Women in Business - You have to look after yourself

In this compelling episode of Many Hats of Business – The podcast, I sit down with Andrea Rainsford and focus on women in business. We hear her remarkable journey from adversity to success. Andrea opens up about her experience of suffering a stroke at the age of 32. A pivotal moment that drastically altered the course of her life.

Watch the full episode here https://youtu.be/neCMKOQbKOM

Listen to the full episode here https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/many-hats-of-business/episodes/003-Women-in-Business–you-have-to-look-after-yourself–Andrea-Rainsford-e2i919n

Overcoming challenges for women in business

In a recent chat with Andrea Rainsford, a successful business mentor who’s overcome significant challenges, we explored the realities of being a woman in business. Andrea shared insights on resilience, finding your niche, and building a successful enterprise while maintaining balance.

The Importance of Resilience for women in business

Andrea’s journey is a powerful example of the resilience needed in business. After suffering a stroke at 32 that left her bedridden for years, she fought her way back, eventually earning a computing science degree and starting her own business.

“You’ve got to have a resilience streak a mile wide,” Andrea notes. “It’s okay to think ‘I can’t do this.’ It’s okay to think everybody’s doing better than me. You’ve just got to keep getting back up.”

This resilience is crucial for all entrepreneurs, but particularly for women who might face additional challenges or self-doubt. Andrea emphasises the importance of focusing on your own unique skills and experiences rather than comparing yourself to others.

“We all have a unique experience,” she explains. “When you bring them together, they’re always unique to you and different from everybody else.”

Finding Balance and Setting Boundaries as women in business

One of the main attractions of entrepreneurship for many women is the flexibility it can provide. Andrea shares that for her, “The best thing about having a business is flexibility… I’ve got freedom.”

However, she cautions that this flexibility often disappears in the early stages of building a business. It’s crucial to consciously create boundaries and prioritise self-care from the start.

“I really need you to take care of yourselves,” Andrea urges. “I’m seeing so many burnt out, tired women.”

She speaks from experience, having pushed herself to the point of illness multiple times. Andrea stresses the importance of setting clear work hours, taking time for self-care, and not being available 24/7.

Finding Your Niche

One of Andrea’s key pieces of advice for women in business is to focus on a specific niche. “One specific group of people, one solution. That’s the solution,” she explains. “Stop trying to be everything to everybody.”

She advises focusing on one service or product, one platform, and one outcome when you’re starting out. This focus allows you to become an expert in your area and makes it easier to attract clients.

Andrea also emphasises the importance of ensuring your niche isn’t just a “nice to have” but something that solves a pressing problem for your clients. This urgency helps create consistent income for your business.

Optimising Your Online Presence

In today’s digital world, having a strong online presence is crucial for business success. Andrea shares that it now takes about 20 touchpoints before someone decides to buy from you, compared to just 10 a few years ago.

This means it’s more important than ever to be visible online and to use the right keywords to help potential clients find you. Therefore, Andrea advises using keyword research to understand how your audience thinks and buys, and then incorporating these keywords into your website, social media profiles, and content.

“You’ve got to use your audience’s words back at them,” she explains. “We can’t just use the words that we think we’ve got to use – we’ve got to use their words.”

Building a Supportive Community

Andrea also highlights the importance of building a supportive community around you as a woman in business. She runs a group called “Women Winning in Business” and organises events to bring women entrepreneurs together.

Interestingly, while the group is primarily for women, Andrea does allow some men to join. “The men that come into the group are men that I personally know and have relationships with. If they’re huge supporters of women, they’re allowed in,” she explains.

This approach recognises that while women often face unique challenges in business, supportive male allies can also play a valuable role in our success.

Embracing Your Journey for women in business

Perhaps the most important takeaway from our conversation with Andrea is the importance of embracing your own unique journey in business. Whether you’re just starting out or have been in business for years, it’s crucial to recognise that everyone’s path is different.

“We all bring different things to the table,” Andrea reminds us. Your experiences, skills, and perspective are what make you unique as a businesswoman. Embracing these differences and using them to your advantage can be the key to standing out in a crowded market.

As women in business, we face unique challenges, but we also have unique strengths. By focusing on resilience, finding our niche, optimising our online presence, and building a supportive community, we can create successful businesses that align with our values and goals.

Remember, as Andrea says, “It’s not about looking at what everybody else is doing. It’s about looking at your own brilliance.” So, let’s celebrate our journeys, support each other, and continue to make our mark in the business world.