10 Things Every Female Entrepreneur Has Heard (And Why They Shouldn’t Listen)
The fact of life is that successful working women get asked "women" questions. Want to know our answers so that you can stop asking? Read on.
P.S. We're including questions you should start asking at the bottom.
1.How do you handle work-life balance?
What is work-life balance? The truth is…sometimes we don’t have a good work-life balance and that isn’t always a bad thing OR a good thing. Sometimes there is give and take and it isn’t always balanced. But as long as you are aware of what you need to stay sane you can do you.
2.Do you worry that as a strong female CEO you’ll intimidate men?
Ummm no. If we spent all of our time worrying about men nothing would ever get done! Instead we invest our energy into our own performance as a leader. Do men get intimidated? Probably! But that’s not our problem.
3.Have you ever been harassed or discriminated against?
Most likely, yes. Some of us have received minor comments from an older generation of men that can be brushed off, but some of us have faced major incidents of sexual harassments that are not okay and are very damaging. But an important thing to remember is that men, by and large, are good people and many truly want the women around them to succeed.
4.How did you get enough money for this?
By asking for it, duh. Just because women-own business receive less capital investment doesn’t mean we can’t get it. In fact, women have many advantages when it comes to meeting with potential investors because of how relational we can be. Even if we don’t secure an initial investment, we can build a lasting friendship and business partnership that can help us down the line.
5.Did your husband help?
Nope! There are plenty of badass single and married women who are savvy with business and don’t need no man. Of course, there are some husband and wife duos who start businesses together. Also - there is never any shame in asking anybody for help if you need it. Trust…plenty of men ask for help, too.
6.What are you going to do when you start having kids?
When are you going to mind your own business? Believe it or not, having kids isn’t in every woman’s plan. And if it is, there are plenty of options for women continuing to work (especially when it is their company). Women are resourceful, we will figure it out so stop asking.
7.Where is your business partner?
You’re looking at her! Believe it or not, women can do the dang thing on their own. It’s rude to assume that we can’t. But that doesn’t mean having a business partner (male or female) is bad! In many cases it’s a huge benefit. Oh, and don’t assume that if a business partner is male he is running the show.
8.Don’t you feel intimidated being the only woman in the room?
If we are we will never show it. Sometimes being the only woman in the room means you have to fight to get your ideas heard, but showing that you know your stuff is empowering. Showing off our confidence in a room full of men is a superpower and helps shake the feeling of intimidation.
9.Can I pick your brain sometime?
If we had a dollar for how many times we get this question we would be rich! And most of the time it comes from other women… Running a company is hard work and it doesn’t leave us with much time to waste. Plus, don’t be surprised if we just suggest you book a paid coaching or consulting session with us instead. Just because we are women doesn’t mean we will give up our time and brain trust for free.
10.How do you do it all?
Honestly? With help. Man or woman, there is no way we can possibly do everything and still be showing up 100% everyday. We need help keeping the house clean. We need help organizing and keeping track our calendars. We need help picking our kids up from school. We need help coming up with ideas or finding new clients. So many women find it difficult to admit they need help, but when they don’t get it, they don’t bring 100% of themselves to their business (and it might start to fail). It’s okay to get a weekly maid, a virtual assistant, a part-time nanny…oh, and it’s also okay to ask your spouse to lift their weight.
QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD BE ASKING:
- What are the secrets to your success?
- How did you persevere through the tough times?
- What do you want to achieve next?
- What are some of the challenges you face regarding catalyzing innovation?
- What are your tips for growing a company?
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