Women in Business Success – Can I Thrive As Well As Profit?

I was watching a TV programme recently called “Thelma’s Gypsy Girls”. If you’re not familiar with the programme, it’s about a woman, Thelma, who is training young girls from the traveller community in dressmaking. In this particular episode, Thelma gets very sick and is out of the business for two weeks. When she returns, a lot has happened and staff are feeling demoralised so she has a lot to catch up on and a lot to clean up!

This got me thinking about the challenges women entrepreneurs often face. Starting a business is hard work and when it’s a solo business, the demands are high and the rewards are slow to come. But there’s only so much we can push onto our minds and bodies before it becomes counter-intuitive and we start to do ourselves harm.

Self care is often the last item on the ‘to do’ list and many times, it doesn’t even feature! If you let this slide for too long, you and your business will suffer – as Thelma found.

In the work that I do with women entrepreneurs, I often refer to my central philosophy in business which is “to profit and thrive“. We don’t go into business so we can be poor and miserable. Profit is a key goal but it’s equally important to make sure we are well to enjoy our success. A lot of people agree but very few practice this idea. I think it’s because we don’t want to give ourselves permission in case it comes across as being selfish. Well, it is selfish and so what if it is? You need to do this. It’s a necessity, not a luxury.

Irresistible Idear
Book yourself a 2 hour slot (minimum) within the next 2 weeks and do something for you… and just for you. If you have family or other commitments, just let them know with all the love in your heart that this is something you have to do so you can keep going.

By committing to doing this and following through, you are showing you have an abundant mindset – you know you have all the time in the world and all the support you need. Ultimately, this will help you be more creative and productive!

Being a woman entrepreneur is one of the most exciting and exhilarating things you can do and we need to fill ourselves up with as much energy and passion as possible on a daily basis so we are up to the challenge and the rewards… don’t trick yourself into thinking “I’ll rest next week or next month or next year”.

Book self care in to your calendar as you would any other important appointment and this is an even bigger challenge – don’t move it! Commit to it like you would an important client!