I talked to some of the best women entrepreneurs including Camille Johnson of Pink Ribbon Lingerie and Isobel Beauchamp of DegreeArt, about their experience of starting a business. Here's what they told me:
There may never be a right time
You may be waiting for the "perfect" time to start your business, but the truth is, it probably doesn't exist. The women I spoke with about jumping in and starting a business were easily able to make a laundry list of when was or wasn't the right time for a start-up and why. It will always be daunting. The economy might be crap. You're too young, too old or your children are too young or too old. You'll make it work.
You can ask for help
Camille Johnson, the founder of Pink Ribbon Lingerie, a company that specializes in intimates for women post breast cancer surgery, stressed the importance of having a circle of people to support you. "Use your friends and family as much as you can, for support, babysitting, feedback..". You don't have to do it alone, and really, you aren't supposed to. Its not a weakness to ask for help, it's a strength.
Your online presence is your storefront
The first thing people see isn't necessarily your storefront or office, but your online presence. These women don't just have strong websites. They are active on Twitter, have Facebook pages, video content and online communities of client feedback. Branding is carried out through a multitude of platforms beyond business cards and logos to social networking profiles and hashtags. Remember every channel is an opportunity to make an impression on someone.
It will be 100 times harder than you already think
Isobel Beauchamp is the co-founder of DegreeArt, a company that sells, rents and commissions the artwork of students and recent graduates. Beauchamp spoke about how there will always be challenges, but they are meant to be hurdles, not barriers. Beauchamp went from working on the business with Elinor Olisa every evening and weekend on top of a full-time job, to eventually making it her sole venture. You need to pick yourself up and carry on when you get a knock back. You get tougher. Your skin gets thicker.
Be fearless
When Johnson couldn't get funding for her business, she took things into her own hands. She carried out extensive market research and learned all she could before making the absolute jump and self-funding her start-up. She felt that it was her only option if she wanted to see her business as she envisioned. Lesson learned: it takes guts, but the payoff is worth the risk.
We need more women putting themselves out there. Job creation is a dire need in the current economy, and women have great potential to help turn things around.
Written by Sarah Fink of @ladygeektv.
Belinda Parmar is the founder of Lady Geek TV. Please join the Lady Geek campaign to end the stereotypes and cliches towards women in tech and Like us on Facebook.