Women Entrepreneurs: Achieving the State of Equilibrium as We Juggle it All
Photo Credit: Tia Nicole Photography
by Brandy Mills
Let’s face it, each day more and more women are embarking upon the entrepreneurship journey. And why wouldn’t we be? Women have been running businesses without the perks that come with it since the inception of family. Housekeeper, meal planner, personal chef, chauffeur, event planner, personal assistant, homeschool teacher… you name it! No wonder women are flourishing in the business industry today. Our DNA is wired for entrepreneurship. Unfortunately, because of the many responsibilities that women carry out daily, making the decision to begin the journey into entrepreneurship can be challenging. We do not often have the luxury of being able to stop everything to place all our energies on the business. Nope, it just does not happen that way.
“How do you do it?” This is the most common question that I am asked when people find out that I became an entrepreneur and founded a women’s empowerment movement while working full-time for another employer and managing the complexity of family responsibilities. Truthfully, I am never sure how to go about answering the question. I’d like to say that I am able to do it because I am super-efficient, organized, disciplined, strategic, or some other word that makes it seem that I always have my stuff together. The truth is that I don’t know exactly how I do it, I just do. Now, don’t label that last statement as arrogance. What I am saying is that I do not frequently think about that question. The juggling act of entrepreneurship is not easy. If I place deep thought into “how” what I am doing gets done, there is a high probability that I would become too overwhelmed to “do” anything at all. So, I just go with the flow, using the “why” for what I am working to accomplish, build, or maintain to guide me into the state of equilibrium that I need to keep pressing forward. But do not let my inability to answer the “How do you do it?” question stop or discourage you from becoming or growing as an entrepreneur. Being a woman in business, no matter the obstacles or how many roles you are juggling simultaneously, can be both fulfilling and rewarding. The key is to define what helps you reach a state of equilibrium that works best for you, when carrying a heavy load. Here are a few tactics that work for me:
Know Your Why
I know that this sounds cliché’, but it is true. Knowing your why is your compass in the times that you feel lost, overwhelmed, or uncertain. It provides motivation and purpose. It aligns you with your vision, gives clarity, refocuses you, and helps to guide in decision-making. Revisiting my “why” regularly, centers me and helps to determine if I am working towards my goals, have taken a detour, or have veered completely off track.
Know Yourself
Truly knowing yourself is about self-awareness. It aids in identifying what drives, motivates, and inspires you. Knowing yourself empowers you to connect your interests to your passions, birthing a business model made just for you. It means that you are in tune with your areas of strength and opportunity for growth. This enables you to set realistic goals and make strategic plans of execution. Simply put, knowing yourself leads you towards an authentic mission and vision for your venture, increasing your chances of success, fulfillment, and operating with purpose.
Trust Yourself
Trusting yourself in anything that you do, but especially in business or entrepreneurship, is about having surety in what you are seeking to accomplish. It is that inner confidence that assists you to stay true and committed to your plans and not be easily swayed by compounding demands, self-doubt, or the opinions of others. Trusting yourself requires you to rely on your instincts when developing strategy, making critical decisions, and navigating setbacks and unpredictability that comes with the world of entrepreneurship. This self-trust is essential because it keeps you focused and steadfast, even when facing criticism or challenges.
Now that you’ve learned my strategy, I am calling all aspiring women entrepreneurs to pursue your business dreams and goals despite the complexities of daily life or competing priorities. It’s time for you to determine how to create your own state of equilibrium on this entrepreneurial journey. The essence of this achievement lies in knowing your “why”, having a high level of self-awareness, and unwavering self-trust. Doing so allows you to show up on this entrepreneurial journey with confidence and surety no matter what. Don’t forget to maintain genuine authenticity in everything you do and define success on your own terms.
Asheville native, proud wife, mother, and grandmother, Brandy Mills, is an award-winning advocate of Women, Founder of Woman Strong, a women’s empowerment movement, Entrepreneur, Nursing Professional, Motivational Speaker, Author, and Executive Coach of Brandy Mills Consulting, where through coaching and consulting, she is dedicated to helping individuals, teams, organizations, and companies get to the Business of Leading themselves through their next level of Growth. Her aim is to partner with these entities to reach their highest potential in Business, Leadership, & Personal and Professional Growth. With 15 years of clinical leadership and organizational operations experience in a healthcare setting combined with nearly a decade of personal business leadership operation experience. She’s certainly acquired a keen understanding of the highs and lows that come with it all.
To work with or learn more about Brandy or purchase her journal, visit her website at www.brandymillsconsulting.com. Become part of the Woman Strong Movement by following it on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bm.womanstrong/
