5 Empowering Life and Business Tips for Women in Business

Business Transformation is a “fancy” term for the evolution of a business and its operations to better perform in the society we live in. In celebration of National Women’s Small Business month, BlogHer.com put on BlogHer Biz, a virtual event series, that included a “Business Transformation from Start-Ups to Fortune 100” panel. I’m sharing 5 things I learned from the event!

If you’re the type of person that wants to level up your mindset, lifestyle, and career, then this is the perfect read for you!

This panel was on Business Transformation, but there were many life-lessons to learn from this conversation and inspiration to glean from this panel which included the following speakers:

• Marian Salzman, Head of Global Communications at Philip Morris International (PMI)
• Deneige Watson, Executive Director, Geopolitical + Threat Intelligence at RANE
• Gina Pell, Content Chief at The What
• Carolyn Rodz, Co-Founder and CEO of Hello Alice
• Moderated by Samantha Skey, CEO of CEO SHE Media [sheknows/ StyleCaster/ BlogHer +]

Here are 5 empowering business and life tips I learned from BlogHer Biz’s Business Transformation Panel:

1. Diversity of Thought and Representation Really Matter.

Deneige, who spent 27 years in the CIA believes that women and leaders should know that transformations are “much more compelling, interesting, and effective when they come from a leader who has asked the right questions”. True transformation cannot happen without diversity of thought.

I thought it was extremely compelling that she mentioned that diversity of thought, in addition to gender diversity and ethnic diversity, helps businesses get answers to forward-thinking questions that will help keep their businesses sustainable 10-15 years down the road.

One of my favorite points of hers was that “It’s important to keep those millennials close and listen to them! They have new ideas and understand how to solve problems in ways that I will never get to myself.”

Representation absolutely matters, and Samantha Skey echoed this with the statement that “If you’re not in the room, you’re not going to make change.” Period.

2. Create New Businesses Based on What’s Missing in Your Life.

The best businesses are the ones that show up to solve customer’s problems. Gina Pell, mentioned that the motivation behind launching her businesses was always by creating something based on what was missing in her life.

So if you have ever found yourself wishing there was a solution to one of your needs, it might be a good idea to write it down and get started with a business plan.

As Gina went on to say, “the pivot is no longer a sharp turn away from failure, but a series of flexible turns toward success.”

3. Until you’re dead, there’s always room for another act.

Former CEO of Havas PR North America, Marian Salzman, dropped a gem that I definitely won’t forget. It jumped out at me and made it very clear that there’s always a chance to try something new and chart another path. Her words were “until you’re dead, there’s always room for another act”. So true, and important to remember that there’s always more room for us to create more impact and learn something new from those around you.

4. People want to help you, so ask for help when you need it. 

The idea that people want to help you isn’t new, but Carolyn Rodz shared that we should acknowledge that and ask for help when you need it. She also mentioned that you should always follow back up to let others know the impact of how they helped you because it’s encouragement and makes them feel good about helping you along your journey.

As Carolyn stated during the convo, “transformation is a part of life. You’re always evolving. You’re always growing.” So if you need help with something, sis, go ahead and ask. The worst someone can say is “no”.

5. Be Bold, and Take More Risks. Don’t overthink or over plan. 

By the end of the discussion, Samantha posed a question to all the panelists about what they would have told their younger selves. Here are my biggest takeaways:

• Be bold and take more risks.
• Don’t overthink or over plan.
• It’s all about the journey, not the destination.
• Face the fact that you experience fear, and overcome it.
• Do things that you enjoy and that gives you a new perspective.

If you’re thinking of starting a business, or pivoting to a new career, don’t overthink it and follow your gut. Be bold and take more risks because you never know what’s waiting on you on the other side!

Whether you’re an entrepreneur or corporate woman in business, these tips can help you level up your life and business for the long-run. To catch more inspiration and get in on the conversation about National Women’s Small Business Month, check out BlogHer Biz’s encore presentation.

Originally published on CandaceJunee.com.

Subscribe to the BlogHer newsletter for more tactical advice, exclusive content, and timely event updates.