Have you heard the quote ‘Ideas don’t make you rich, execution does?’ Successful business women aren’t particularly different from anyone else, but they have determination and motivation where others lack.
Ideas are ten to the dozen, bringing them to life is another story. So, what better way to get inspired than to hear from Ana Santos, entrepreneur and owner of @rosascafemarbella, who has shared her valued steps to becoming a successful entrepreneur.
1. Work Smart & Don't Be Too Dependant
When you have a business idea, do your background work first. What demographic and audience would you like to target? What will be your niche? Who is your competition? If it is a physical store, is it well located, what is the foot-fall? Who are your neighbours? The list can go on and on, but all this prep work is key. As well as having a solid business plan.
It is vital to be organised in business, not making rash decisions by having thought out plans and targets, backed up by research. There is a saying, don't work hard, work smart, prep work is a huge part to this, however taking calculated risks is also important. Instead of waiting for someone to tell you how it’s done, go out there and do it. Learn from other professionals prior success and mistakes, don't become too dependent on others.
2. Choose Who You Trust Wisely + Support Others
Be careful who you listen to, not everyone will give you suitable advice... Focus on those you can trust, and who have previous successful endeavours in the business world. It can become demoralising when people continuously tell you things like "that will never work," or "you're crazy doing that." If you have a strong business strategy, plan and work smart focusing your mind towards the end goal you CAN achieve it.
Not every woman, or man, will be supportive of your dreams, but surrounding yourself with supportive people will help push you towards reaching your goals. Also remember along your journey to give credit where credit is due. Support each other, be that person…Let’s make that change.
When it comes to a business partner, make sure your roles and responsibilities are clear and written down from the very beginning, even more so if your partner is a friend or family member. You will avoid future disappointments and arguments.
3. Embrace Yourself + Others
Ambition in women can sometimes be seen as a negative, compared to ambition in men. Don't shy away from your vision and ambition, it's nothing to be afraid of and is ultimately the driving force that will propel you moving forwards to success.
Remember to treat others like you would like to be treated, this goes for staff, clients, suppliers and customers. Sing it with us R.E.S.P.E.C.T.
4. Don't Give Up + Be Relentless
Whether your business is in its inventory, or established, it is unlikely your lifestyle will allow you to work a few hours a day, flitting off on vacations here and there. If you do choose this path, you may not end up with your desired business goals being fulfilled. When you own a business, or hold a position of authority, the chances are you will be required to be available and "on call" 24/7. You are always thinking of new ideas, improvements, ways to minimise costs etc. So choose wisely before jumping into the deep end, make sure the fast pace business life is actually for you.
People around you will doubt you, they will tell you that you shouldn’t take risks. You have to ignore that. It’s going to get hard, and at times it’s going to feel impossible, but those are the times you need to drive yourself the most. There is a huge myth about becoming an overnight success, bear in mind that this very rarely happens, and if it does, that is most probably due to timing.
You will need to find reasons to be relentless in your pursuit of success, demanding nothing but the best for yourself and from yourself. You’ll need something to keep you going during the late nights and early mornings, and during the tough times.
So...
Can being focused be the key to success, and in turn your personal fulfilment or bank balance? It’s becoming increasingly challenging to focus, and we largely have the internet and our multitude of gadgets to thank for that! According to studies, our attention span has shrunk to eight-seconds before we seek new stimulation. This is fine for surfing the internet or flicking through TV channels, but not much use for productivity at work. If you give us slightly more than eight seconds, YK Daily will show you little-known ways to improve concentration and focus.
Mind Muscle
Thinking you’re ‘built’ to be forgetful or ditzy is a fallacy. It’s possible to carry out regular mental exercises to achieve a state of 100% concentration when required. Mind muscle building doesn’t have to be yoga, meditation or puzzles. You can work on this via your daily tasks, improving your ability to focus, like observing landmarks on your regular journeys, or systematically following complex recipes, even learning words to your favourite song.
Make A List
A planner allows you to create work and household to-do lists that you can systematically attack. Getting everything down on paper in order of priorities - from your meal plan, workout to your work commitments - frees your brain of ‘clutter.’
Ambush Boredom
Your planner could include a section for random scribbles. This is not time wasted. Cognitive performance can be improved by keeping your hands busy with doodling. It’s great stress relief and kills boredom.
You Look Super Hot
No seriously... The temperature in the room impacts on your ability to focus. You can start to noticeably wilt if you get warm. Cold can help concentration, keeping the thermometer lower reduces mistakes and increases productive.
Two Ears For A Reason
Your brain is busy processing sensory input all the time. Often, we don’t realise how much of our ‘bandwidth’ goes on filing auditory input. Even the tapping on your own keyboard is being processed and categorised.
To improve concentration, manage your sound environment. This could include wearing earphones to dampen sound or to listen to music. Music stimulates emotions and positive hormones, which in turn help us to learn and remember more. Soothing music without many words provides a pattern to follow, which will relieve boredom and offer cognitive stimulation.
Still with us? Great, another exercise in concentration completed!
Think of yourself as a brand, just like Jessica Alba, or even Beyonce, who once said “I can never be safe; I always try and go against the grain. As soon as I accomplish one thing, I just set a higher goal. That’s how I’ve gotten to where I am”.
The content provided in our articles is provided for information purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice and consultation, including professional medical advice and consultation; it is provided with the understanding that YK DAILY is not engaged in the provision or rendering of medical advice or services. The opinions and content included in the articles are the views only and may not be scientifically factual. You understand and agree by reading anything on our website that YK DAILY shall not be liable for any claim, loss, or damage arising out of the use of, or reliance upon any content or information published. All images are from Pinterest, if you know the original creator please let us know, so that we can credit them.
