There’s a lot of advice floating around the internet when it comes to business advice and words of wisdom, but today we reached out to nine amazing female entrepreneurs to find out their single, holy grail best piece of business advice that they’ve ever received. Period. These women are all inspiring in their own right, and we absolutely love these unique tips and perspectives!
Dana Ward, Co-founder of Barefoot Scientist
Time is precious — don’t waste it. Whether it is canceling a service, finding a new vendor or recognizing that you hired the wrong person on the team, don’t wait to act. My friend and fellow beauty brand founder, Leila Kashani, told me to not delay on executing a decision I had already thoughtfully considered, and her advice to trust my instincts pushed me to move on a significant transition which turned out to be a pivotal time in my company journey. As many entrepreneurs can understand, there are regular moments of decision fatigue, and it can feel easier to just pause before making any changes. That said, it can be very easy to let those moments last longer than they should. So be decisive and act —your business (and psyche) will appreciate it.
Courtney Claghorn, Founder of Sugared & Bronzed
In an interview with Elon Musk and Chris Anderson (CEO of TED), Elon offered a piece of advice that really resonated with me. He emphasized the importance of utilizing “first principles thinking” rather than reasoning by analogy (which tends to be more instinctual, and thus, more popular). For those unfamiliar with Aristotle’s philosophy of “first principles thinking,” it is described as the practice of questioning everything you “know” so that you are constantly challenge the status quo rather than iterating on it. It is instituted by taking a given scenario and scaling it back to its rudimentary truths before attempting to problem solve. It is amazing how logical and straightforward this may seem, but that the majority of people never use this school of thought and, instead, jump right to building solutions off of prior assumptions. We are taught to never “reinvent the wheel,” but that ideology doesn’t always apply. As an entrepreneur, it is important to constantly remind yourself that it’s okay (and actually quite advantageous) to reinvent the wheel if the “reinvention” is more efficient.
Meg Young, Founder of Cailini Coastal
I was incredibly lucky to have a business that took off from day one; however, I was not prepared for it to grow as quickly as it did. I launched the business by myself from my garage, with two toddlers at home, in the first month of the pandemic. I was overwhelmed. My husband, Brian, who started his own business over a decade ago, became my sounding board. Early on he told me to hire the experts in the key areas you don’t know and hire them NOW. It seemed premature, and I wasn’t quite prepared to make that level of investment (experts come with a high price tag), but I took his advice. I invested in consultants for digital marketing, sales forecasting/planning, and advertising within just a couple of months of launch. Each person I hired allowed the business to grow tremendously more than it would have without them, and it also freed up my time to focus on what I know and do best. I’ve continued to hire key consultants in other areas as our business needs grow. It’s an investment that has proved to consistently pay off!
Gracie Gordon, Founder of Hungry Blonde and Shop Hungry Blonde
“Relax, no one else knows what they’re doing either” is a piece of advice I first heard from comedian Ricky Gervais. At first, I thought it was humorous, but then I found it stuck with me for years when I came across difficulties, fear, or roadblocks in my career. Whenever I feel unqualified, I remind myself that — for the most part — we’re all just figuring things out as we go. Even if I had more education or more experience, the nature of being an entrepreneur usually involves taking risks and doing something that has never been done. So, if there’s no official playbook, and we’re all figuring it out along the way, why NOT me?
Jen Betts, President of Innovative PR and Innovative Beauty Co.
The best advice I have ever received in my line of the profession (PR) came from a mentor, Jose Martinez, now the VP of Communication for Casa Azul. I was told “make it work” and this expression could apply to just about everything in my career. Make it work for the client, the employee, the result, etc. is what I have always told myself, and along with “you are no different from that PR intern who started 20 years ago.” Make everything count.
Stephanie Montes, Founder of NUE breast tape
Know the market, but don’t get too hung up on the competition. When I first heard Kim Kardashian was launching a similar product, I considered quitting while I was ahead. I felt like David against Goliath and there was no way I would win this one. Luckily, I have a ton of brilliant female founder friends who reached out with pep talks. They all said the same thing. Nue has its own value, its own goals, and its own aesthetic. We have a similar product but we come from very different beginnings and views.
One thing that stuck with me was, “one person does not own the market.” At the end of the day, you have Coca-Cola and Pepsi, Nike and Adidas, Ford and Chevy. It’s impossible to own a single market, and healthy competition is good for any business. The hardest part was to keep an eye out, stay up to date on shifts in the market, but not get discouraged by the growth of competitors. There’s enough of the pie for all of us — but establishing what’s different about Nue is most important.
We’re accessible luxury with humble beginnings. We speak to women just like us. We celebrate all forms of diversity and inclusivity. And we give back — a percentage of proceeds from every sale is donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Brittney Ogike, Founder and CEO of BEAUTYBEEZ
Accomplish at least one thing each day that gets you closer to your goal; no matter how small it may be. I’m constantly setting goals for myself, so I continue to live by these words throughout my entrepreneurship journey. I do not let a day go by without completing a task. It keeps me productive and reduces my procrastination urges. I don’t think I’d be this far along without this advice.
Samara Walker, Founder and CEO of Àuda.B
“Focus on your superpowers. As entrepreneurs, we go through ebbs and flows over the course of building a start-up. Your superpowers will align with wins. Wins are crucial components to delivering success within your business to maintain a positive mindset for growth.” — Dawn Myers
This advice resonates with me because, as a founder, I oftentimes find myself fixated on the losses or failures I may have experienced and discount my wins because they don’t feel grand enough. I’ve recently learned how to celebrate my wins with a balance that works for me.
Jamila Powell, Founder of Naturally Drenched and Owner of Maggie Rose Salon
The only person that can make you happy is yourself. My mom told me this at a young age and it has stuck with me since. Personal happiness has become my top priority and I think it’s something that you must learn, appreciate, and accept overtime. I’ve learned that while I can work hard, it’s so important to have the best of both worlds. It’s easy to lose that sense of priority when dealing with children, careers, relationships, etc., but if you aren’t serving yourself, it’s difficult to serve others. This advice has played a huge role in both my professional and personal lives and I will continue to live by it!
