Tagged: kate save

Sisterhood of Success: Female Founders Share Insights on Thriving Together

8 September, 2023

We asked six members of EO to share the number one thing they’ve learned from another inspiring woman in business. Here’s what they said.

Stop multitasking, stop comparing and stop being quiet.

Stop multitasking. Many people think multitasking is a skill that women are naturally good at, but eventually working as an entrepreneur at a million miles an hour will take its toll. Stop multitasking and instead, do one thing. Be more present. Enjoy each activity.

Stop comparing. When we compare ourselves to other people, whether it is physically or how big one’s business is, it never leaves us with a feeling of being enough. Be aware that you are on your own journey. Honor that journey and be happy for others more successful than you. Help them celebrate.

Stop being quiet. Make noise about things that matter to you. When your values are challenged, do something about it. Don’t just shut up. Think about it. Express your view in a calm and professional way. The other person may or may not get it, but do the part that is within your circle of influence.

— Shivani Gupta, EO Queensland, multi-business founder, author, speaker and coach

Profit from profit

My big learning from EO Malaysia member Fong Leng Wong is: Profit from profit. As business owners, we often have a huge amount of wealth tied up within our businesses, but don’t form the habit of creating other income streams and forms of wealth, such as investments outside our businesses.

As female entrepreneurs, we are independent-minded and innovative, and this advice is critical for securing our future and the future of our families. When women have more money, not only is there gender equality and economic growth, but there’s also stronger and healthier communities for our children and generations to come. This advice inspires me every day.”

— Sarah Bartholomeusz, EO Adelaide, principal at You Legal

Find female mentors and community

Without the guidance of other female mentors, Be Fit Food would not be where it is today. My first female mentor was the incredible Janine Allis, founder of Boost Juice. She provided me with so much advice on business strategy, business channels and HR. The best advice she ever gave me, though, was to join the EO to build my leadership skills and my support network. Through the EO, I have met so many incredible female entrepreneurs, including the former female president in EO, founder of Cupcake Central and League of Extraordinary Women, Sheryl Thai.

EO empowers me to share my business journey with other like-minded entrepreneurs and get their experience when I’m seeking solutions in my business.

— Kate Save, EO Melbourne, Founder of Be Fit Food

It’s OK to take up space

I’m a single mum and started my business at the same time I separated from the father of my three children after 14 years. I knew nothing about running a business and had no management experience. My overwhelming subconscious desire to forget about the reality of my personal life breaking down, combined with my ability to learn very quickly and the need to financially provide for all my kids, helped me to propel my business into what it is today. I have never worked so hard in all my life, but the rewards and personal growth have been worth every bit.

About a year and a half after starting my business, I joined EO and was quickly invited onto the board of directors where I sat with a woman who is so unapologetically herself. She is assertive, asks questions and stands up for what she believes in. As women, we are often socialized to “shrink ourselves”. I have always liked people that go against the grain.

I have learned that it’s not just OK to take up space, it’s necessary in the path to believing that my voice is valid.

— Sian Williams, EO Adelaide, Founder and CEO of Here2Home

Expect the unexpected, and run with it

As a female entrepreneur, I’m constantly made aware that I’m part of a minority, but that’s not always a bad thing. I believe we are moving into a new era. I hope we keep pushing boundaries and moving forward to become a generation of empowered female leaders for the next generation — for our daughters.

Through Women of EO, I’ve met so many inspiring women and learned to be supportive, open, vulnerable and to constantly seek knowledge. I have come to see that female leaders carry so much more in their work, in addition to the many juggling home life and family relations.

From my mentor, Jane Bianchini, I’ve learnt so many things, both about business and about myself. I’ve learnt how to slice the equity pie for VC investors, and gained so much insight about the still male-dominated tech world from this successful tech business veteran. Male-dominated industries can feel like smoke and mirrors sometimes, so having an experienced female mentor with years, if not decades of knowledge ahead of you is truly vital.

— Emilya Colliver, EO Sydney, founder and managing director of Art Pharmacy and Sugar Glider Digital

Find community, even if it’s not in your industry

As a female business owner in a heavily male-dominated industry, I thought I had to “go it alone.” However, since joining EO Sydney in 2012, I’ve had the pleasure of being surrounded by inspirational women who have not only had my back, but supported me on the rollercoaster of entrepreneurship and inspired me to be “more”.

What I’ve learned from other women is that they’re community-oriented, values-based and brilliant at supporting each other in the good times and the bad. And that a network of empowered women is supportive and, in the challenging world of business, necessary.

Let’s keep our focus on the end goal, which is to get 50–50 equality in entrepreneurship and pave the way for our children and future generations of leaders. Women need to raise each other up, collaborate and support each other to make a difference. They need to realize that competing isn’t the answer and that we are most successful when surrounded with an army of strong, supportive women.

— Kim Liddell, EO Sydney, founder and managing director of Non Destructive Excavations Australia

Contributed to EO by Karen Farr, chapter manager for EO Adelaide, who is also the owner and director of Executive Office Limited, which provides admin support across all operations for membership organizations.

This post first appeared on CEO Magazine and is reposted here with permission from the author.

For more insights and inspiration from today’s leading entrepreneurs, check out EO on Inc. and more articles from the EO blog.

Categories: Best Practices WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS

Tags: Emilya Colliver entrepreneurs' organization EO Adelaide eo melbourne EO Queensland eo sydney kate save Kim Liddell Sarah Bartholomeusz Shivani Gupta Sian Williams

Business Book Bonanza: 10 Must-Read Gems To Skyrocket Your Business

14 June, 2023

Are you looking for inspiration to take your business to the next level? Whether you’re a startup entrepreneur or a seasoned veteran, remember: Great leaders must be readers!

Look no further than these top business book recommendations from 10 successful Australian entrepreneurs who are all active members of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO).

From timeless classics to modern best-sellers, the following books have influenced the way these entrepreneurs think and operate their businesses. Get ready to add some must-read titles to your bookshelf and gain insights from the best in the business:

1. The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz

The subtitle of The Hard Thing About Hard Things is “Building a business when there are no easy answers”. It’s a short read (or eight hours on Audible) filled with practical advice on building and running a startup or established business. It’s filled with humor and insights that I still reflect on years later and use to guide day-to-day decisions.

Tips for leading even when you don’t know where you are going and how to fire a friend are not covered in traditional business books but are essential for business owners to know. For me, the most liberating concept was that there are “No Rules” and that as an entrepreneur I get to create the business I want as opposed to the one I thought I should be building.

— Dawn Piebenga, EO Sydney, founder of Interface Medico-Legal

2. The Entrepreneur Roller Coaster By Darren Hardy

The Entrepreneur Roller Coaster talks about the six most important skills of entrepreneurship:

Productivity
Sales
Marketing
Leadership
Recruitment
Mindset

I haven’t seen any other book go so detailed in discussing these things. It has played a really big role in my life.

This book alone helped us give a TEDx talk, make the 100 Fastest-Growing Companies (66th) list in Australia last year (AFR), and also helped us get featured on Forbes. I credit this book a lot for my success.

— Darshan Chavan, EO Queensland, co-founder of Getmycourse

3. The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber

The E-Myth Revisited is perfect for those early in the entrepreneurial journey to help understand the difference between being a great “technician” at what you do vs. running a successful business—which are two very different things.

— Tamara Haddow, EO Sydney. founder of Black Diamond Agency

4. The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle

Founding and growing a business means you spend a lot of mental energy analyzing the past (lessons learned, mistakes and successes) and planning for the future. That’s great. It’s necessary. However, “now” is the only moment we’ve ever had, or ever will (or could), experience. If you are not being present in the now, you are leaving a lot of value on the table, financially, emotionally and spiritually. That’s The Power of Now.

— David Kelly, EO Melbourne, founder of KHQ Lawyers

5. Atomic Habits by James Clear

Atomic Habits taught me the power of small, incremental changes in shaping the trajectory of all aspects of my life. For me, one of the hardest things about running a successful business is focus and time management. Not only at work, but ensuring all aspects of life are in good shape such as family, friends and health.

Through Atomic Habits, I learned that the secret to success lies in building a system of positive habits that compound over time, ultimately leading to dramatic improvements. In my business, I began to implement small, daily routines to streamline processes and foster a culture of continuous improvement.

The book also helped me understand how to break bad habits and replace them with good ones, allowing me to eliminate unproductive activities and create more efficient systems. A final key takeaway from the book is the importance of focusing on the process, not just the end goal, and how our environment influences our habits.

— Dylan Smith, EO Melbourne, founder of RUBIX

6. Uncommon Service by Frances Frei and Anne Morriss

The subtitle of Uncommon Service is “How to win by putting customers at the core of your business.” This book is essential reading for business owners who are looking for ways to differentiate themselves against the competition and to truly do less in order to deliver a service level that sets them apart.

The lessons in this book have helped me time and time again as we’ve grown the business— staying restrained in our offering and doing less so we can deliver more.

— Jacob Spencer EO Melbourne, owner of Mobile Skips

7. Traction by Gino Wickman

Traction helped us clarify our mission, vision and objectives and make it part of our everyday way of doing business, align all team members with the vision, and clearly define our target audience and key differentiators. Traction helps simplify the process of business and with a bit of work puts you in control of your business.

— Mark Vanzo, EO Melbourne, founder of Smart Business Insurance

8. The Dumbest Guy at the Table by David Shein

The Dumbest Guy at the Table is so simple and easy to read. The message is loud and clear. Only hire people smarter than yourself if you want to see your business succeed. Take the time to ask each of those people what they would do at every chance, and get a deeper understanding of their insights before making any decisions. People are your business; never underestimate the power they have to turn your business around.

— Kate Save, EO Melbourne, founder of Be Fit Food

9. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

I recommend Think and Grow Rich, because I am a strong believer in the power of a positive mental attitude to achieve success in life. Also the importance of following the simple process of setting clear goals, developing a plan to achieve those goals and taking action to achieve them. I owe my own success to these principles.

— Mike Larcher, EO Sydney, founder of Outsourced

10. The Alchemist by Paolo Cohelo

While on the surface, The Alchemist seems like it’s about everything except entrepreneurship, the deep themes and powerful messages around hope, love and the desire to chase one’s destiny is a really powerful parable to the journey of the business owner.

— Jahan Kalantar, EO Sydney, founder of Executive Law Group

This post first appeared on Dynamic Business and is reposted here with permission.