My journey to being a solopreneur as a woman - my tips for success and a look at who inspires me

I never planned to be a solopreneur but it was a role I found myself in, when I returned back to the UK because of the Covid pandemic. Despite searching, I couldn't find any full-time employment but to be honest I believe it was the universe telling me to reset and focus on myself after a very nasty divorce that left me physically, mentally, financially, and professionally broken.

Being unemployed gave me space to learn new things and to try and rebuild myself from the very bottom, both mentally and professionally. In the past three years I have learned how to use Hubspot, worked on my business development skills and I even tried my hand at sales. Even more than these new skills, I learned what I am good at and what I am not.

Going forward there is nothing stopping me from teaching myself or asking for opportunities to learn. This is my first tip - there are no limits to what you can do if you’re prepared to keep taking on challenges and learning new things. I am so glad I took the leap of faith in myself. While the traditional view is that your career should follow just one path, there’s no reason why you can’t pursue a variety of experiences, if you’ve got the passion and the motivation.

My second tip is don't be afraid - we are all scared...connect with others so you have a support network. It takes bravery to break boundaries and try something new that you haven't done before. The fear of failure can be crippling, but it’s not a good enough reason to hold back. How I get over fear is look at what I might have gained beyond results. I am a results-oriented person which can lead to disappointment when I don't win that business, when I don't secure that podcast for a client or get the result they want. So now what I do is focus on whether I met a new editor, connected with someone in a new industry or field or learnt more about what I don't want to do, who I don't want to work with or where I don't want to work. These for me are as valuable insights and learnings as they help focus my mind and time. Which for us all is ever so precious.

Thirdly, work with a strong cohort you trust. I have many strengths but structure, process and operational excellence are not my sweet spot. I work with others that provide that clarity of thought and help refine my overall thinking and offer. One of my trusted team members actually coined a phrase I really liked - she said ‘it's ok I speak Ema’ because sometimes my brain works at a million miles an hour and it needs decoding. It’s important to find a balance between developing your skills and knowing when it’s best to delegate so you can focus on what you need to grow your business. Seeking outside perspectives and asking for other peoples’ ideas and input is critical to future-proofing your business.

And lastly, give back wherever you can. I have had many people giving me advice and guidance in the past. Sadly some of which I wish I had paid more attention to at the time, but that is why I now mentor people. I see this as an opportunity to learn how other people think, exchange ideas, truly support women in business with a 'safe space' to talk.

We ladies, girls, women, wives, mothers, girlfriends, and sisters have to be our own champions and leaders if we want to be successful. And, the same is true in life. It takes intentional community-building, lots of self-talk (sometimes self-shouting), and some pretty badass socio-emotional and leadership skills to get there. You are the CEO of your own life and the more you own your role as solopreneur, the more this will become true in other aspects of your life.

In conclusion, taking inspiration from other women is a great way to keep you focused, motivated and to help you set goals. Here is a list of some of the women entrepreneurs that I have looked to for inspiration in my journey.

• Graphic design app Canva was co-founded by Cliff Obrecht and Melanie Perkins. Today Canva has over 10 million users across 179 countries and is valued at over $1 billion.
• Elvie, a company which utilises technology to deliver cutting edge devices for women, including a wearable breastpump and a pelvic floor trainer, was started by Tania Boler , an internationally renowned expert in women’s health in 2013. Elvie’s products have been endorsed by over 1,000 medical professionals.
• Starling Bank, a mobile payments bank was founded by Anne Boden in 2014 and today it has received investment of more than $300 million. The bank has also won the award for best bank account three years in a row.
• Adafruit Industries, founded by Limor Fried is an open-source hardware startup that designs, manufactures and distributes electronics-related products. Fried was named as one of Forbes’ “America’s Top 50 Women in Tech” in 2018.
• The dating app Bumble, which allows women to initiate contact first, was launched by Whitney Wolfe Herd in 2014. Today Forbes has given it a $1 billion valuation. Wolfe Herd was also a co-founder of Bumble’s rival Tinder.
• Co-founder of Verge Genomics, Alice Zang is a graduate in molecular biology with high honours and she applied a ground-breaking method of drug discovery with artificial intelligence to drastically enhance the lives of patients with neurodegenerative disorders.?
• Ida Tin co-founded and launched the period- and ovulation-tracking software Clue in 2013. Today the app is ranked as one of top 10 health and fitness apps in Apple’s App Store, and has been downloaded all around the world. Tin graduated from a creative business school in Denmark and does not come from a STEM background.

Who has inspired you and your journey? I'd love to find out - please share and comment below ????