As we continue to celebrate Meringue3.14 turning twenty, I thought I would reach out to some of the most influential women I have worked with along the way. I asked them what their best advice would be to people just starting out in business and asked if I could compile it for an inspirational blog.
We had enough responses to warrant a two-part series, so read on to find out what our first four respondents had to say then watch for next month’s for the next four.
First, a note on the importance of Wisdom
There is so much wisdom in the following words. Wisdom feels like a fast-fading resource in our youth-crazed society. Those who know how to seek it out and find guidance in it tend to achieve longer-lasting success.
Amy Perzan Merrill, Creative Director, Meringue314
Article Cover Image: Owls. Thorn Valley Ranch, Alberta. Owl symbolism and meanings include wisdom, intuition, supernatural power, independent thinking, and observant listening.
Part 1: Advice from successful women in business
On the importance of… Confidence
If I were to start over I would begin earlier with a business coach to assist with set up, clarity and confidence to move forward as an entrepreneur.
Michelle Bastock, MTBI
Image: Tiger Lily in Southern Alberta. Tiger lily flowers symbolize wealth, confidence, prosperity, and pride. Much of this symbolism is due to the flower’s bright orange color and bold dark spots.
On the importance of… Reaching for the stars
Many years ago when we started the phone book I had to go and train sales people how to sell yellow page advertising. An acronym that I developed was MED School. It stands for MOTIVATION, ENTHUSIASM and DESIRE If you have all of these 3 thoughts and use them, it will take you to many places.
An entrepreneur experiences a great deal of fear. My partner, Grant, always stated you cannot fail unless you try. Grant taught me many things in our journey and today I always try to think of how Grant would respond. His wisdom has helped me carry on today! Shannon Graham Klyne, Colour Directories
On the importance of… Integrity
My biggest revelation in general would be that communication and integrity are so critical in all areas. To navigate the business successfully, it is imperative to have good communication with your suppliers, staff and of course clients. Communication skills coupled with integrity instill trust on all levels. I.e.: I have had several past employees reach out to say they deserved to be fired and thanked me for believing in them even though they dropped the ball. Go figure!
As far as a woman running a business, (and in my case in a man’s world) the biggest takeaway is to show integrity and try to provide excellent service with respect for every person. At times it means putting your head down and not worrying about any naysayers or rumors circling around you. Stay true to your goals and yourself and do not get tossed by things around you.
Kerry Malakoff, Landscape Plus
On the importance of… Self-care
Be kinder to yourself! It’s okay and healthy to hire a business/life coach!! In fact I highly recommend it, when we are starting into a new business, it’s not wise to go to friends or family for advice. If you want to be successful, get advice from a coach and/or people who have already paved the successful road before you. Asking friends or relatives only gets you what you want to hear or your feelings can get hurt and that can make those special relationships difficult in the future.
You DO NOT need to be superwoman/super Mom! It’s okay if you don’t make every single practice and game…. really, they’ll be just fine. If making it to games/tournaments/recitals/plays etc. is important, schedule it into your day planner. ALWAYS live with a day planner as your best friend. It is absolutely OKAY to say “no, I’m not able to do that”. Hire out what you aren’t good at…. I really dislike bookkeeping so I don’t do it, however you need to know on a weekly/monthly/yearly basis where you are sitting financially. How do you expect to make intelligent and informed business decisions without financial knowledge?
Lastly but I feel most importantly… don’t lose yourself in what you do. You are so much more than your job. Remember to continue your own passions and embrace new ones. Keep your tribe of female friends close. They are the ones that are there for you through all of your life adventures, even the ugly tough ones. They are the ones that don’t judge you but support you. They are the ones that call you out when you need to be, but they don’t do it publicly. Make sure you plan and spend quality time with your life partner. They are the ones that spend the most time with you on a day-to-day basis, without a scheduled date night or weekend… It doesn’t just happen. When we are really busy remember that you will never “find time”, you must “make the time”. You are enough and You really do matter too!
Jackie Boyd, Boyd’s Alternative Health
Image: Cactus. Thorn Valley Ranch, Alberta. As per Native American culture, because cacti can survive in harsh conditions, they’ve become a symbol of warmth and unconditional, enduring love. As per some Eastern cultures, the cactus has come to symbolize strength and protection and, in some case, lust and attractiveness!
When dreaming up the idea for this article I wasn’t sure just how many women I would get to respond to my question. But as we see time and time again, women all over the world stand up to support each other in life and in business. My friends, colleagues and clients are no different. Not only did I have enough advice for one blog post, we have enough for two!
Next month, we explore the importance of transformation, learning from your mistakes, authenticity, support and balance.
