Making it in business can be incredibly hard and demanding. But you don’t have to go at it alone.
In this year’s Australian Businesswomen’s Hall of Fame, most of the nominees cited ONE THING as the key to “making It” in business.
Studies have even shown that 70 per cent of business owners who do this ONE THING will survive in business twice as long as those who don’t.
So, what is this one thing?
Seek out Mentors!
The accomplished role models cited the support of a mentor as being invaluable to keeping them on track, driven, making solid decisions and staying sane. And now, many of them are repaying the favour by helping other women to scale the ladder to business success.
It’s no surprise! I’ve had mentors my whole business life and they’ve made a huge difference. That’s why we are such big fans of mentoring and why we’ve supported women business owners to find their ideal mentor for almost 20 years.
Here’s what this year’s Hall of Fame inductees revealed about their “secret weapon”:
“I’ve had a series of mentors. They keep me focused, accountable, and keep me pushing my boundaries,” said Kim Liddell, Non Destructive Excavation Australia. Kim also cherishes the opportunity to give back and share the knowledge and experience she’s gained in business through mentoring others.
Bronwen Healy is the woman behind the Hope Foundation, an organisation that helps women struggling with addiction and/or in the sex industry who want to change their lives. “Mentors helped to lovingly challenge my character growth, and encouraged me to not only not quit, but grow beyond my capacity.”
Adina Jacobs of STM Brands loves to mentor others. “I find that I have a clearer head about someone else’s challenges than I do of my own. I’ve found it to be just as much of an education for me as it is for my mentee.”
Marie Piccone heads up Manbulloo Mangoes, and has gained incredible insight and experience from her mentors through the years. “When times have been really tough, they have believed in me and the future of the business, and have given me very honest and relevant feedback when I’ve needed it most. They have all variously provided me with mental strength and carried me forward for an hour when I was exhausted by the enormity of some of the challenges that I have faced. I know that Manbulloo would not be in as strong a position if I had not had mentors. There are a few situations that I wonder if Manbulloo would have survived without them.”
Kelly Jamieson is the co-founder of Edible Blooms, an online retailer that delivers chocolate and fruit gift bouquets throughout Australia and overseas.
“I was really fortunate to have the guidance of an amazing mentor early in the growth of my company. She was always asking me questions that guided me forward – one of those clever people who always seemed to be a few steps in front of where I was!.” Kelly also mentors others, and finds it “incredibly satisfying to see others succeed, especially when you have had a small part in guiding them and building up their confidence.”
The important role of mentoring in these businesses is not unique to these high-flying women. Studies show that 70 per cent of mentored businesses survive more than five years, double the rate for non-mentored small businesses over that same period.
Read there inspiring profiles and success strategies of all 17 women inducted into the 2017 Businesswomen’s Hall of Fame at www.herbusiness.com/halloffame
Suzi Dafnis, CEO, HerBusiness and curator of the Australian Businesswomen’s Hall of Fame, co-authored with Mary Klepzig, journalism intern at HerBusiness
