Historically, entrepreneurship has always been male-dominated, but today things are changing for the better for women. There has been an encouraging upturn of women entrepreneurs in the past decade and some of the most influential and inspirational entrepreneurs today are women.
A recent U.S. national poll revealed the most admired entrepreneur to be…. Any guesses?
Oprah Winfrey!
Women design homes. Women run manufacturing units. Women take over firms. Women run luxury stores. Women are into internet marketing. The growing number of women entrepreneurs in every field is a clear indication of their success at business.
For those wondering why women are proving to be successful at business, experts say, it is because they know how to stretch the dollar; they start small and keep costs down and production up! Remember! They run the house too, which takes far superior entrepreneurial skills that a business does.
A surprising finding reveals that women entrepreneurs of today employ more people than the Fortune 500 combined.
What makes Oprah stand out above the rest? Her career is filled with firsts and superlatives. She managed to amass a fortune and became one of the most powerful people in the entertainment industry. It did not come easy to her but in the end, it’s not just about the money. Her philanthropic efforts and the educational and inspirational nature of her shows, it is clear that she wants to make a difference and she certainly has.
There have been others like her who stood out in the male-dominated business arena in their time. Estee Lauder made beauty big business. She was the daughter of immigrants and the embodiment of the American dream. She started out small selling skin creams that her uncle made, but with sheer determination, she made her way up by working at the cosmetics counters of department stores and created a selling style of her own. She later went on to put her brand at the very top of the beauty industry, and owned 45% of the cosmetics market in the U.S., which is no small feat.
Coco Chanel was one of the greatest women entrepreneurs of the 20th century. She changed the way fashion was looked at, creating a simple and elegant style that was her trademark. She may no longer be here, but her fragrance lingers on. Her perfume Chanel No. 5 is still one of the best-selling fragrances in the world.
There are several women entrepreneurs like them. Every day a woman leaves a corporate job to start her own business. This can also be the result of a major issue for women, that of work-life balance. In an attempt to manage family and work, many women turn to business to gain the flexibility they need, and realize soon enough that they are made for business.
Why are women naturals as entrepreneurs?
Their people skills are excellent and inborn. Women can ask the most personal questions very naturally without any inhibitions and this helps a great deal in building relationships. For any business to be a success there has to be a bond with clients and subordinates, and this is an essential skill for any entrepreneur. Women have the capability of putting people at ease and this helps them in all their dealings.
Women are great at multi-tasking. Women have always managed their jobs, home and children with aplomb. Multi-tasking comes easy for them. Before the men get upset, of course, men can multi-task too, but it seems to come much more easily for a woman to manage more than one thing at a time. An entrepreneur has to wear many hats and they are successful at it.
They don’t mind taking risks. A survey reveals that women entrepreneurs are ready to take risks. They consider risk to be their responsibility too and carry it out most creatively.
These are just a few things that make women the most admired entrepreneurs. The softness in a woman’s thinking, the kindness in her deeds, the passion with which she fulfills here familial duties, the love she showers on her children – all these qualities combine in the creation of a business woman who can handle any level of responsibility, take on any challenge and make any business a success.