Despite the fact that the vast majority of the female population are desperate to work for themselves, less than 5% every year actually take steps to start their own business.
Research undertaken by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) in 2011 showed that over 50% of women considered starting a business a good career choice and over 80% agreed that those who are successful at starting a business have a high level of status and respect in society.
Despite still battling with the so-called 'glass ceiling' in the workplace, women who work for themselves out-earn their male counterparts by 16% (Barclays 'Wealth Insights' Series) AND enjoy the flexibility they often crave to be able to continue with their own ambitions as well as dedicate the time they want to raising a family.
And yet, starting a business still seems such a leap for many when it really needn't be.
More than 70% of those women surveyed thought they lacked the 'skills, knowledge and experience' to start a business.
This always makes me tear my hair out!
You don't even KNOW what skills, knowledge or experience you need until you get thinking about what business you might start.
The key is building a business AROUND the skills, knowledge, experience and interests that you do have - and everyone has them, they just might be in different areas to where you've been looking until now.
In addition, everyone who has ever started their own business has had to learn new things - and there lies the difference between those who DO and those who DON' T.
Finding out what you need to do to succeed, making the effort to learn how to do it AND THEN DOING IT is crucial - and this is what stops 95% of people ever even trying. It just seems like too much effort.
IT'S RIDICULOUS! If you can follow a recipe, you can learn what you need to start the right kind of business for you AND make a success of it - IF you are prepared to put the effort in.
You do need to make time to do these things - but it IS possible as thousands of women (yes, including mums!) who do start a business every year will vouch!
With the right support, it's within reach of anyone with the right mind-set.
Over 40% of women surveyed were scared of failure.
This is often linked to financial concerns and, I think, comes from the belief that still lingers that you have to invest a lot of money in order to start a successful business.
Once again, you don't even KNOW how much money you need until you start to investigate the 1,000s of different business opportunities that are possible - and the internet provides a wealth of low-cost/no-cost solutions if you know where to look.
Yes, if you were going to suddenly hand your notice in on your high-paying 'job' and start a cash-intensive business from scratch, you could potentially be taking a bigger risk than you needed to.
But why would you do that?
There are so many choices available that there is absolutely no need to completely overstretch your-self and leave your-self at risk of financial ruin! YOU call the shots and YOU decide what service you are going to provide and on what terms.
My 'How Much Joy Can You Stand?' and 'Living Your Joy' workshops address these issues as well as how to find the time, energy and money to follow your dream of starting a business.
Some women are worried about what others might think if they start a business and fail.
I have to say, this is one of the few occasions where I would say if you really are one of these women then perhaps small business ownership isn't for you after all - there are enough matters to concern you when first starting up without the added stress of trying to please others at the same time.
You must have the motivation to follow your dream for your own reasons - and the willpower to stay focused on what is driving you no matter what other people think.
Of course, we all care what certain people think (your spouse, parents, children?) but you have to have confidence in what you are doing and to be able to explain what it is you are trying to achieve to the people who matter most - they will still love you if you fail.
One thing entrepreneurship DOES take is brass balls (whether you're a man OR a woman!). You have to be able to get up, dust yourself off, make adjustments and try again when something doesn't work - and certainly not dwell on what others think when you make mistakes.
Being prepared to take responsibility for your own actions, learn from your mistakes and take remedial action is key - but then isn't that the same for all areas of life?
I can guarantee that there will be people (many of whom you will see as friends at the moment) who will hope you fail.
It's human nature and is often a result of jealousy - just look at how many people would love to work for themselves but don't have the gumption to take actually do it.
Accepting this and choosing whose advice you listen to is something you will have to do. If there are people who are not totally supportive of your plans and ideas, you might still choose to socialise with them, but find a new and additional circle of friends and mentors who will really help you from a business point of view.
My 2013 workshops and coaching programmes are aimed at providing a low-investment, complete hand-holding solution for mums who would love to create their own work/life balance but would appreciate guidance and support along the way.
