#117 - 1 in 3 Women Are Leaving The Workforce

Did you know that 1 in 3 women are leaving the workforce?

1 in 3 - that’s a lot of women saying NO to everyone and everything else so they can FINALLY say YES to themselves.

Plenty of F-U’s going around and you know what…

…I like it!!!

Women like us (baby boomers and gen x’s) are the biggest untapped resource out there and it’s about time all of you start putting your talents, expertise, and experience where they belong.

And they belong out into the world so that you can take all the shit that you have been giving away (for years) for free and transform it into something you can actually get paid for. 

Right now we are officially in Q4 of 2022 and if you have been fantasizing about doing that “thing” you have always wanted to do, only to be shut down by your inner critic, well then listen up because there is no better time than now to make it happen.

If you think it’s too late to start over and start something new, I am here to tell you you are wrong. I have many case studies to share with you and one, in particular, is my client, E.G.

When her dad was diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease, she found that all of us had little control over healthy aging and found most of the information out there, challenging. As a former lawyer, she knew a thing or two about digging for information. In doing her own research and investigating her father’s illness, she ended up writing and publishing a book about how to take ownership of our own health journey and become our own health care advocate. 

Her book is not only helping women like me (who struggled with a few cancer diagnoses) but health care professionals are paying attention to what she has to say. And she’s only just begun.

In last week's blog post, I chatted with you about how so many of you are at a crossroads and offered you three steps to start pivoting from where you are to where you want to go.

So, today’s three tips or steps build on what I shared with you last week. If you really, really, really want to build something, and be the architect of your life, then I wrote this post with you in mind.

Tip #1
Know your resources? There’s a lot of information out there. And most of it isn’t good (just ask E.G.). There is no one way to build a business or elevate an idea. Resources look different to everyone. For me, it was the books like Get Scrappy, WeWork, and War of Art (and several others) For one of my artist clients, it was the LA Art Association. Lots of great articles come through via my LinkedIn feed. If you don’t have a profile over there, I highly recommend it. Once you know your niche, it’s a lot easier to find resources for growth. 

Tip #2
Establish boundaries and a budget. It’s a good idea to figure out what your investment will be before you start. There are other ways to get money. SBA loans love women founders and if you have a good relationship with your bank - go to them. Lots of people I know will fund it through their credit cards. Not always a good idea because of the interest rate, But if you have a “plan” in mind and you’ve set your revenue goals - it could be a good path.

Tip #3
Buckle up and get ready to do it all. When I first started my global lifestyle brand, I embodied all 7 key roles that make up the boardroom table (CEO, CFO, CMO, etc.). Even as that business and my staff grew, I always knew that if need be, I could do it all. And on most days, I did. It's important to know how your business runs and if you don't you might end up not knowing how to log into your website when your CTO disappears. Know where your assets are, and your passwords. And know the basics of how each platform and element works!

Speaking of not knowing your passwords, this just happened to a client of mine. It reminded me, that as a woman, you need to obtain and hold on to your power, especially as you build a business for what might be the first time. It's so much easier to pass the buck on to someone else.

But in the end, what it will take for you to reclaim that information, not only creates drama, it's a time suck. It ultimately takes precious time away from what you need to do to convert your hard work into dollars and cents.

Handing off your business to others and growing a team is the goal. My advice to all is to know how each part of your machine runs before you start delegating it. Educate yourself and if tech scares you then hire someone who will coach and teach you as you build your empire.

Let me leave you with this last and final tip. There is really good support all around you. It's super easy to bring someone on to your team because they are saying all the things at the right time. But what I have experienced, is that most people are full of shit. Vet your people. Create an outlined SOP (standard operating procedure) of what you want, need, and require in order for someone to be part of the culture that you are creating for your business.

After all, it is your business. It's your vision and you only want people in that space who get you and can ultimately add value to that vision. There will always be way more obstacles in the beginning than wins. But paying attention to the small victories will keep you going.

If you want to see my reading list - you can check it out here.

Have a great week!

P.S. If you are digging these three tips, you can get them in your inbox each week. Sign up here.