Entrepreneurship: Start With Who You Are and What You Stand For

Founder and Owner Shelley Jack of Sheba Marketing had advised scores of clients on how to market and to strategize for growth but she wasn't prioritizing those lessons to her own business.

She says, "Building that [a] plan and intention into your business is a necessity. You have to start with your identity, who you are and what you stand for, and then make and follow that plan. I [Shelley] enjoy working with businesses and organizations that focus on both business and social impact — those moving and shaping their business to grow and improve the community.”

Learn how Shelley's business has evolved over time.

Challenges Women Entrepreneurs Face and Some of the Most Successful Women to Follow

Business News Daily (BND) asked female CEOs about the key challenges women entrepreneurs face and how to overcome them. Here are seven:

1. Defying social expectations
2. Accessing funding
3. Struggling to be taken seriously 
4. Owning your accomplishments 
5. Building a support network 
6. Balancing business and family life 
7. Coping with fear of failure

Then, in the same article, BND tackles five (5) of the most successful women entrepreneurs based on their accomplishments and net worth. The following ladies made the cut for some of the most successful women entrepreneurs to date. Love them or hate them, they made names for themselves in strong careers.  Oh, and I am adding one more, so make it six (6) – and be sure to Follow the last one, M.H.

1. Oprah
2. Gisele Bundchen
3. Sheryl Sandberg
4. Lady Gaga
5. J.K. Rowling
6. Michelle Hayward   

Read the entire article here.

Successful Black Female Entrepreneurs Are Climbing Even Higher Mountains

Black women leaders in the United States are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs. 

Historically, Black females have earned less than men and white women with the same education and experience. 

As the country continues to fight for equality in funding, the workplace, and in every aspect of life, many impressive Black women are creating a runway for generations to come and climbing even higher mountains.

Find out who some of these successful black women entrepreneurs are here. 

America's Richest Self-Made Women 2023

Female entrepreneurs.  Women business leaders.  Those who have made it and those who aspire to make it.  These women are driving change, transforming business and making a significant impact on the world. 

Collectively, the 100 women on the list have a record high net worth of $124 billion, up 12% from last year. List members have built careers in a range of industries, including healthcare, entertainment, financial services and technology. 

AI is already having an impact, helping drive up the fortunes of semiconductor firm AMD’s CEO Lisa Su, who is preparing for battle in the coming AI revolution against Nvidia, and Insitro CEO Daphne Koller, a computer scientist whose South San Francisco firm is using machine learning to develop drugs more quickly.

Read on to find out who the top 100 women are.  Full list here.

Women Are Profit Drivers

As we are entering an era where there are as many different faces of entrepreneurship as there are companies, it's important that we recognize that there is not one singular leadership style or manifestation of "strength" that predicts or defines success.

Meghan Gaffney, founder and CEO of Veda, offers lessons and tips that may help non-traditional entrepreneurs.  Her three (3) major points are:

1. Use the data — it's on your side –> "Remind yourself (and anybody else who will listen) that women are proven profit drivers and we have the data to back that up."
2. Flip the script: Reframe your strengths.
3. Seek out diverse viewpoints and invite them to the table.

Read he entire article to learn how you can leverage your value.

Fierce Leadership

©2023 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"One who is fierce leads….and leads well." – Heather Oden, Fierce

Never Satisfied Working For Someone Else

Chandell Stone, founder of Chany Ventures, came to Mexico's capital from New York City, and had a plan to center her business on women, especially women from marginalized groups who have less access to opportunities to start a business.

Stone has one of those personalities that is never satisfied working for someone else. Already experienced in securing venture capital, it seemed natural to start a business to help others do the same — hence Chany Ventures.  

The most important service that Chany Ventures provides is to support the kind of women who themselves would doubt their own ability to start a business. Often she finds it best not even to push the goal of attracting venture capital, rather use the term “medium-sized business.” At least until such women get more confident, she says. 

Learn more about Stone's goal of growing Chany Ventures throughout Mexico – Mexico City (as shown), Guadalajara, Monterrey and online.