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As appeared in Empowering Women magazine
By: Jodi Walker
Bio: Jodi Walker is an
expert in Entrepreneurial Thinking®, Leadership and Creative Ways to Think
Beyond the Status Quo. She is a sought after speaker at conferences and is a
Certified Speaking Professional. Only 7% of the speakers from the International
Federation of Speakers and the National Speakers Association have attained this
designation. Visit
JodiWalker.com for
more information.
Entrepreneurial thinking is the ability to take “personal ownership” for
results. That’s just what millions of women are doing every year to create and
take charge of their destiny. Women have left the corporate marketplace in
droves for the entrepreneurial challenge, more work/life balance and the desire
to make a difference for themselves and others. Women are no longer content to put up with the frustration of balancing work and
family with employers that expect them to be 24/7. Women are choosing
opportunities that reflect their lifestyle over the job title and a corner
office. Interestingly, many women are dropping out of corporate America at the
top of their game. Some women are starting businesses in niche markets that
their former employees overlooked. Others have chosen home-based businesses, or
direct sales.
The most recent research from the Direct Selling Association shows 13.6 million
salespeople in direct sales and approximately 80% are female. Many women feel
that direct selling offers them the flexibility to achieve their personal,
professional and financial goals. Amy Robinson, spokesperson for the Direct
Selling Association says, “Women get into direct selling for multiple reasons,
however the flexibility to make their schedule on their own terms is high on the
list.” According to the Center for Women’s Business Research nearly half (48%) of all
privately-held U.S. firms are 50% or more women-owned. This means that 10.6
million firms are at least half owned by a woman or women. These firms employ
19.1 million people and generate nearly $2.5 trillion in sales. One in 11 adult
women is an entrepreneur. The estimated growth rate in the number of women-owned
firms was nearly twice that of all firms. Today women have many choices; however one thing is for sure. They are
continuing to take charge of their own destiny to seek out opportunities that
are in the best interest of themselves and their families. Whether you are in your own business, work for someone else or desire to take
the leap into being your own boss, you can benefit from the key factors of
Entrepreneurial Thinking. They are: Focused Vision
A clear understanding of your purpose and path is critical to your success.
Regardless of where you are in your current career path, take some quiet “alone
time” to set a clear focused vision for your future. This becomes the foundation
that drives behavior and impacts your results.
Accelerated Career Strategies
Once your vision and mission are clearly identified, you will want to develop a
plan to use your skills and talents wisely. Without thinking, take a moment and
write down your top three strengths. This should be easy, go ahead and do it
right now. No seriously, right now. If you had to think about it for more than a
few seconds, you are not actively recognizing your own talents. You have
hundreds not just three, yet sometimes as women we don’t give ourselves enough
credit.
Confidence
The concept of confidence may appear to be rather simple. Yet confidence or lack
of has contributed to the rise and fall of business leaders, athletes,
politicians and individuals from all walks of life. Confidence is what helps you
take control of circumstances as opposed to being a victim. You can utilize
self-confidence to infuse new ideas and motivate yourself and others. Thinking Skills
One of the chief sources of value today is knowledge and the ability to apply it
in a timely manner. Are you using all of your thinking resources to be where you
want to be, doing what you want to do and enjoying your life to the fullest?
Brain scientists have found that intelligence is not fixed, and you become more
intelligent based on the more you use and stimulate your brain. This is why the
life-long learning principle is so critical. Originality
Individuals who want to be a part of the next big idea practice creativity as a
way of life, not as a passing good idea that happens to work. One of the key
components of original thinking and creativity is your ability to be curious.
The quality of your creativity will be determined by the quality of your
questions. Questions lead to more questions and can ultimately lead to results
driven action. Your ability to infuse creativity and innovation into your work
environment will leave your competitors in the dust. Risk
Your ability to take calculated risks will allow you to achieve more than you
ever dreamed possible. If you are considering leaving your job, or starting a
business or even having a child, there is always a certain amount of risk
involved. The key is how badly do you want to achieve the goal. Are you willing
to approach risk taking with objectivity, clarity and without fear? The
entrepreneur is the visionary in all of us. Take charge of your destiny and
design the life you love. Helen Keller once said, “Life is either a daring
adventure or nothing.”
Jodi Walker is President of Success Alliances. She can be reached at (800)
782-1719 or by e-mail at . .
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