Guest Post by Fiona Bosticky
Being a start-up, or a small business, or an entrepreneur takes special skills. You need to be a little bit daring, prepared for lots of hard work, and have just the right amount of faith in yourself.
In the beginning there are long hours, a lot of planning, and an inner strength that almost cannot be described. However once things get going and you start to see the rewards –YOUR work out in the world, meeting people who appreciate your work, and if you’re lucky – even making some money, being an entrepreneur can feel awesome.
With all this in mind, why would a single mom, who in the universal-sense is normally considered to have such a tough job, make such a great entrepreneur? Here’s what I think:
1. They know how to Juggle/ Multi-task
Women are normally renowned for being great multi-taskers, and to be in the situation of raising a child on their own, is a crash course in high-level multi-tasking. We have busy enough lives with plenty of pressures, but when you are also running the life of a dependent, on your own, you quickly learn how to do literally 1,000 things at the same time.
Entrepreneurs who can juggle like this – do the job, do the finances, do the marketing, and do the managing – all at the same time, are definitely one step ahead.
2. They can handle a Tough Customer
Children can be very demanding, and sometimes difficult to satisfy. Single moms understand this, and normally have a “battle-plan” for dealing with these situations. This skill can easily be transferred to the workplace, and to the area of customer service. Occasionally we do come across a tough customer in business. And single moms definitely have an advantage in dealing with these people to achieve a mutually-beneficial outcome.
3. They have well developed Decision-Making Skills
When you are a single mom, the decisions for your entire family, tend to fall onto your shoulders. Being in this role, builds fast and effective decision-making skills which can easily be transferred to business. When you are in the habit of quickly assessing situations for the most desirable outcome, and then deciding the course of action, you become very efficient. And having excellent decision-making skills can prove highly beneficial as an entrepreneur.
4. They know when to be Positive and say “Well Done”
When the joyful moments come in their families lives, women understand the importance of celebrating and taking a moment to reflect on the good times. This is so important as an entrepreneur and small business owner. Sometimes it is easy to be caught up in the work, as there always seems like there is more to be done. But knowing and understanding what’s important, and taking a moment to celebrate the good things, even if they are little, can really make a big difference.
5. They understand Endurance and Persistence
Being able to go-the-distance, and keep the family happy and moving along is a big responsibility for a single mom. Single moms truly understand persistence in the home to achieve what they want to achieve. The ability to keep going and endure through the hard times is a huge skill that every entrepreneur must possess to succeed in this world.
Fiona Bosticky is an Aussie marketing coach, social media advisor, and entreprenuer. Doing her part to help businesses around the world with marketing planning, marketing strategy, websites, social media strategy and blogging. To find out more, visit Abnormal Marketing.
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