
Over the past couple of months, I had the honor to talk with twelve fabulous women and learn about their businesses from a variety of industries including - coaching, marketing, real estate, cosmetology, consulting, finances, and health and wellness. Some of the women I knew and some I met for the first time. I thoroughly enjoyed speaking with each one and hearing how they got started in business, their reasons for being in business, and their inspirations and motivations. This article will be about what resonated with me through this journey.
Business 'My Way'
Each woman had their own personal reasons that urged them to continue their path. However, there was one key factor that I kept hearing repeatedly during my interviews. The phrase I kept hearing, whether matter-of-factly stated or read between the lines, was "I wanted to do it my way."
That phrase speaks volumes because no matter where you are or when you decide to start your business, it has the common theme of doing business your way. That is the exciting part about having your own business: you can write the rules to do it how you see fit, how it relates to your style, and what you want to sell. Although there are laws and regulations that keep you from doing anything you want, you can write your own path. This made me ponder on my own journey and why I like starting businesses, as I get to treat my customers the way I think they should be treated.
One of my businesses is an ecommerce store, and there was one product that I was selling that was for a granddaughter. My customers for this product were grandmothers, and some of them had questions, so I thought about how I would want my grandmother to be treated - extra special. So that became my motto: that anytime I have a customer inquiry, I treat them like my grandmother. Even if the customers are not all grandmothers, I still take that same approach - which is simply great, respectful customer service. I joke with my team that if you don't have a good relationship with your grandmother, then choose someone that you would want treated extra special and pretend the customer is them. With this in mind, I am setting my own policy of how to treat and handle customer inquiry situations.
For example, I recently had a customer reach out about a necklace that had broken. The order was purchased months ago; there were multiple ways to manage this scenario. I could have said no, sorry, it's been more than X days. But then I thought, let's change that perception of always being held by a "policy" of No. I decided to send her a necklace at no charge and even provided a graduation card for her granddaughter as she mentioned her daughter was graduating. I thought that provided exceptional care to the customer and how I would want to be treated. Will I do that every time? Maybe, maybe not, but I have the authority to make that decision and, as a small business, can allow myself and my team to be empowered to make those decisions to turn a potentially bad customer scenario into something amazing. The customer was thrilled, and she provided a rave review! Win, win.
Scenarios like that make me appreciate that I'm cultivating a culture that creates this empowerment and can alter changes as needed depending on the situation. When my business and team grow, my policies will change as needed, but who knows, maybe then that's a sign to move on myself. The bottom line is I get to do it my way - just as all those women mentioned themselves in their reasoning for having a business.
Business Aren't Overnight
Chatting with these women was also like having a front row seat to multiple mini sessions of learning great wisdom from their experiences. What they light up about and what makes them stay motivated, along with some great advice. Which leads me to my next revelation: the underlying advice provided was to "keep going."
Business doesn't happen overnight despite the illusion of "overnight" success. Often, what you don't hear is how long that "overnight" success took. The owner has been diligently working on their craft and going through their own thoughts of, "Am I a failure? Can I do this? Why do I think I can do this?" among so many thoughts for an entrepreneur it's a wonder we even do it. Perhaps we are all gluttons for torture, but why do we do it? Because we know there's something amazing waiting for us on the other side of our relentless persistence to make our businesses into something incredible.
For each of us, our success looks different - whether its building wealth, helping clients achieve their dreams, finding a dream house for someone, or a combination of multiple facets that keeps us going. Bottom line is, keep going. Keep being consistent, keep showing up, and keep being crazy (even if only in your mind!). I can attest not every day is a walk in the park and there will be days you are not always ecstatic or motivated but shrug it off as that feeling too will pass and... keep going.
Take a Chance
So, if you're willing to take on a crazy, wonderful roller coaster journey called entrepreneurship, then let's hop on together. There's plenty of people out there who want you to succeed. I can help you if you're looking to open an ecommerce store or need organizational guidance with a printable planner. Maybe, you need guidance from one of the women I interviewed, as they all have something that can help someone.
I hope you enjoyed my revelations and the Women in Business series. We've got more great business tips coming, and the occasional Women in Business articles will make their way through for more journeys to highlight. In case you missed any, go back and read them now on the blog.
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