| Steps to Business Success | | | | the rest of the house is quiet. Running your own |
| | | | business allows you to adapt your hours to suit your |
| 1. Be interested in your product! - When you decide to | | | | lifestyle. Internet-based businesses for instance are |
| start your own business, it has been well proven that if | | | | ideal for many women who need to balance family |
| you choose something you're interested in or have | | | | commitments and need flexible working days |
| specialist knowledge of, such as a hobby or interest, | | | | 4. Be self-disciplined - It's all too easy to be diverted if |
| you are much more likely to achieve success. The | | | | you work from home. Often friends and family expect |
| drive and self-discipline you require to sustain you | | | | you to be freely available - for a chat in person or on |
| through that difficult first year will be much stronger if | | | | the telephone, something they wouldn't expect if you |
| you wake up every morning and are eager to get to | | | | were working in an office. Try to set aside a working |
| work on your idea. We all recognise the importance of | | | | area - away from distractions, such as: the family, the |
| work morale and when you are excited and stimulated | | | | washing-up, the coffee and biscuits, etc Getting an |
| about your job, rather than finding it mundane and | | | | answer phone so you can call friends back when it |
| tedious, it is more likely to be successful and profitable. | | | | suits you, and a business telephone line can be helpful |
| 2. Vary your work - As the boss you have to 'wear | | | | to prevent interruptions. |
| many hats' - completing many different roles initially, | | | | 5. Customer care - Business surveys reveal that |
| until you get established enough to employ others to | | | | business women excel at customer service and care |
| help you. Women are renowned for their natural ability | | | | and one of the most important ways to achieve this is |
| to multi-task and it is this variation that will keep you | | | | to be readily contactable. Whatever your business |
| from being bored. You are no longer a work slave - | | | | does or sells it will have customer enquiries that need |
| stuck behind your desk working for somebody else - | | | | to be answered quickly and efficiently. A well-run |
| you call the shots! It's also important to have regular | | | | business needs a phone line, an answer phone, a fax |
| breaks - don't work through your lunch hour, take a | | | | machine, an email address, an address (not a PO box |
| break and come back to work refreshed. If you spend | | | | number - many customers don't trust that) and all |
| most of your time sitting at your desk, try a walk for 10 | | | | these communications should be checked throughout |
| minutes - it can help you plan the afternoon ahead and | | | | the day. |
| get the circulation going! | | | | Twice as many men as women start their own |
| 3. Flexible working hours - Yet another bonus to being | | | | businesses, but the world is changing and women are |
| your own boss is that you can choose when to put in | | | | 'breaking the glass ceiling' in the business world. With |
| the hours. If you find you work best in the morning then | | | | determination, self-confidence and belief in their ability |
| try setting your alarm earlier, similarly if you are more | | | | women are becoming highly successful entrepreneurs, |
| of a night-bird continue into the evening. With childcare | | | | and along with their hard efforts come profits and |
| and family responsibilities it can be great to work when | | | | career satisfaction. |