their worth, thus undervaluing their skills and personal effort.
You’ve worked so hard to be where you are, and you know your business more than anyone else around you. Recognize the value that you’re providing and own your accomplishments and you’ll be able to convey your value as a leader and take your business to the next level.
Wrapping up
Leading a business as a female entrepreneur is no easy feat. There are so many obstacles that might hinder your progress, but if you take the time to learn how to cope with those issues effectively and stay focused on your goals, you’ll ensure prosperity, growth, and success.
