Push Your Insecurities Away, Be Bold, and Start a Business

Twenty-five year old Tekeisha Pages (pictured), from Victoria, Australia launched her brand Remi Collective on Boxing Day 2019 and said the business 'wouldn't have worked out' unless she dropped everything to dedicate all her time to it.

She quit her stable job in retail and started her own full-time bikini brand despite not having any business experience.

"It's been a goal of mine for many years to start a bikini line, so I knew it was finally time to push my insecurities away [be bold] and give it a go!' Tekeisha said.

Read more about how Tekeisha's bikini brand sold out half her stock in one weekend.

5 Movers and Shakers in the Female Entrepreneurship Space

The ratio of women-owned businesses in the U.S. has increased dramatically in the past 50 years – and for the first time, it’s nearing 50%.

If you’re a budding female founder looking to push that women-owned business statistic to more than 50%, then boost your skills and spirit by studying the stories below.

These five founders have successful businesses that are poised for even more growth in the new year.

Ensuring Black Women Entrepreneurs Come Out On the Other Side of COVID-19

Everyone needs to be thinking about how do we make sure that black women entrepreneurs come out on the other side of the COVID-19 crisis – not just survive but thrive afterwards.  They need critical information and resources to sustain themselves.  The Black Women’s Roundtable is investing in these women entrepreneurs with the launch of its Take It to The TOP Entrepreneurship Challenge.

The three-month program will provide resources—and cash prizes—to promote social innovation and develop business leadership skills for black women and girls across the Midwest and Southeast.

Learn more about the Take It To the Top Challenge.

How Women Entrepreneurs Will Lead Us Out of the COVID-19 Crisis

We love the article below by our dear friend and esteemed colleague, Barbara Roberts – an expert speaker and writer on all stages of entrepreneurship from startup through exit and reinvention.

In it, she says:

In crisis or chaos, every entrepreneur must go back to their “Why” as the first step to surviving. “Why are you and your company on this planet? What is the problem that you must solve? What is your essence? How can you make yourself and your company essential to the world and your clients and customers?” The solution to the problem is in the answer to that question.

Read the entire article here (be sure to scroll to:  By Barbara Roberts, Entrepreneurs in Residence, Columbia Business School).  Full white paper can be found at:  Women's Entrepreneurial Journey:  Profiles of leadership in an era of new opportunities.

Does Entrepreneurship Fulfill you Emotionally and Creatively?

According to a FreshBooks survey, 88 percent of entrepreneurs accept the challenges to running their own business because entrepreneurship fulfills them emotionally and creatively.

“Being an entrepreneur is not always an easy path, but with the right opportunity, hard work, and a supportive community, it can be very rewarding,” explains Jenny Hienrich of Herbalife Nutrition in a media statement.

And here's the big surprise:  there's been an unexpected positive effect the pandemic is having on women business owners – from having their own hours, workload, wages and output.

A Semblance of Normalcy Offered by Women Entrepreneurs

With summer plans upended for many families, some programs led by women entrepreneurs try to offer a semblance of normalcy.

Whether teaching kids robotics, pottery or reading and math skills, some summer programs are doing what they can to provide families with a camp-like experience — even if that means going virtual.

Check out these women-owned camps that are helping kids make the most of summer.  Plus, they've made major adjustment to ensure safety for both their staff and young charges.

Love to Do Exceptional Things For Others? Floracracy Is For You!

I [Laurel Delaney] take such delight when I connect with fellow-Chicagoans, especially when its a female business owner such as Sarah-Eva Marchese, founder and CEO of Floracracy, a premium, quality florist offering a meaningful memory.

One of her colleagues, Meagan Elliott, had reached out to me by email in the kindest way to introduce herself and the company.  I responded with a couple of questions for Sarah and the next thing I know I am on a Google Meet chat with her!  What a delight!

Sarah claims that her business is for the person that loves to do exceptional things for others.

What's unique about Floracracy?  It's the only company where you can:

• Order flowers personalized by style or a symbolic message
• Include a beautiful letter that shares the message
• Deliver cooled flowers across the lower 48 states

Why not give them a try?  They are OPEN for business during beta summer 2020 with a risk free offer that guarantees 100% Happiness.   They even say, "If this isn’t your most meaningful experience, we’ll give you your money back."

In the age of COVID-19, this is a perfect time to make people feel good, appreciated and connected.  Why not do it through Floracracy?

I suspect there will be many hosts of online gatherings who will be using Floracracy to send that special something to a speaker, employee, vendor or colleague.

Screenshot courtesy Floracracy's website.  

EFCA Wishes You a Happy Fourth of July!

Are You In a City Where You Can Earn the Most?

According to Bloomberg, median earnings for women entrepreneurs vary widely across the U.S., according to a new analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data by Volusion, an e-commerce store service.

Entrepreneurs make up 7.7% of the total female workforce in the United States, earning a median annual income of $40,000. 

Women running their own businesses are making the most in Denver and Alaska.

Read more at Bloomberg.

Illustration credit Bloomberg.  Source:  Volusion.

What Is Your Company's Core Reason for Being?

What is your company's core reason for being, and where can you have a unique, positive impact on society?  Now more than ever, you need good answers to these questions.  You need to shift from why to how.

Find out what McKinsey & Company has to offer in terms of determining where do we go from here?

Make Father's Day Personal, Priceless and Meaningful

With millions of Americans out of a job, this may not be the best time to splurge on a present for that special father in your life. What to do instead? Below are some meaningful ways you can honor Dad this year.  Because during the coronavirus outbreak, the best Father’s Day gifts should be personal and priceless, in every sense of the word.

Celebrating Dad in a creative and meaningful way.

Lead with Solidarity for Black Lives Matter

Native Women Lead (NWL) stands in solidarity with their Black relatives. We all should.  Black lives matter.

The sadness and pain of the unjust killing of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Ahmaud Arbery and the countless others before, has become too common for too long. 

Native Women Lead vehemently condemns racialized violence that terrorizes Black, Brown, Immigrant, Indigenous and Communities of Color everywhere.

How to Reveal What Matters in Your Life

We love this piece by Kim McGaw, founder of Uniquely Human | Practical Creativity that starts with:

Using creativity exercises is a powerful and even fun way to bypass the resistance of the most guarded and impenetrable people, and get them to reveal what really matters.

Read more here – so inspiring!  Here's Kim's LinkedIn profile.

The COVID-19 Small Business Resource Guide

We are very familiar with the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago.  They've put together a good resource guide for small businesses as we navigate the coronavirus – from covering financial and logistical support, to seeking grants, to capturing information support.  It's all here.

Women Entrepreneurs Navigate COVID-19 and Prepare for the Future

Women entrepreneurs have been forced to adapt to remote workplaces, the fluctuating economy, and an unpredictable future due to the challenges brought about by COVID-19.

Glamour magazine editor in chief Samantha Barry recently hosted a roundtable with CNBC's restaurant and small business reporter Kate Rogers and three female small business owners to discuss how they've overcome unpredictable obstacles while running their businesses and are planning for a post-COVID-19 landscape.

Here's some applicable advice shared during their one-hour discussion, which you can watch in full, here.

Hugs and Kisses to All Moms from EFCA!

Women Entrepreneurs Make Quick Financial Decisions Grounded in Data

The COVID-19 crisis has caused quite an upheaval for women entrepreneurs – from managing families, to working virtually, to slashing workforces.  These challenges require women to make quick financial decisions grounded in data.  Below are some of the key archetypes, including an assumption on how each small business female entrepreneur is handling tough financial decisions during the pandemic.

See whether you find yourself in any of these archetypes.

A Coloring Book for Shut-Ins

Well this is creativity at its best!  The author says, "Let’s Have Fun With Sequestration! A Coloring Book For Shut-ins."

Download pages and print on 8 1/2 x 11 paper
New pages will be available daily.  Get coloring :-)!

How Can I Help More People?

How can I help more people?  That's a question we should all be asking ourselves – more than ever right now due to the COVID-19.

Women in the business world often talk about the importance and benefits of supporting each other. The women of the Young Entrepreneur Council share how they tap into the right resources and lift up other female leaders in the process.

Here's how they've achieved their own success, and helped their fellow female entrepreneurs do the same.

What Can We Learn from the Coronavirus

We are big fan of Bill George, Harvard Business School Professor, former Medtronic CEO, and best-selling author.  He says:

As the Jewish people celebrate Passover this week, and Christians reexperience the death of Jesus on the cross on Good Friday, people throughout the world are suffering from Coronavirus.  This is a good time to reflect on what we can learn from these experiences, and how we can learn new ways of living and working.

See what else Professor George has to say about the deeper meaning of the Coronavirus.