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Five Things You Need to Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder

BY JENNIFER ELIA

What does it really take to succeed as a woman founder? Not the glossy Instagram version, but the real, sometimes messy truth that I wish someone had told me early on. Image and branding are important, don’t get me wrong. Let’s pull back the curtain though, and look at five essential elements that you need to thrive. (I wish I had known these from day one!)


Build a Powerful Female Founder Support Network


First, you need a circle of women who get it. I'm talking about the kind of support network where you can show up without makeup, maybe even in tears, and say "Everything's falling apart" – and know you'll leave feeling stronger. 


Many say that your network is your net worth. That is so true. Building a network of power partners, potential clients, and experienced entrepreneurs will pay exponentially. However, that is not the network I am talking about here.


Find other women founders who will celebrate your wins without jealousy and help you problem-solve your losses without judgment. These relationships are pure gold. Every business has ups and downs. Your closest network should not only be driven and knowledgeable, but they should be people where you can be honestly yourself at the hardest moments.



This Hidden Superpower of Women Entrepreneurs


You need to embrace your emotional intelligence as your superpower! For too long, women were told to leave their emotions at the door. However, your ability to read a room, build genuine connections, and lead with empathy…that's not a weakness – it's a competitive advantage. 


Use it to build stronger teams, understand your customers better, and create more meaningful business relationships. We like to think of a business as pen and paper, graphs, and data.


However, a business is built of people. Relationships are the foundation of everything you do no matter what business you are in. Yes, emotional intelligence means you don’t let your emotions rule your decisions. But, to try to ignore all emotions and behave like a robot will kill your business. There is a lot of gray area in growth, embrace it from a place of emotional health.


 A Business That Works for Your Life


Businesses don’t exist in vacuums. You have a life as well and everything in life affects your business, just like everything in business affects your life. Time is too short to waste it on a business that doesn’t serve you and the life you love.


You need systems that work for your life, not against it. This means creating business processes that acknowledge you're a whole person with multiple priorities. Maybe you need team meetings that wrap up before school pickup, or a workflow that lets you hit the gym at lunch. 


Whatever it is, design your business around your life, not the other way around. There is nothing worse than reaching your dream goal and regretting everything you missed along the way. Do what works for you and make it part of your company culture. 

Build Resilience to Embrace Challenges


You need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Growth happens outside your comfort zone, whether that's speaking at a conference when you're nervous or making tough decisions that not everyone will like. 


Resilience is the most important business skill. Everyone thinks that building a business is like a ladder. You climb and climb until you reach your desired level. Really, it is a cross country odyssey with plenty of highs and lows.There is no linear path.


How you handle challenges is the real measure of how successful your business will be. Resilience will take you through the unexpected, the difficult, and the overwhelming with ease.


Authentic Leadership


Finally, you need to invest in your own growth while staying true to yourself. Keep learning, but don't feel pressured to lead like anyone else. Your unique perspective and experiences are valuable. 


Business is full of trends and models, but what builds a promising and impactful business is YOU! You need to know yourself and develop your own leadership to stand out. Authenticity is your best currency. There will always be competition, showing up as an authentic leader is what will set you apart.


Trust your instincts, develop your authentic leadership style, and remember – you don't need to fit into anyone else's mold of what a founder should be. Also realize, that what you see from the outside on social media, in networking, and via other media outlets is the highlight reel. Every woman founder is finding her own way.


Your journey as a woman founder is uniquely yours. Own it, embrace it, and know that you've got this.



Jennifer Elia | founder of Lead Funnel Scale
Jennifer Elia | founder of Lead Funnel Scale

Meet the expert:

Jennifer Elia, founder of Lead Funnel Scale, is a marketing strategist who helps businesses grow without getting caught up in endless trends and gimmicks. She believes in simple, effective strategies that save time and reduce stress. When she's not working with clients, Jennifer's busy gardening, homesteading, and homeschooling her four kids. From her home base in rural South Dakota, she's building a thriving business while living a life she loves.


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