Females in Entrepreneurship: Bold Thinking & Bold Words

Bold thinking and bold words have long been the hallmarks of how people define entrepreneurs. Often these bold words are positive such as: passionate; risk-taking; motivated; and creative. These words resonate with companies, investors, and staff, because these words often increase innovation and profits that help build communities.
However, on my professional journey there have also been moments when the bold words that were used to describe me included “aggressive” instead of “determined”; “audacious” rather than “brave”; or yet still “abrasive” instead of “definitive”.
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I like to think I have a thick skin, and never really paid it any mind. I focused more on the work and generating relationships with partners, and generally kept on trucking forward. Maybe it was because I was often one of the only females in the community entrepreneurship discussion circles, and for some reason, individuals thought I should be demurer because of my gender, but my mind and my mouth just wouldn’t comply, and some of those risks worked out. Self-reflection is important and I like to hope that I honed my manners to being both authentic and effective. 

I have observed that women crave different supports at different points on their journey. Early on, they likely seek a safe and supportive space to know when, how, and where to risk, to learn how to listen to the bold words of positivity, and shut out the noise of the negative. This is most desired through direct mentorship.  For women later in their journey, a collaborative and trusted circle of peers and ongoing advisement outweighs the steps in any book without relationship relevance. For experienced entrepreneurial women, the “why” behind the “what” they sought relationships had had been established – as had their confidence – so regular connections to growth, and an in-depth exploration of new facets of skills development was desired through more leadership platforms.
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In each stage of a professional journey, an entrepreneur will undoubtedly find hurdles to overcome, skills they must master, and take on an inner battle of boldly risking for the potential reward of massive returns versus gloriously and potentially public failure.  More women in this community deserve to be described using big, loud, bold, and moreover, positive defining words. I stand behind each woman entrepreneur as you wish to be a champion.
Join other like-minded women entrepreneurs on Tuesday, September 14 at the Friedhof Building, Columbus Nebraska for the Empowering Women Entrepreneurs.  Registration required.

You will gain insight on ‘Moving forward in the post-pandemic world’, ‘Prioritize yourself and set boundaries’ ‘Transition from Cottage to Brick & Mortar’ ‘Wealth and Wisdom’ Delicate act of balancing time’ ‘Believe in you’ (mental wellness) and a visit to local women entrepreneurship businesses that think outside the box.

Contact:  Doris Lux for more information or to register for the conference.

Conference Flyer

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Doris Lux
Columbus Campus Entrepreneurship Center Coordinator at Central Community College 
402-562-1242
dlux@cccneb.edu