Words of Caution for Female Entrepreneurs by Felena Hanson

ByMichelle Garrett

Thank you to Felena Hanson, author of Flight Club: Rebel, Reinvent, and Thrive: Your Dream Business How to Launch Your Dream Business, for today’s post with words of caution for female entrepreneurs.

I list many words of caution in Fight Club but here are three of my favorite:

Be Imperfect

As Voltaire famously wrote, “Le mieux est l’ennemi du bien”—the perfect is the enemy of the good. You will paralyze yourself if you insist that everything has to be perfect before your launch your business. That’s why I love the “Lean” business methodology —because it encourages you to test as you launch versus waiting to unveil your masterpiece.

“Why, when we know that there’s no such thing as perfect, do most of us spend an incredible amount of time and energy trying to be everything to everyone? Is it that we really admire perfection? No—the truth is that we are actually drawn to people who are real and down-to-earth. We love authenticity and we know that life is messy and imperfect.” – Brene Brown

You’ll Never Have It All Figured Out

Similar to the last point, business is not a “set it up and press cruise control” kind of venture—things are going to go “off course.” At Hera Hub we try not to use the word “failure.” I personally like the phrase “learning moment” (coined by the founder of WD-40, Gary Ridge) or the ever-popular “pivoting.” Whatever you call it, you will always be learning and pivoting. That’s just part of business! Yes, you need to plan, but be aware that it’s going to shift.

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”– Thomas A. Edison

Set Boundaries

You need to understand that you are not your business. I see this often when someone is consulting or providing a service—they have a difficult time not feeling personally hurt when someone doesn’t accept a proposal or gives them a bad review. Men are much, much better at this. They compartmentalize things, while women mix everything up into one big plate of spaghetti! Do not—I repeat, do not—take things personally! Business is business. Get up, brush yourself off, and move on.

This also relates to “scope creep” for those service providers. For example, a month or two into the project, the client starts asking for more than what was included in the original agreement. You say to yourself, “Oh, that’s just a small task, I’ll just do it and not charge for it.” That can add up quickly. Suddenly you’re doing twice the amount of work than was agreed on and not being paid a penny more! Set boundaries. Have a conversation with the client early and often.

“How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours.” – Wayne Dyer

Flight Club by Felena Hanson is a call to rebel, reinvent, and thrive! The book shares the journey of women who “leaned out” of corporate to launch their dream business.

Fight Club by Felena Hanson

Felena Hanson, founder of Hera Hub, shares her personal story and rise to entrepreneurship. The book also features the journeys of and advice from six courageous female entrepreneurs: Debby Eubank, Linda O’Keefe, Lorin Beller, Sara Clark-Williams, Deirdre Maloney, and MaryCay Durrant. Each shares an exercise to help you craft your flight path.

[Tweet “An #Entrepreneur Must Read: Fight Club by @FelenaHanson #business book spotlight via @iReadBookTours”]

The final section of the book includes access to an online platform (www.StepsToStartup.com) which walks you through 17 foundational steps of launching a business. Book buyers will receive three months free access!

This book is for you if …

  • You are tired of building someone else’s dream
  • You want to pursue your passion as a career
  • You are over the corporate politics
  • You want more control of your time and life
  • You don’t want to build your dream business alone!

Learn more at www.FlightClubBook.com and www.Facebook.com/FlightClubBook

Buy the Book :  Amazon  

About Felena Hanson

Felena is a long-time entrepreneur and marketing maven. Her latest venture, Hera Hub, is a spa-inspired shared work-space and community for female entrepreneurs. This as-needed, flexible work and meeting space provides a productive environment for growing businesses. Hera Hub members have access to a professional space to meet with clients and to connect and collaborate with like-minded business owners, thus giving them the support they need to be prosperous. The company has three locations in San Diego, one in Washington DC, and continues to grow nationally via a licensing model. Her goal is to support over 20,000 women in the launch and growth of their business by 2020. Felena and Hera Hub have been featured in Inc Magazine, the BBC News, Forbes, and the New York Times. She is a published author and international speaker. Her book, “Flight Club – Rebel, Reinvent, and Thrive: How to Launch Your Dream Business” is available on Amazon.

Connect with the author:  Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook  ~  Instagram