Standfirst: Real Entrepreneur Women is an organisation that supports coaches and consultants in helping women build profitable, scalable online businesses.
Sophie Musumeci, a 2018 ISB Top 50 Small Business Leader, started out specifically supporting mothers who owned businesses, but has subsequently transitioned to helping all women, irrespective of whether or not they are mums. I spoke to Sophie about her ethos and the transformation of her business.
ISB: Please tell us a little bit about your corporate background before you became an entrepreneur.
SM: My corporate background is in change management and leadership within the private sector. For over 15 years, I created effective strategies, ensured their smooth implementation, and developed comprehensive training programs to empower individuals and teams.
I excelled in formulating detailed communication plans to guarantee a thorough understanding of each operational element, resulting in successful execution. Change management and leadership skills became my strong suit, helping me navigate the treacherous waters of corporate change and fostering impactful growth.
ISB: What was the inspiration behind you founding your original venture, Real Entrepreneur Mums?
SM: I was financially comfortable in my corporate role. I’d climbed the ladder, achieved milestones, but I began to notice something heart-wrenching – my young son was picking up more of his nanny’s mannerisms than ours. I realised I was missing precious moments in his life, the first steps, the infectious laughter, those everyday but unforgettable memories. By the time my beautiful daughter came into the world, I realised that I couldn’t keep missing out on these significant moments. I needed to become the mother I’d always dreamed of being.
My priorities shifted dramatically. I recognised a deep-seated need within the community of women in business. Drawing from my upbringing in a passionate Italian family, I understood the immeasurable value of having someone wholeheartedly in your corner. That sense of unwavering support and encouragement was the cornerstone upon which I built a community exclusively for women.
Real Entrepreneur Mums initially emerged from this vision, designed to offer a deeper level of genuine support and connection to female entrepreneurs who were also mums.
However, as time progressed, I came to realise that these women needed more than just a community; they required the skills and knowledge to effectively package, price, and sell their services in the online realm. The business landscape was evolving, and the need for adaptation was undeniable. And the COVID-19 pandemic expedited the demand for these women to equip themselves with digital skills to succeed in an ever-changing environment.
ISB: And what was behind the rebrand to Real Entrepreneur Women and pivoting the business model from networking groups to a coaching hub?
SM: The journey from Real Entrepreneur Mums to Real Entrepreneur Women is deeply rooted in the evolution of my mission and the women I serve. While becoming a mum may have been the catalyst for my entrepreneurial journey, it wasn’t the sole driving force – it was also about the incredible women and the undeniable power they held within themselves.
“Our mission is giving women in business the opportunity to be both the entrepreneur and parent they’d always dreamed of.”
In the earlier stages, there was a certain stigma associated with “mums’ businesses” – they were often perceived as a hobby rather than a serious business. However, the reality was quite the opposite; the women were ambitious, determined and running businesses that went far beyond being just a pastime. Their passion, dedication, and the impact they made in the business world was truly remarkable.
It dawned on me that the heart of our community wasn’t limited to motherhood. We were a collective of women from diverse backgrounds, each with a unique story to tell. As our community grew, it was evident that our reach and influence stretched far beyond the realm of motherhood, and we now support and empower all women, not just mums, in their entrepreneurial journeys.
ISB: Beyond improving your clients’ customer base and revenue, what is the ethos behind Real Entrepreneur Women?
SM: Our purpose is to transform women’s business approaches, and in doing so, help them create the freedom and balance in their lives that they’ve been striving for.
Essentially, I created for others exactly what I needed for myself when I was feeling ‘stuck’ in my corporate career. I understand the challenges women face because I’ve experienced them firsthand.
As a fully female-owned and operated company, Real Entrepreneur Women paves the way for lasting generational change across the world, giving women in business the opportunity to be both the entrepreneur and parent they’d always dreamed of – working less, earning more, and fully enjoying the lives they have created for themselves.
ISB: Could you give us a couple of examples of people you’ve helped – the challenge they faced and the outcome of you working with them?
SM: Here are a couple of inspiring stories of women whose careers we’ve helped transform. Eiling was caught in the corporate grind, often working 16 hours a day. When she reached out to us, her situation was taking a toll on both her professional and personal life. After working with us, Eiling transitioned into a career coach – she went from the corporate world to making $250K in just five months working a mere four hours a day. Not only did her business flourish, but she also finally had the time and energy to focus on her relationships and hobbies and is now a licensed pilot.
Danee is a dedicated mother of five (and now grandmother), who had accumulated 25 years of experience in entrepreneurship, network marketing and coaching. But despite her wealth of knowledge, she was struggling to make her own business flourish. With our guidance, Danee became a highly sought-after wealth and prosperity coach. She managed to secure $80K in just 30 days. Now, with her unique skills and expertise, she can apply her experience to her own coaching business.
ISB: How do you see REW growing and developing in the next couple of years?
SM: I envision my business continuing our mission to back female coaches to become wealthy women in business and in life. Specifically, I see:
- The expansion of a multichannel strategy to reach and connect with more women. To date, 95 per cent of our growth to $3 million a year has been powered by Facebook.
- The number of clients enrolling in our key Wealthy Woman Mastermind and Wealthy Woman Ascension programs continues to increase each year, empowering thousands of women to do what I have done.
- Expanding our Coaching Certification Course and equipping our current Mastermind program clients with precise coaching models to guide their own clients.
- The introduction of additional courses to further complement and support the learnings of the two key programs to allow me to support even more women across the world.
- Artificial intelligence (AI) playing a greater role in my business, allowing us to focus on what matters most – showing up for our clients.
- From a financial perspective, hitting my first $10 million in total yearly revenue.
All of this I intend to achieve by simplifying our operation, hiring even more exceptional female experts and growing my team, increasing my marketing reach and continuing to work on my mind and energy, which ultimately hold the keys to success.
This article first appeared in issue 43 of the Inside Small Business quarterly magazine
