Understanding Business Issues

Using Your Position To Encourage Other Women: A Guide For Female Business Owners

4 October 2017 by Connie Hanson

There was a time when women could not own businesses, and there was a long period of time during which it was allowed bur frowned upon. Women in business today still face many challenges, but it is becoming more and more common for females to enter the market in a wide array of industries. If you are a woman who owns her own business, you are in a position to encourage other women to follow in your footsteps. Here are three ways you can use your position to inspire others:

Get Your Women-Owned Business Certification

Unless you own a business in which you, personally, do all of the work and meet with all clients, many customers may not realize you are the business owner. Think of times when you hired a heating company, visited a store, or took your car into the shop. You paid attention to who did the work -- but you probably didn't think to see who was the actual business owner. One way to ensure everyone knows that your business is owned by a female is to get your Women-Owned Business Certification.

This certification comes from the National Women's Business Council. When you earn the certification, you can include its emblem on your stationery, website, and other advertising materials so that customers realize yours is a women-owned business. Seeing this will inspire other females who are interested in your industry and even in other industries. If you can do it, they'll figure they can do it, too!

Speak At Events

Get your face out there at local conferences and events in your industry. You don't have to speak about being a female in business. Just speak about topics relevant to your industry. Always introduce yourself as a business owner so that listeners realize your position and what you have achieved. Seeing more women in leadership and ownership roles at conferences will help make this the norm, which will lower the barriers to entry for other women.

Interact With Youth

There are volunteer programs like Big Brother, Big Sister that pair you with youth who need role models. You could also volunteer for organizations like Girl Scouts. The girls in these groups will be inspired by you as a business owner, and you will help shape their worldview to be one in which they believe women are capable of owning businesses. Keep in mind that you'll be shaping the views of young boys in these programs, too, which is equally as important. Seeing women business owners as they grow up will make them more excepting of women in business when they are older.

Contact a company like nwboc for more information and assistance. 

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