Do you lie awake at night thinking about success? If you're a die hard go-getter, you never stop hustling. You're making moves through the day, and by bedtime, you're tossing and turning, doing checklists in your head-- clearly, you’re built for success. There’s just one ingredient that makes all the difference: it's confidence. As the number one trait for female entrepreneurs, confidence empowers you through all the sweat and grind.
As a wife and entrepreneur, I've seen how confidence is the key for managing both life and business. Whether it's negotiating contracts or pitching a television network, your self-belief is what sells. Sell yourself and you’ve got it made. Here’s why confidence matters the most in business.
Supercharges your stamina
It takes stamina to get ahead. You need to wake up everyday with that little voice in your head that says, “you can nail it!”. Confidence can bring you to this level. Even on those days where you’re slightly sleep-deprived, moody or even hormonal (eek), your stamina keeps you going as a female entrepreneur.
If you’re ever watched Olivia Pope from “Scandal” (best show), you’ll get the perfect example of what I mean. She’s a crisis manager for political scandals and her confidence-driven nature keeps her bullet-proof and self-assured at all times. Through any problem, she’s resourceful, calculated and wise. She proves that having confidence is the key to making your business thrive.
Face rejection with a smile
Confident women in business are tough. They know that the path to success isn’t always the smoothest, so they must ride the bumps gracefully. Because if you obsess over every setback or failed partnership, you’re going backwards, not forwards.
Life is difficult for a reason. We need to toughen up to be successful and accept that rejection is a natural part of the process-- not a sign that we’re not good enough or capable of greatness. This mentality allows us to face rejection with a smile because we know we're worth moving forward.
I know an acquaintance who pitched countless retailers to sell her handmade jewelry. She worked to the bone, drafting business proposals, business models-- the works! After a truckload of rejections, she decided to set up her own eCommerce store and invest a portion of her budget on internet marketing. Within three months, she was making sales. She didn’t waste time feeling defeated when her initial plans fell through. The lesson here is that when rejection happens, it takes confidence to shrug off the disappointment and re-strategize. Know that next time, or the one after, you’ll come out on top-- harder and stronger.
Fill your passion
You need to love what you do. If you’re waking up everyday to fight for a business, you must have passion to make it grow. But without confidence, you lose that driving spark. That’s why it’s vital to love yourself and your business. Knowing you’re worth every sacrifice or struggle shows your dream is worth fulfilling. You must be willing to invest all this positive energy into each task, from the smallest business call to updating your website.
The X Factor
Finally, confidence gives you that x factor as a female entrepreneur. It’s that special presence that demands respectability and authority. You don’t deal with situations and people with a nervous shyness because you’re confident about what you bring to the table. When you’ve got this edge, you’re not afraid to get upset, voice your opinions or even show a little sass (in the office-appropriate way).
When I was launching my new fitness line, FYT Life, I had to be headstrong through the entire process. I was dealing with marketers, designers, branders, photographers, web managers-- the list goes on! To make everything work, I was confident about my vision and directed others with conviction. We all need this power.
The x factor also means having mental strength. You don’t let your mind drift and detach yourself from work because you value what’s at stake. You’re not daydreaming or text battling with your boyfriend; you stay sharp and aware. This powerful presence gives you authority in business.
There are tons of qualities that female entrepreneurs need. Yet the most powerful is most certainly confidence! Love yourself and the rest will follow. Share your comments below and tell us about your experiences.