Tips for female founders

Get out of your comfort zone

Getting your career off the ground: The most important tips for female founders

Starting a new business is a very exciting time that is full of valuable experiences. However, women who start their own business in Switzerland are still in the minority compared to men. 

According to the latest statistics on business demography from the Federal Statistical Office, women founded around 15,500 companies in 2019. For men, however, the figure was just under 23,000. There were around 4,000 joint start-ups. However, the proportion of women among entrepreneurs has increased over the past 20 years.  This trend must be maintained. For this reason, we have summarized the most important tips for prospective female entrepreneurs here.

Collect extensive information

If you want to start your own business, you should first get information. This way you can prepare for all eventualities, at least in theory. However, you should be sure that something will go wrong. But you will also learn from that. Always  discuss important points that come up during your research with professionals. Legal issues, for example, should always be clarified in consultation with a lawyer. You often find incorrect or outdated information on the Internet.  A good place to start your research is of course our website . 

Get out of your comfort zone 

Maybe you already have a good idea that you want to develop into a business or a passionate hobby that you can turn into a career. But you have lacked the drive to do so because your current life is very secure with a fixed income and other amenities.  Security is of course good, but the old saying "nothing ventured, nothing gained" still applies here. Overcome your fears and doubts and venture out of your comfort zone. Seize the opportunity because you will always find doubts, fears and other things that hold you back.  If you don't want to put all your eggs in one basket, then start your business part-time. In the end, you still set the pace. You just have to do it. 

Set concrete goals

Nobody starts a company just because they want to be self-employed. First of all, you need concrete goals and a good idea. It is the core of the company. Then, of course, the question is whether you just want to earn some money on the side or whether you want to set up a real business. Set yourself concrete goals for the next five or ten years. What do you want to achieve and how? 

If you don't have any goals, this can potentially rob you of motivation later on. As a result, the company suffers and the dream of being self-employed is over.  However, it is important that you are realistic and don't set your goals too high. Small stages are important, especially at the beginning, such as building the brand, determining the legal form, the first satisfied customers and so on. 

Develop a brand and create a business plan

If you have an idea, you need to work it out. The first step is to decide how you want to make money with your product or service. To do this, you need to create a brand .  This includes finding the target group, designing brand names and logos, or the general personality and vision of the company. The brand must appeal to your target group emotionally, inspire trust and stand for quality. 

At the same time, you should take care of your business plan. This is where you record everything you need to know about your brand and your goals. It serves as a guide for the future of the company and helps you get potential investors on board to finance your project.

The necessary change

Without a certain amount of start-up capital, starting a business will be very difficult. The amount you need will of course depend on the type of business you want to start. If you start your own business as a journalist, your expenses will be lower than if you want to start your own carpentry business, for example. 

Unfortunately, self-employed people often have a hard time getting a cheap loan. That's why you have to convince people with your business plan, especially at the beginning. Because you probably won't be able to make it with a regular income at first. That's why you have to impress banks with collateral and guarantors. You can of course also look for private investors for your business. 

Use aid and funding

However, banks and investors are not the only way you can build up your start-up capital. Switzerland supports female founders who have innovative ideas, among other things. Startups can benefit from financing and advisory services from the federal government, the canton and the Bern Cantonal Bank.  But financial help is not the only important thing in the start-up phase of a company. Professional help can also be useful if you get stuck. Don't be afraid to accept help or actively seek it, whether it's general questions about starting a business or specific topics, such as brand design. There are no stupid questions.

Building a network

When you look for help, you automatically expand your network and gather competent contacts. You not only benefit from their help, but also from other qualities. Look for like-minded people in coworking spaces, at trade fairs or on social media on the Internet. Remember that almost every exchange can be important and valuable for your company. You should never underestimate networking and it should be an elementary part of your everyday business life.

Use cooperation

Selbst wenn Sie Ihr eigenes Unternehmen gründen und damit Ihre eigene Chefin sind, sollten Sie dennoch eine Teamplayerin bleiben. Gehen Sie Kooperationen mit anderen Unternehmen ein. Sie können unter anderem dem Austausch und der gemeinsamen Zusammenarbeit dienen. Auf diese Weise können beide Seiten davon profitieren. Beide Unternehmen können schneller wachsen und sich gegenseitig bekannter machen. Es müssen nicht einmal unbedingt Kooperationen in der eigenen Branche sein. Suchen Sie ausserhalb nach Partner*innen können sich besonders spannende und kreative Optionen für Sie ergeben. 

Geduld und Ausdauer

Ein eigenes Unternehmen zu gründen ist Arbeit. Es erfordert viel Geduld und Ausdauer. Es ist dabei jedoch wichtig, dass Sie dranbleiben. Geben Sie nicht direkt nach den ersten Rückschlägen auf, sondern beissen Sie auf die Zähne und machen Sie weiter. Ein sehr langer Atem ist nötig. Denn bis Ihr Unternehmen wirklich Erfolg hat und einen sicheren Platz in der Wirtschaft gefunden hat, kann es unter Umständen fünf bis zehn Jahre dauern. 

Eins nach dem anderen

Gerade am Anfang der Gründungsphase sind die kreativen Säfte mächtig am Brodeln. Sie sprühen geradezu vor neuen Ideen, die Sie am liebsten alle auf einen Schlag umsetzen möchten. Versuchen Sie realistisch zu bleiben, selbst wenn es schwerfällt. Schlafen Sie ein, zwei Nächte über neue Ideen, bevor Sie ihre Umsetzung in Betracht ziehen. Fertigen Sie sich Listen an, um Aufgaben und Zielen Prioritäten zu geben. Machen Sie nicht alles auf einmal, sondern gehen Sie strukturiert einen Schritt nach dem anderen, und zwar mit aller Konsequenz. Nur so erreichen Sie Ihre gesetzten Ziele. 

Kleine Erfolge feiern

Um die Motivation konstant aufrecht zu halten, sollten Sie jeden noch so kleinen Erfolg feiern. Belohnen Sie sich und Ihr Team mit kleinen Aufmerksamkeiten. Sind kleine Projekte abgeschlossen, spendieren Sie eine Pizza oder ein Feierabendbier. Es müssen keine grossen Feiern sein. Wichtig ist, dass Sie sich und den Menschen, mit denen Sie zusammenarbeiten, die Anerkennung geben, die sie verdient haben. 

Naivität ablegen

Die Geschäftswelt ist leider nicht rosarot. Ihre Vorstellungen von Ihrem eigenen Unternehmen werden wohl in den seltensten Fällen genauso in die Realität umsetzbar sein, wie Sie es sich vorgestellt haben. Seien Sie realistisch, vor allem dann, wenn Angebote reinkommen, die zu schön sind, um wahr zu sein. Dennoch sollten Sie Ihre Neugier und Ihre Motivation auf keinen Fall verlieren. Schauen Sie immer nach vorne.

Aus Fehlern lernen Sie

Everyone makes mistakes. Especially in the start-up phase, everything is new and you may still lack experience. Small or large mistakes can happen. In most cases, however, it is not the end of the world. Learn from your mistakes and do better next time.  But what is even more important: Own up to the mistakes you have made and set a good example. This makes you and your company more credible, trustworthy and authentic. 

authenticity

Stay true to yourself, your goals and your ideals. You will certainly notice very quickly during the start-up phase what suits you and what doesn't. An honest and authentic company will be more convincing to its customers if it is confident in itself. 

Never stop learning

Stay open to new things. The world will never stop turning. Always try to learn and pass on your knowledge to all your employees. You should also learn from your staff. Be open to them and try to deal with constructive criticism.

Not just work, but also pleasure

Be an entrepreneur through and through. But don't forget that you are a human being. If you don't look after that, which can easily be overlooked during the start-up phase, the company will suffer. Take time for yourself. 

 

Text: Partner
Image source:

Image 1: unsplash.com, © Andreea Avramescu

Infographic: © Finanzcheck.de

Image 2: unsplash,com, © Amy Shamblen