If you lead, make decisions, impact the bottom line and have ever dreamed of starting your own business, then the "execupreneur" inside of you is just waiting to be unleashed. Yet as a business coach to women entrepreneurs around the globe, I often see a pattern of reasons that talented, high-performing women leaders put off making the leap to owning their own businesses:
1. They doubt that they really have what it takes.
2. They fear losing the security of a steady paycheck.
3. They don’t know exactly how to monetize their skill sets.
4. They are waiting for permission or approval from someone to validate that it’s a good idea.
5. They don’t have the right support system around them to make it happen.
All of these reasons, although some might actually have merit, are rooted in fear. Fear is the number one reason most people sacrifice their dreams day after day and year after year. While success is never guaranteed, you’ll never achieve your dream if you don’t take a risk and move toward it. As Katia Beauchamp, cofounder and CEO of Birchbox, said in an interview with The New York Times, "Whatever it is that you think you want to do – and whatever it is that you think stands between you and that – stop making excuses. You can do anything."
Most female executives, managers and leaders within organizations (often referred to as intrapreneurs) are already acting as entrepreneurs while building someone else’s dream, just without taking on the risks. So it is my professional duty to call forth your inner "execupreneur," the part of you that wants to build your own dream on your own terms. I did it and you can too. The catalyst that compelled me to leave corporate to build my own business stemmed from playing a vital role in securing a $30 million client for a Fortune 500 company, only to be rewarded with a measly $700 bonus check.
According to The National Women’s Business Council, in 2015 there were 10 million women-owned businesses in the U.S., 1,200 women starting businesses each day and, if this trend continues, women-owned and women-led businesses will increase by more than 50% in five years. To start your own journey, you don’t have to give your two weeks' notice today, but you do need to make a plan.
Three Ways To Unleash Your Inner 'Execupreneur'
Forsake familiarity. Soon after starting my business, I attended a networking event where there were several millionaires and even a billionaire. Was it uncomfortable? Slightly, but I pushed through. I met some incredible people, and even more rewarding was the knowledge I walked away with about attracting the right clients and creating multiple streams of income. In business and in life in general, growth and success are rarely found in familiarity. In fact, it’s often the things that you dread or have to push yourself to do that will benefit you the most.
Gather your self-confidence. Whatever you need to do to find your inner courage, do it. Here are some specific actions you can take:
• Say daily affirmations to yourself out loud.
• Make it a habit to write down your goals and revisit them often to (hopefully) check them off your list.
• Surround yourself with other movers and shakers to keep your passion ignited. This can be in the form of joining a mastermind group, a professional association or a networking community.
• Find a trusted mentor or coach who can encourage you when you feel insecure and keep you accountable to your business goals.
• If there is knowledge that you lack to make you more credible in your industry or you need to master a skill, then take a class, attend a conference, read a book, and/or hire an expert. Knowing your stuff is a real confidence booster.
• For every reason you shouldn’t do it, find two more reasons that you should.
• Read success stories of other entrepreneurs that inspire you.
• Keep doubters and naysayers at bay and surround yourself with people who believe in you and your dream.
Keep taking steps to work toward your plan. Success happens in stages. All small steps that you take represent progress no matter what they look like. You will experience setbacks, but you have to keep moving forward. There will be times when you feel like you don’t know what you’re doing, but keep going. If you’re taking steps forward, no matter how slowly or how small your steps are, you will inevitably reach your intended destination. The key here is to break down your plan into bite-sized action items. A five-year plan can be broken down into years, months, weeks and even daily to-do lists.
As you unleash your inner execupreneur, remind yourself that the world is waiting for what you have to offer.
