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Local Business  » Unique Challenges for Women in Business

Unique Challenges for Women in Business

I've been in private practice for almost 10 years, now. I am

living my dream; I do what I love to do, the hours I work are

the hours I choose to work, and I can often take time off to

play with my family or enjoy a friend, if I wish.

But, as most self-employed people, I'm a hard boss, and as a

female small business owner, I have much more to do than just

'work'. As I type this, I am also making lasagna so my husband

has something he enjoys eating while I'm out of town for the

next few days, working. I also need to fold the laundry that is

in the dryer so I can take care of some last minute clothes I

want to pack for my trip. Tomorrow I will get up a little

earlier than necessary so I can get a quick workout in, then be

sure I have my suitcase packed and in the car before I see my

first client in the morning, because when I'm out of school, I

will leave directly for the airport for my trip. During the

trip, if I have all my studying for classes done, I can then

start working on my articles and newsletter that will be due

soon. I should have all my charting done for my clients before I

leave tomorrow, too.

If you are in business for yourself, this probably sounds pretty

familiar. If you are just starting out, yes, it sounds scary,

and there definitely are days that you will wonder what the heck

you are doing, but I am still here to tell you it's all worth it.

Businesses owned by women are the fastest growing segment of

small business owners in the country. Between 1997 and 2004, the

estimated growth rate in the number of women-owned businesses

was nearly twice that of all businesses. According to the Small

Business Association, there are currently 9.1 million

women-owned businesses, which employ 27.5 million people and

contribute $3.6 trillion to the economy. If you are female and

have considered starting up your own business, the time couldn't

be better!

Women are diversifying into all industries, too. Construction,

manufacturing and transportation have been the largest recent

increases in women-owned firms, although services and retail

still make the largest share. Women are more prepared today for

running business. The amount of managerial experience,

education, business revenue and employment profiles these women

have after 10 years of experience equals what took 20 years in

the past. Women in business now equal men in these respects.

As mentioned above, although more women are now successfully in

business, we do have much more on our plate than just running

the business. For women with families, the challenge is to

successfully juggle all those responsibilities that go along

with running a household that men have traditionally be able to

remove themselves while running a business, themselves. So,

while doing it all, here are some tips on how to keep your

business up and running and thriving and keep your sanity at the

same time.

Handling interruptions

Some women run their business out of their home. This is what I

do, because much of my practice is email-based. One big

interruption that can be quite disruptive is the telephone. When

customers call, you want to present a professional face to your

business. There are several advantages to getting a separate

business line installed in your home. First of all, if you are

unable to answer the phone, personally, you will not have family

members answering. Just imagine your 7 year old answering the

phone... Or your husband takes a message and then loses the

number or wrote it down wrong. These two examples send a shudder

down my spine. Another advantage is then you can actually have

'private' time and know that when you answer your personal phone

in the evening that it's not a potential customer calling for

attention.

For people who have an office and still struggle with phone

interruptions, set up time for yourself that is only for

projects. Two options to handle the phone calls is to either get

the call display feature on your phone so you can determine who

is calling before answering the phone, or shut the ringer off

during that pre-determined time you have set aside for projects.

Another common interruption if your business is based out of

your home is from family members. Your daughter just got a paper

cut, your husband wants to share the news on the TV. If you are

in the middle of something that needs your full attention, you

can let them know that you are unavailable at the moment but

will be with them shortly. Just be sure to then keep your word.

This way they will all respect your requests when you make them.

Another helpful tip is to not have your workspace in the middle

of all the household activity. If you have a separate room you

can set your office in, then you can also remove yourself from

the noises of the family at necessary times.

For people with an office, this is less likely to happen often

with family. However, you may be subject to sales reps, etc.

Often just a sign on the door saying no solicitations can be

enough to discourage drop-in sales people.

When your list is overwhelming

When you own your own business, there are always things you

really want to get done. Now. With a family as well, your

attention can be torn in multiple directions, which can increase

stress. As your list of goals for the day or week continues to

grow, so does the stress level, however. It is critical that we

all set up some type of system to organize ourselves.

First of all, something I cannot do without is a daily list of

goals. I keep my list small, so I'm able to feel a sense of

accomplishment by the end of each day. Because I have a master

list in my marketing calendar, I can always add new things to my

day, but it's better to add than feel overwhelmed by not

accomplishing too many things. Make sure you prioritize your

list, too. At least this way, if you do not accomplish

everything, the most important things did get done.

Next, where can you delegate to others? It may be either in your

business or your home. Perhaps your spouse can pick up the dry

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cleaning or the kids. Maybe a parent can help out here and

there. Could you use help in your business? Consider an

assistant. I have a Virtual Assistant who is like a third arm to

me, now. I am able to accomplish twice as much, now, since I've

hired my VA.

Third, how organized you and your office are will make a big

difference in how you feel from day to day. For those with an

office, if you don't have a back room, you may need to always

appear orderly and organized. Just make sure you're not creating

piles in places people cannot see. For people with a home-based

business, it may either be harder or easier to let things pile

up and get out of control. Here are a few tips: Get boxes like

the in-box and out-box and use them. For items that need filing,

put them in one box and before the end of your day, file them

accordingly, with the goal that you always have an empty 'file'

box. You may also need a box for 'projects'. Put dates of

completion on the projects, and then keep yourself on track with

your marketing calendar.

Next, really take a look at how you are using your time. For a

day or two, write down every single thing you do, then sit back

and analyze it to see how you can become more productive. E-mail

can suck the time right out of a day. I have found that

prioritizing my email makes a huge difference in how much time I

have each day. I have created files for many of my professional

listservs, and only when I am done with my daily list, if I have

time left, then I can read through some of them.

Something that self-employed people can easily forget about is

taking care of themselves. Schedule in time, every day, for some

'down time'. Maybe that is when you will exercise, just take a

walk, take a short afternoon nap, play with the kids outside.

Something to break up the day so that your productive and

creative juices continue to flow through the day. The advantage

of being the boss is you can schedule in these times. Everything

we do is a choice, so when someone says they have no time for

something, like self-care, this is a choice we make. To be

successful in business and life means being successful in health

and considering life as a full package, rather than one segment

is healthy and another is not. Balance.

Certainly some of these tips apply to men in business as well,

however, women in business do truly have more 'hats' to wear,

and women must make that conscious effort to maintain that

balance to be successful in business and in life.

About the author:

Marjorie Geiser is a nutritionist, registered dietitian,

certified personal trainer and life coach. Marjorie has been the

owner of a successful small business, MEG Fitness, since 1996,

and now helps other nutrition professionals start up their own

private practice. To learn more about the services Margie

offers, go to her website at www.marjoriegeiser.com or email her

at margie@megfit.com.