It’s not a man’s world anymore — women have taken over the world of business as entrepreneurs, managers, innovators, and queens of their own castles.
That being said, there are ways that women in business need support in ways that might not be obvious to the outside world. It’s hard going your own way, especially when it might be harder to make a name for herself.
Here are five ways to better support and encourage women in business:
SUPPORT WITH YOUR DOLLARS.
This is an obvious one: Patronize their enterprises. Shop in their stores, order from their restaurants, buy presents and clothes from their boutiques. Then tell your friends about them, share information on social media and follow their accounts. Even if their particular offerings aren’t what you need, it’s very possible someone you know might be delighted with what’s available.
SHARE YOUR NETWORK.
If there’s a local chamber of commerce, make sure they know about it and are invited to join. Find ways to help them secure opportunities to speak with other organizations in the area to help promote the owner’s profile and reach.
INVITE THEM TO SPEAK.
If your company has a guest speaker series, invite new business owners in your community to make an appearance and talk about their journey. Women who go out on their own often have inspirational stories of wanting to pursue their dreams in an independent fashion; that can be a wonderful tale for someone to hear who might be thinking of following their passion.
BECOME A MENTOR.
Especially if you’re an independent leader, offer to be a sounding board or otherwise provide advice if they’d like it. Be mindful that you’re not insinuating they can’t figure things out on their own — if you’re a man who’s been established as a successful person for a while, you might not realize the language you use could come across as slightly sexist or insulting, even with your best intentions. Be supportive and helpful, offering insights and answering the questions asked of you.
INVEST IN THEM.
If there’s a woman-owned business you really enjoy, one that you know does a good job and deserves support, put your money where your mouth is. Offer to be an investor and provide monetary strength, especially if it’s a brand-new business working on getting off the ground and could use a little extra funding to get its name out there. Profit margins might be small at the beginning, and a little breathing room can go a long way.
Independent business owners are dreamers who deserve support. Women who decide to take on the enormous effort of starting their own company, their own business, deserve to have the support of their community — it wasn’t all that long ago that their dreams were considered impossible. Way to go!
If you’re looking for other ways to support women or maybe to better support the women in your company, contact Debbie’s Staffing. As a woman-owned business, we know exactly what it takes to help and how best to ensure an equal footing for workers and entrepreneurs alike. Contact Debbie’s Staffing today to learn more.