When talking to a lot of women about starting a business, one of the first things they say is that they have absolutely no idea where to start.  Sound familiar?  I’ve been there and just thinking about all of the things that could be involved with a new business venture can be extremely overwhelming.  I’m talking about sweaty palms, migraines, and a few upset stomachs.  Once I assure them that they won’t actually die trying to start a business (you may feel like you’ve come close at some point), I simply tell them that the perfect place to start is with their idea or ideas.

Grab a notebook or your laptop, pour your favorite latte, get comfortable, and get in the zone.  Start getting those thoughts out of your head and onto some paper.  Now, don’t trip over your stilettos thinking that this is the time when you start writing a 100-page business plan.  That’s not what I’m talking about here.  You’ll have plenty of time to get to a business plan and you’ll never, ever hear me suggest that you write one that is 100 pages long.  I’m simply talking about putting your ideas on paper.

Once you start writing these things down and really giving it some thought, it becomes real.  They start to look like legitimate business ideas.  Write down all the things you love to do.  Write down all the things you want to do.  Write down all the things you have a passion for.  Don’t just write down your hobbies.  In some cases, a hobby is just a hobby.  Write down the ideas that you can turn into viable business solutions.

These ideas should not only interest you but, they should also interest other people enough to spend money for it.  It may be something others need or it could simply be something nice that they want to have.  In any case, it has to be perceived as valuable to a customer so that they will spend money to have it.  You could have a vision for a product or service or both.  Put your ideas on paper and start organizing your thoughts.  Make it real so that it becomes more than an internal wish list.  This is just the beginning.  You will make many, many changes before it’s final.  This is simply a way to move forward and get started.  So, what are you working on this week?

Tags: Business Ideas, Starting a business, startups, tips for starting a business, Women entrepreneurs

It’s Friday and it’s the end of my first official week of blogging.  Thanks to everyone who stopped by to check us out this week.  I’d especially like to thank those who left comments or sent an email to the Boutique.  I hope that you will continue to join us and invite some friends along for the ride.

I had a another topic planned for this post but, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the events of yesterday.  We all received the sad news of Farrah Fawcett, an original Charlie’s Angel, passing earlier in the day.  Then sadly, that news was overshadowed by the unexpected death of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.  My heart goes out to their families and friends.  Both Farrah and Michael will leave lasting memories in the world of entertainment.

Events like these simply serve as a reminder that life is short.  My message to you today is to enjoy life and follow your dreams.  Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today!  One of  the goals of this blog is to encourage women to follow their dreams of starting a business and to provide information that supports their efforts.   My hope is that would-be women entrepreneurs or entrepreneurs in the start-up phase of their business will find something here that will help make their journey a little easier and more productive.  The Boutique has many things in store for the near future so, be sure to come back often for updates.

In the meantime, have a great weekend!  Do something that lifts your spirits and makes you smile.  You might decide to work on your business idea, spend time with family & friends at the beach, go shopping, or simply pull out your favorite Michael Jackson CD.  I know that I’ll probably be listening to the Thriller and Dangerous albums all weekend long for a little trip down memory lane.  In any case, enjoy and have fun!

“I really don’t think life is about the I-could-have-beens.  Life is only about the I-tried-to-do.  I don’t mind the failure but I can’t imagine that I’d forgive myself if I didn’t try.”           -Nikki Giovanni, Poet & Author

Many would-be women entrepreneurs give up on the idea of starting a business and becoming an entrepreneur before they even try to take steps toward their dream of business ownership.  There are many reasons why this happens on a daily basis.  Most of the time we allow things like fear, doubt, busy schedules, and lack of self confidence to stand in the way of becoming an entrepreneur.

We are always willing to give other new things a try; however, we sometimes fail to take a chance on ourselves.  We will try the latest diet, fashion trend, hairstyle, or restaurant without a second thought.  Now, I know some of you are saying that the risk involved with trying those things is not that great; well, neither is the reward.  In either case, how will you know unless you try?

I know that starting a business is a huge endeavor that requires time, hard work, and in most cases, money.  It isn’t something to be taken lightly.  The point I’m making is that you have to identify the things that may be holding  you back and work through them in order to take steps toward your goal of entrepreneurship.  I want you to get over the fear, move beyond the excuses, and just get started.  Be sure to return to the Boutique for tips on the things you can do to begin this fascinating journey of becoming a business owner.

Do you want to look back years from now and say “I shoulda, coulda, woulda” or would you rather say “I tried”?

Tags: inspirational quote, Starting a business, Startup Tips, thought for the day, Women entrepreneurs

Many women who think of starting a business never do because they get stuck trying to come up with a good business idea.  I’ve talked to and worked with women who want to turn a hobby into a business.  Others want to do something that will simply make them money despite the fact they are not particularly interested in the subject.  Still, others just want to start a business that’s in their current field because it will be the easiest thing to do.  I have one word for all of you women entrepreneurs out there trying to decide what kind of business to start…PASSION!

How many of you have bought a blouse that was on sale but, it wasn’t really your style?  How many times did you end up wearing that blouse or is it still in your closet with the tag on it? You’ve only worn it once or not at all because you didn’t really like it.  The color is not really you and that neckline is not the most flattering.  It seemed like a good idea at the time because it was on sale; however, you’re not getting any use or satisfaction out of owning it.

Imagine starting a business that you don’t really about or one that doesn’t get you excited.  That would probably make for some very long days.  You have to do something that excites you and makes you want to get out of the bed in the morning.  You should look forward to opening the doors or logging on to your site everyday.

Having your own business is supposed to be fun, satisfying, and gratifying.  If you start a business that you care nothing about and it’s just work to you, then all you’ve created for yourself is another job. There are many other things you can do to get another job that won’t require the time and effort it takes to run a business.  Running a business is hard work so, you should at least enjoy what you are doing.

What are you passionate about?  What makes you feel good?  What were you born to do?  Doing something that you’re passionate about doesn’t exempt you from having a viable product or service and a market that will be interested in buying it.  However, if you are not passionate about what you’re doing and you don’t believe in your product, you will probably struggle with making sales anyway.

Starting your own business is about you and your desires for your future, not somebody else’s dreams.  You’ve got to be excited about it, look forward to doing it, have fun doing it, and feel a sense of purpose when it’s done.  Otherwise, you can just keep your day job.  Figure out what gets your heart pumping and start there.  Once you get your business up & running, you’ll be glad that you’re spending those 16 hours a day doing something that you love.

Tags: Inspiration, Passion, Starting a business, Startup Tips, Women entrepreneurs

Since this is a “boutique” and I love all things girly & shopping related, I will be sure to mention great events and products from time to time.  The Women Entrepreneurs Boutique supports other women business owners and will gladly highlight things by women, for women, and interesting to women.  Even serious women entrepreneurs love a great shopping opportunity!

For those of you in New York City, you may still have a chance to check out Shecky’s Girls Night Out starting today, June 23rd – June 27th.  As stated on their website, www.sheckys.com,  you can “Gather your besties and join us for five hours of the coolest cocktails, delicious beer and food pairings, hot summer fashions with fantabulous markdowns, fun beauty discoveries, and of course, Shecky’s Famous Goodie Bag.”

I attended the one in Atlanta in May and it was great fun!  Loved my Goodie Bag!  Don’t worry if you don’t live in NYC because they have upcoming dates in other cities including Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis, Washington DC, Dallas, and a return to Atlanta in November.  Check out their website for details.

Have a great day and as always, make sure you are doing something to find that perfect fit for you and your business today!

Tags: designers, events, female retail business owners, Fun, girls night out, NYC, shopping

Hi!  I hope you’re having a great start to your week.  Welcome to the first post on my new blog, The Women Entrepreneurs Boutique!  I’m very excited about this new journey and I hope that all of you will come along for the ride.  I’ve created this blog as a forum to have open and honest discussions with women who want to start a business but think it’s an impossible task or that you’ll never have the time or the tools to even begin.  Perhaps you’ve already made the move to start that business you’ve always dreamed of but now you find yourself stuck and you need that push to move forward.  If any of those scenarios sound familiar, then come on in and take a look around!

I know what it’s like to be in that position because I’ve been there.  I’ve also met and talked to so many incredible women who want to step into the world of entrepreneurship but have a million reasons or excuses why they shouldn’t.  Well I’m here to hopefully inspire you, motivate you, share information, and maybe even help you start a few businesses along the way!

I know that the current state of the economy has many of you worried about your jobs.  Some of you many even think that this might not be a very good time to start a new business.  Believe it or not, many people have already turned to entrepreneurship either out of necessity or the desire to be creative in these challenging times.  Many companies have been started during trying times in the past and there’s no reason why you can’t do the same thing now.

This will be a very interactive site so I hope you feel free to comment on any post, ask questions, or make suggestions about topics that you would like to see discussed in the Boutique.  I know that women can be very discerning shoppers; therefore, I want to make sure that the Boutique has what you need to help you start building a fabulous business!

Be sure to come back frequently or subscribe to the RSS feed so that you don’t miss any of the goodies in the Boutique.  You can sign up for my monthly newsletter, Inside the Dressing Room, in the column on the right.  Until the next time, have a great day and happy blogging!

Tags: business tips, Inspiration, Motivation, Starting a business, startups, women business owners, Women entrepreneurs