The Startup She-E-O: Playbook Strategies for Women Leading the Way in Entrepreneurship
There was a time when I was afraid to call myself an entrepreneur. Let alone a female entrepreneur or female founder.
An encompassing culture surrounds entrepreneurship and organizations supporting entrepreneurs who propagate a lie. The lie is that to call yourself an entrepreneur, you must have a specific type of business, a number of investors, and a Silicon Valley flashiness that produces a particular celebrity effect on those around you. Am I right?
But the definition of an entrepreneur is as follows:
Entrepreneur noun
ˌän-trə-p(r)ə-ˈnər
: one who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise
I started my first business from scratch without an investor, a mentor, or a clue about what I was doing. Then, I founded Womanhood Unwrapped. I wanted to create a platform that reached women to help them through resources and stories, and that’s what I did.
Let's reframe the narrative. I live by this definition instead. 🥰
Whatever your business provides or whatever business venture you are working towards, you are worthy of calling yourself an entrepreneur if it’s your blood, sweat, joys, and tears that are the catalysts for creating your brand. As women, we often minimize ourselves, our abilities, and our successes. That’s why more men call themselves entrepreneurs. But that doesn’t diminish the fact that being an entrepreneur is a mindset, not a boxed formulation of criteria that some random body of people decides is worthy of the title.
So, I think it’s time we reframe the notion of the woman entrepreneur and female founder not just as a specific type of "trailblazer" but as the master chef of a gourmet startup kitchen of your own making. Just as a chef combines essential ingredients to create a culinary masterpiece in their own unique way, today’s women entrepreneurs are a mix of small business owners, online influencers, female service providers, and women-led product companies – all focused on innovation, strategy, and leadership to cook up successful businesses that make the world better, and help their communities thrive.
But, navigating the business development ecosystem can be overwhelming. And, minimizing your brand or business value creates an added barrier. While you might run up against roadblocks, and many won’t be willing to reveal their hidden culinary secrets to business success, I’m here to tell you that creating a thriving brand as a female entrepreneur does not require a remarkable degree or a golden invitation into a group of snooty capital investors. It does require a blend of savvy, spirit, grit and a dash of daring spirit.
Not every venture will become the next Lululemon, I know that many iterations of my business have failed. And indeed, some may find the kitchen is too hot, and crowded for their taste. But fret not, business queens!
Over my many years of experience testing, failing, launching and relaunching my business ideas, I’ve found that there are some key elements to finding success with your growing business. Equip yourself with these strategies to guide you through the bustling marketplace and help you serve up a feast of actualization.
Start with a Sturdy Foundation
Craft Your Vision & Mission
I can’t tell you the number of brands I work with that bring me in after the company is already fully operational, and I have never taken the time to put together a mission or vision for their company.
Why does this matter, and why is this the place to start?
Every master chef knows the importance of a thoughtful, precise, and well-tested recipe. Similarly, your business needs a clear vision and mission. Without one, you may grow and expand for a time, but at some point, your company will look like a meal – all the ingredients are there, but nothing quite tastes right. Consider your mission and vision as the recipe for your unique success — specific, well-considered, and guiding every business decision. Creating this at the start isn’t just a good idea; it’s a critical step in the business development process. It’s the narrative that is essential to the recipe of your brand, turning simple ideas into a meal that tantalizes the market's taste buds.
Steps to creating your mission and vision:
Write out all the reasons WHY your business matters
Write out HOW your brand serves your target audience or customer base
Write out WHAT you offer
Take these answers and write a paragraph covering the high-level goals of your business (your vision) and the tactical goals (your mission).
Discover Your Market
Mapping the Terrain
You may think you know your audience and who you should market your product or service to, but likely, there are nuances to your target market that you will not be aware of until you do the research. Once your brand foundation is set, like a tastefully planned recipe, think of market research as gathering ingredients. You don’t need a crazy budget or fancy investor to afford market insights. I’m a big fan of bootstrap marketing research. Here’s how it works:
Converse with Purpose: Engage your personal and professional network like a savvy shopper at a farmer's market. Every conversation can yield fresh insights.
Actionable Tool: Create a list of questions you can ask in casual conversation that will help you glean insights for your business venture. Just writing these out will get your brain positioned to remember them when you’re at cocktail hour or a coffee.
Employ Free Tools: Tools like Google Trends are akin to good recipe books, giving you the lowdown on what flavors (trends) stir your customers’ interests.
Actionable Tool: Write down as many terms and phrases as possible that your audience might use to search for your product or service. Load these into Trends to gain insights on actual use and search volume.
Gather Content Like a Queen: Delve into available resources like blogs and free reports that shed light on industry standards and customer preferences.
Actionable Tool: Keep a list of blog titles, and keyword terms that yielded the best content. Use variations of these topics later for your own blog!
Branding and Marketing Magic
Creating Your Promotional Kingdom
Don’t let anyone tell you that your branding and marketing are secondary to other elements of your business structure and development. Remember, it’s much easier to create a strong brand, and consisten marketing when your business is just a seedling, than it is to try and add leaves, petals and seed after your brand is a full grown flower. Just as a plant needs sun, water and earth to grow, your branding is just as critical as your business plan, financial structure, and operational goals. Develop a brand identity that resonates like the perfect sun exposure for your growing business, and reap the rewards:
A great read for the aspiring female founder.
Brand Identity: This is your business’s signature flavor. Is it bold and spicy, or classic and elegant? Ensure every element, from logo to color palette, reflects this.
Steps in building your brand identity include:
Defining the voice and tone of your brand.
Determining your company “Why,” which goes hand and hand with your Mission and Vision.
Defining your company goals. Are you going to be a boutique-style brand, or a large-scale company? Do you have just one product or service, or will there be more? Defining these elements will help you build a brand identity that is lasting, so that you don’t need to go through the branding process multiple times over the course of your business lifecycle.
Visual Brand Assets: Think of these as your restaurant's decor, ambiance, and vibe —consistently expressing your brand across all customer touchpoints will ensure long term customer loyalty and happiness.
Steps in creating your brand include:
Logo - The visual mark or “brand” that represents your your company. I highly recommend hiring a graphic designer for this phase, but if you cannot, use a free or low-cost logo generator tool like, Smashing Logo.
Color Palate - This the set of colors you will use throughout your marketing materials, assets, and online platforms. Stick with three-five colors, and use them religiously. A graphic designer from Summary Content, can guide you through this process and provide you with these assets.
Typeface Lineup - As part of your brand book, you will also need a set of pre-determined fonts (or typeface choices, as we like to call them in the marketing world). These should be used in every place your brand displays a visual presence. Your website, brochures, posters, graphics, and/or email signatures. These include:
A branded Headline typeface
A distinct Sub-Headline typeface
A common but pre-determined Body Copy typeface
Just as a tantalizing aroma can draw diners into a restaurant, a compelling brand story can captivate your audience before they even experience your product. Imagine your brand as a bustling cafe; each element of your messaging is a dish designed to delight and satisfy:
Tagline: This is your culinary catchphrase—the sprinkle of sea salt that perfectly finishes the dish. It’s short, memorable, and savors of your brand's essence.
Headlines: Think of these as the menu headers that promise sumptuous courses to come. They’re your first impression, so make every word count to allure and engage.
Brand Story (Elevator Pitch): This is your chance to share the secret recipe of your success in a nutshell. It’s the backstory of how your kitchen (business) came to be and why it fills more than just plates.
Social Media Bios: Your digital storefront signs. They should be appetizing snippets that make passersby stop and want to dine in. Be catchy, be clever, and most importantly, be inviting.
Brand Activators: These unique ingredients in your pantry make your brand come alive and resonate. Whether it's a signature style, a unique service method, or an unforgettable campaign, these are what make patrons say, "I'll have what she's having."
Buyer Personas: Know the tastes and preferences of your regulars and the new diners you want to attract. Crafting detailed personas is like curating a menu that appeals to vegans, meat lovers, and dessert fanatics alike.
Website Strategy: Your online menu needs to be as carefully planned as your kitchen’s. Each page should serve up valuable content that's easy to digest, leaving visitors craving more.
Website Development: This is building the actual restaurant where your digital guests will dine. Ensure it’s as welcoming and navigable as your favorite café, with all the necessary amenities for a pleasant stay.
Social Media Strategy & Launch: Plan your opening night gala! How will you introduce your brand to the social scene? Craft posts, teasers, and stories that get people talking and sharing. Learn more about social media trends from women entrepreneurs in this post from Summary Content Marketing.
Blog Strategy & Launch: Think of this as your column in the local gastronomy magazine. Share your expertise, your brand's news, and insights that keep diners coming back to see what’s new in your kitchen. Read this post from Summary Content Marketing on the importance of a blog strategy for more.
Building Your Royal Court
Crafting Your Core Crew
Let me share something crucial from my own journey—your team is perhaps the most vital ingredient in the recipe for long-term business success. Many startup founders, bubbling over with enthusiasm for their product or service, often overlook this critical element, focusing too much on the details and missing the big picture.
Think of your business like a bustling restaurant: just as a restaurant relies on a harmonious blend of sous chefs, servers, and hosts to deliver an exceptional dining experience, your startup needs a team that can handle the pressure and thrive in the heat of the entrepreneurial kitchen. It's essential that your team not only shares your vision but also embraces your long-term goals as passionately as if it were their own venture.
Without deep commitment and buy-in, even the most promising startups can devolve into a chaotic mess marred by poor performance, shaky structures, and a toxic workplace culture that no one wants to endorse.
Here’s how to ensure you’re not just filling positions but are building a cornerstone for enduring success:
Define Roles Precisely: Start by clearly outlining what each role involves, including expectations, goals, and how each position fits into the broader vision of the company. Clarity helps attract candidates who are aligned with your mission from the start.
Cultural Fit is Key: Beyond skills and experience, look for candidates who mesh with your company culture. They should not only be able to do the job but should thrive within the ethos of your workspace, championing your core values and contributing to a positive environment.
Employ a Rigorous Selection Process: Go beyond traditional interviews by incorporating role-specific challenges, group problem-solving exercises, and scenario-based tasks. This approach gauges skills and tests how potential hires handle pressure and work within a team.
Diversity Drives Innovation: Actively seek diverse perspectives and backgrounds. A team rich in different experiences fosters creativity and innovation, which can lead to better problem-solving and a more inclusive company culture.
Check for Emotional Intelligence: Technical skills are crucial, but don’t overlook emotional intelligence—your team's ability to manage feelings and interact effectively. High emotional intelligence can enhance team dynamics and lead to better collaboration.
Offer Fair Compensation: Ensure your pay scales are competitive within your industry and commensurate with the role and responsibilities. Remember, fair compensation goes beyond salary and can include benefits, work-life balance, and opportunities for professional development.
Articulate Growth Opportunities: Top talent is often driven by more than just salary. Outline clear pathways for advancement within the company. This not only helps retain talent but also attracts ambitious professionals looking for growth and learning opportunities.
Build a Feedback-Rich Environment: Foster an atmosphere where feedback is regularly sought and given. This helps with continuous improvement and makes employees feel valued and involved in the company’s journey.
By setting these foundational rules for hiring, you create more than just a workforce; you cultivate a dedicated team that’s equipped to bring your business vision to life and propel your company toward its long-term goals.
Read Hiring for Attitude by Mark Murphy for in-depth insights on building a solid and loyal team.
The Mentor Effect
Finding Your Guide
Behind every celebrated founder is a mentor who has guided them through the trials of the unpredictable world of starting a business. Seek out your mentor in the entrepreneurship sphere; this seasoned advisor should help you refine your vision and perfect your techniques and business acumen, all while teaching you how to handle the heat of starting a company.
But fear not; you don’t need to hire a business coach (you can, and that’s a great thing to do if you can swing it). But, you do need to look deep into your personal and professional network, then seek out an individual who is where you want to be in five or ten years.
Identify Your Needs: Pinpoint the areas where you require guidance, such as strategy, marketing, or investor relations.
Leverage Your Network: Utilize your existing connections on LinkedIn or other professional networks to find potential mentors. Attend industry events and engage with speakers or participants.
Select a Role Model: Choose someone whose career trajectory aligns with where you envision yourself in the future.
Ensure Compatibility: Look for a mentor with whom you can establish a genuine rapport and open communication.
Make the First Move: Reach out with a clear, concise message expressing why you admire them and what you seek from the mentorship.
Provide Mutual Value: Consider ways to offer your mentor value while maintaining a balanced, reciprocal relationship.
Effective mentorship not only accelerates your learning curve but also provides critical support and encouragement as you navigate your entrepreneurial journey.
Your Entrepreneurial Kingdom Awaits
Stepping into the role of a startup She-E-O is thrilling. And I congratulate you on not only being willing to take this step but also taking the time to do your research. If we take it back to the restaurant analogy, serving a new dish to a room full of critics — is filled with anticipation and excitement. This business journey is your saga, filled with recipes, ingredients, and the ultimate feast of success. For more in-depth insights on how to start a profitable business, read one of my favorite business development books, Everything is Figureoutable, by Marie Forleo.
You can make it your own at every step, and we’re here to support you along the way. Share some of your challenges, learnings, and wins in the comments below!
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