Women entrepreneurship is increasing
In the UK, women created 160,730 businesses in 2023, a rise of almost 10,000 on the previous year and a new high. In the US, women-owned businesses increased nearly 14% between 2019-2023 making up nearly 40% of all companies.
If we are to support the rise of women business founders, we need to celebrate entrepreneurship as a job role in and of itself.
Because it is a career choice that needs to be taken seriously and nurtured so you don’t find yourself left behind as your business growth accelerates.
Playing the game: mastering your business chess board
Let’s take a game of chess as an example where a player is always thinking several moves ahead.
When running a business you need a broader vision of where you want to be and the steps required to get there.
In chess, the way you move your king, queen, bishops, and pawns can set you up for success or failure. The more you consider each move in the present while mapping out future possibilities, the more control you can gain over the game, the more you can see the opportunities and use tactics effectively.
In business, how you position yourself as a founder on your game board will determine the success of your company. The moves you make and your ability to own those decisions will shape your path and allow you to play strategically. Just like in chess, where players progress from learning the basics to mastering the game, building a successful business requires investing in your career and gaining the knowledge to make the right moves.
What your product or service needs from you, as its leader, now, will be different to what it needs after six months or a year of growth. When you consider the whole board and the extended environment, you build strength and resilience for tomorrow and boost chances you won’t be outmanoeuvred by your competitors’ next move or a sudden forced move influenced by external forces outside of your control.
Invest in yourself to keep up with your business
When you’re the lynchpin of the company, your learning and progression should be on an equal if not higher footing to everyone around you.
But many of the women business founders we work with are so busy growing their companies that they forget to invest in themselves as well.
It’s easy to overlook career development when trapped in daily battles of to-do lists, malfunctioning machines and server setbacks. But perhaps think of it like this: investing in yourself is probably the wisest investment you will make for your company.
A career programme for women business founders
So how are you ensuring that you’re taking your career as a founder seriously? Are you investing in yourself or forgetting this essential aspect as you throw all energies at your business?
No matter what type of company you’re running, a structured course focusing on entrepreneurship as a viable career, is a great place in which to start.
At Wyseminds, we support women founders in creating the personal resilience so essential to thrive in business through two distinct programmes.
- Growth begins with you: A founder’s clarity and power.
- Growth begins with you: Your relationship with money and success.
Part-1 is designed to help you become the entrepreneur you aspire to be. It evaluates your growth potential and helps identify potential blocks on your path.
Spoiler alert: It’s usually you!
The ah-ha moments part-1 helps unlock will enable you to make the necessary changes and moves you need to take to lead effectively.
Part-2 of our course tackles the often uncomfortable relationship women have with money and the hidden fear of success.
Most importantly, as you come to recognise the key role that you, as the founder, play in your company’s growth, you’ll start to see things very differently. A new perspective, one where your own development sits firmly in the frame.
Purchase parts-1 and 2 as a bundle, and we will throw in our introductory lift-off programme at no cost.
Talking to expert business coaches while on the path to business growth can make a world of difference. Let our trusted team of specialists be your guide. If you fancy a virtual coffee with our founder Julie Perkins, get in touch. It’s never too late to start developing your career as an entrepreneur.