I’m a Baby Boomer who has ignored the glass ceiling, age bias and has become an active, current example that “Women are The New Power Demo”. I am unfortunately not in the majority.
The Kauffman Foundation published a info-graphic about how the “Untapped Potential for Expanding Women’s Entrepreneurship Holds Promise to Grow the U.S. Economy” and says Millennial women are going to be the key drivers of this even though they are just beginning their careers.
What do you think about entrepreneurship as a viable solution to transitioning from the classroom to your career?
There is some great news here about this for our younger generation of emerging workforce.
A recent survey by the Young Entrepreneurs Council reported:
35% of Gen Y who are currently employed have started a side business
21% have started a business because they are unemployed
79% are interested in one day becoming entrepreneurs
If 79% are interested in one day becoming entrepreneurs, then setting yourselves up to win and succeed and doing all the important footwork is a really smart plan.
Entrepreneurship is not easy, or for the faint of heart or for an immediate gratification. Entrepreneurship is a serious commitment and knowing that you are the right person for the job is a must.
“Don’t romanticize it, professionalize it”
You can take the Entrepreneur Self Assessment here and check out these 12 Most Inspiring Blogs for Entrepreneurs.
Don’t rush, take your time getting work experience and become a student of the entrepreneurial world.
Becoming an entrepreneur
Here are five suggestions that can help you enhance your skills, experience and knowledge if you are “side jobbing” it or decide to become an entrepreneur full-time.
- Develop your personal brand by making work your new classroom. If you have graduated from school with your first degree, take a break and go to work. Gain some real life workplace experience interacting with people, working on a team, in a sales and or customer service capacity.
- Volunteer, travel, intern or get a job unrelated to your major but aligned with your passion.
- By all means continue your education, but don’t hide there. Get a part-time job, while you are in school and keep your street education going. You can learn a lot working at Starbucks, Target or at a pet store.
- Step up the networking both in person and online. Get more engaged on LinkedIn. Practice meeting people in person and developing your key communication skills.
- Take some FREE or low-cost classes in business, entrepreneurship or how to leverage social media through the chamber, Small Business Development Centers or your school.
- Find a mentor who you would like to emulate who is an entrepreneur, or small business owner and develop a mutual relationship with them by volunteering to help them with something they are doing.
Work smart, think long-term, have a plan and always be preparing and developing yourself.
If you want to be an entrepreneur someday, then act as if and believe that you can.
Author:
Deborah Shane is career author, branding/media strategist, nationally published writer and speaker. She hosts her Toolbox Blog and a popular weekly business radio show that has over 42K downloads! She is a regular contributor to several national blogs and websites, including Smallbiztrends.com, MonsterWorking.com, Blogher.com, Personalbrandingblog.com. Her book Career Transition-make the shift is available on Amazon.com and all major book sellers. Deborah delivers smart, no-nonsense ideas and solutions, which make her a popular go-to resource for national media including CNN, CBS, Fox. Engage with her @DeborahShane, and visit her at www.deborahshane.com.
