5 Tips on Becoming a Successful Female Entrepreneur

Women in business in 2020 have never had more opportunities—but there are still plenty of obstacles to becoming a successful female entrepreneur, especially in male-dominated industries. Make sure you give yourself the best chance of achieving all of your business and career goals with these five top tips for becoming a successful female entrepreneur.

Dress the part.

Not only will dressing well help people see you as the businesswoman you want to be, but it will also help you feel more professional. Dressing smart doesn’t have to mean dressing boring though; matching a pair of straight pants or slim-fit chinos with a smart blazer is a quick and easy way to look smart and feel good. A straight leg pant look is a step up from denim, comfortable if you’re in and out of meetings throughout the business day, and you can choose from patterned or plain to express yourself visually.

Set realistic goals.

Honesty is a vital characteristic of any successful entrepreneur—with clients, colleagues, and most importantly yourself. Make sure that you assess yourself clearly and honestly on a regular basis. Use these assessments to set realistic goals for yourself and your business.

Giving yourself too tight a turnaround time or overly ambitious goals that you don’t have a hope of achieving will only deflate your motivation and confidence and ultimately get you nowhere. Focus on the main content: Finding ways to drive revenue and improve your product or service. Create achievable goals with clearly defined deadlines to work towards and you’ll find it far easier to actually get things done.

Invest in a professional look.

Not only should you look the part as a professional, but your business should too. Invest in custom folders and business cards with a custom design that fits your brand’s aesthetic. You don’t need to be an expert in graphic design to have a strong color palette and logo that goes on all of your important documents, and including something like this on presentation folder design, the front cover of handouts for presentations, or marketing materials creates a cohesive and professional feel for your business. Packaging and marketing is everything: it will be the first impression you make on many potential partners and customers, so make it count.

Find strength in communities.

When working through the business day as a female entrepreneur, it can feel like you are making it all on your own. There’s no mascot to cheer you on, no colleagues to depend on—but does it have to be that way? Look online or in your local neighborhood for women communities for business leaders. There are a whole host of Facebook groups, Slack channels, and more out there, with dozens of women waiting to support you, offer advice, or just share a funny GIF at the end of a hard day. There’s no need for you to carry the burden alone, so if you don’t feel like you can discuss problems with those around you, make sure you find a space elsewhere that suits you better.

Never stop learning.

Starting your own business is a huge and impressive step in any woman’s career – but that doesn’t mean you have ‘made it’. The worst mistake any entrepreneur can make is thinking that they already know it all. Make sure you keep pushing yourself to develop a skill, learn more about the industry, or simply network and get to know more people. You don’t need to be learning a new language every other day; even something small like expanding your knowledge of SEO to help boost your website, or taking more of an interest in how to engage with people on social media. Whatever it may be for your business, there is always more to find out and explore.