In my last post, I asked you to think about whether or not you had any of the attributes used to describe a successful entrepreneur.  Writing that post made me think about a study I read about several months ago.  Michelle DeKinder-Smith of Jane Out of the Box conducted a study by interviewing close to 1,000 women business owners over the course of 2 years.  In the interviews she asked them about their definitions of success, their daily struggles, and their dreams.  Her research led her to identify 5 unique types of female entrepreneurs.

Here is a very brief description of each of the 5 “Janes” according to the Jane Out of the Box blog:

Accidental Jane is a successful, confident business owner who never actually set out to start a business.  She may have decided to start her business due to frustration with her job or a layoff.

Go Jane Go is passionate about her work, and has no problem marketing and selling herself – so she has plenty of clients but, she’s struggling to keep up with demand.  She may be a classic overachiever, taking on volunteer opportunities as well.

Jane Dough is an entrepreneur who enjoys running her business and she makes good money.  She is comfortable and determined in buying and selling, which may be why she is 5 times more likely to hit the million dollar mark.

Merry Jane tends to have other pursuits in her life that are critical beyond building her business.  She’s using her company as a fantastic way to do something she loves in her own way and time.

Tenacity Jane has an undeniable passion for her business but, her business is not performing as well as she needs it to financially.  As a result, she’s working longer hours and making less money than she likes.

To find out more about each Jane and to take a FREE assessment to determine which type of entrepreneur you are, go to janeoutofthebox.com.  Which Jane are you?

Tags: 5 types of female entrepreneurs, jane, jane out of the box, running a business, self-assessment, women business owners, Women entrepreneurs

TGIF! I don’t know about the rest of you but, I am glad that it’s Friday! Why is it that when you are out for a couple of days to travel, it always seems to take more than a couple of days to catch up? It’s been a week since I traveled to my family reunion but, I think it’s going to take the weekend to truly catch up and recover!

I thought that today’s post would make a great follow-up to the question I asked in a post earlier this week. Earlier I asked, “Why do you want to start a business?” Today, I want you to consider if you have what it takes to start a business. The answers to both of these questions are important as you make your decision to jump into the world of business ownership.

If you aren’t sure WHY you want to start a business or IF you have what it takes to start a business, then you may need to reconsider your decision to become an entrepreneur. Starting and running a business is not for the faint of heart so, knowing WHY you’re doing this and IF you can do this gives you something to fall back on while you go through the ins and outs of running a business.

The July/August issue of Inc. magazine features an article, “Do You Have the Right Stuff?” In this article, the author tells you to ask yourself 6 questions before you start a company. These questions will make you think and really consider the road ahead before moving forward with your business. The 6 questions to ask are:

1) Do you believe you have what it takes?

2) Are you able to let other people down?

3) How do you handle setbacks?

4) Are you really an inventor, rather than an entrepreneur?

5) Can you accept that your company may outgrow you?

6) When you look in the mirror, does an entrepreneur look back?

What are your answers to those questions? How many of those questions could you answer in the affirmative? Be honest with yourself. If your answers need a little work, then take some time this weekend to consider the task ahead and be sure you have what it takes to build your dream business. Go to Inc. magazine’s website to read the article in its entirety. Have a great weekend!

Tags: new business, Planning, questions about business, self-assessment, Starting a business, Startup Tips, what it takes, Women entrepreneurs