How do we, as women in business, chase success when we are gasping for air and running just to stand still? My talking points at this year’s Thriving Women Entrepreneurs’ Summit, hosted by ActionCOACH SA, on August 11 are inspired by this concern. As the business world adapts to the new normal post Covid-19, and while the new normal might not be what many of us hoped it would be, there are many opportunities surfacing and no better time than the present moment to seize them.
However, many women business owners that I work with feel that their time and energy is already over-invested in just trying to keep up with all the changes and manage the challenge and chaos of running their businesses. In a time where our personal bandwidth is tightly stretched, finding practical ways to not only survive but also thrive can be an overwhelming process. However, there are some steps we can take to achieve both balance and forward momentum.
Over 15 years ago, I was unpacking my worldly goods into my mother’s garage – as a divorced-for-the-second-time, middle-aged, unemployable single parent. Now I have a successful business, my gorgeous daughter has launched in life, I’m happily remarried and the author of my first book ‘PEACE by Piece’, which tells my story and that of others who I’ve helped to similar success. Below is some of the content from the book. I’ve found that most of the points are important for all business owners, whether women or men, local or international.
Decide…
Now, more than ever, we need to decide what success means to us and not base that decision on the expectations of our family, friends, society and social media. Most business owners in South Africa (and globally) are having to reassess ‘why’ they started a business in the first place. As Nietzsche once said, “we can do any how when we know why”. If the ‘why’ is not clear, it is time to go back to the drawing board. Another important decision is ‘how much is enough’.
Roald Amundsen and Robert Falcon Scott raced to the North Pole in 1911. Scott died on his way back while Amundsen made it. When asked what determined his success, he said, “restraint on the good days”. It’s difficult advice to follow for business owners who need to play catch up because of poor previous trading, but pacing yourself and aiming for consistency each month does help save energy for the more challenging days.
Prep is key
When challenges present themselves – and they will – I’ve got a kitbag of small and practical survival techniques. These include easy to dos or haves like a music play list, healthy snacks in the fridge, a daily walk with my dog, a scheduled weekly call with a good friend, bouncing on my mini trampoline between sessions and a nearby beautiful spot where I can clear my mind and get some fresh air.
These may look different according to what works for you, but the overall advice is to find those things you can use when you’re tempted to complain, stress, dwell or give into discouragement, to interrupt your brain. This pause or shift helps us stay mentally positive and more able to face day-to-day problems head-on. I am aware, though, that some problems can be too big to solve on your own. In such cases, we all need to remember that reaching out for help is not a sign of weakness, it is the sensible option.
Put in the hours
Successful people do what unsuccessful people won’t. We don’t have to like it or want to, but if it’s needed, we need to take ownership – like a soldier going to war – and get it done. Practice makes better and then it makes perfect.
South Africans are globally known for their hard-working ethics and when the hours are put in, in the right way, it does make a difference. Even if there are days when the environment seems inhospitable to the extreme, the most resilient people keep moving forward.
Reward yourself and your team accordingly
Champagne and cigars matter. We’re humans, not bullets and need reward for our hard work or else we won’t keep it up. So, we need to pay ourselves, on time and properly, otherwise what’s the point? This is also something that should be extended to our team and suppliers and customers. In a world that often undermines relationships, building good ones with your money, yourself, your staff and your external stakeholders goes a long way towards a richer business existence.
It gets easier with time
Perhaps life isn’t what it used to be and our new normal isn’t what we’d hoped or planned for. But we can still choose to make music from that which remains. It’s our job as leaders, and it is possible.
Kathi Hyde is an industrial psychologist and business coach. She is the author of PEACE by Piece: A Practical Guide to Stepping Up or Starting Over in Business and in Life – published in January. The book has already won a Readers Gold Choice Award.
BUSINESS REPORT