The Female Mavericks Mindset
We’ve been spending a lot of time introducing you to the Female Mavericks and the must-do rules that we believe will get you to the success you envision faster and with fewer missteps. Of course, along with all the things you should be doing, there are just as many things you will need to avoid.
Here are three traps we see too many brilliant women fall into—and how you can get around them and stay on track to success.
- Digital hermiting. There are very few companies that can be started and scaled 100 percent behind your screen. Sure ,you might be able to build the hottest app out there, but at some point you are going to have to meet with real live people in the flesh. These folks include investors, partners, customers and other critical stakeholders who want and deserve that face-to-face experience. So, if you have been working from home for a while, and haven’t put on pants other than the pajama variety any time in recent history, start by easing back into it. Aim for one live call per day and one in-person meeting a week.
- Fearing failure. Let’s be clear. You will fail. Maybe a little. Maybe a lot. But this isn’t something to worry about. Because when you do fall, you will get yourself back up, make a strategy tweak (or an overhaul), and do it all again. We don’t know many, if any, entrepreneurs whose first business idea was flawless. Most are much more like Glossier—our favorite $1 billion cosmetics icon that managed through three serious product introduction fails and two years of double-digit sales declines and layoffs on its way to becoming the massively successful brand it is today. (If you haven’t yet, read last week’s blog for the details.)
- Staying in toxic relationships. As you navigate the challenges of launching a business, make sure to surround yourself with a support network to coach you through the tough times. (See Manifesto Rule #2: Building a Kitchen Cabinet). Just as importantly. drop the naysayers and the guilt trippers. Stop talking to family members who keep reminding you about Uncle Verne’s bankruptcy after starting his ill-fated cosmic donut shop. Instead, fill your time and space with peeps giving you positive vibes and helpful advice, and be willing to do the same for them in return.
Sometimes, it’s what you don’t do that matters the most.
You can be following all the rules in our book and still get sidetracked by fear or negativity. Don’t let that happen. Be hyper aware of habits, feelings and people who drag you down and can infringe on your success. And be purposeful about avoiding them. Remember, the less time you spend worrying or listening to negative input, the more time you’ll have to move your business idea closer to success.
