7 Ways Women Entrepreneurs Repair and Reinforce Glass Ceilings

Despite signing our own paychecks,
and setting our own fees / hourly rates,
and choosing the market and industry in which we serve,
women-owned businesses earn approximately 60% lower revenues than male-owned companies.

That’s a bigger pay gap than in corporate America.
AND THIS,
my fempreneur friend,
is when WE are the boss….
when WE are in the driver’s seat…
when WE are paying ourselves.

Sick to your stomach yet?

Only 5% of women entrepreneurs ever break through the six-figure mark in annual revenues.

FIVE %.

Just, yuck.

Now, I know that at first glance this post may seem to BUILD the age-old argument that blames the big old, meanie pants “glass ceiling” for holding women back.

BUT, here is what common sense tells ME
and YOU
about glass ceilings,
and it is AMAZING “news:”

Once ONE person “breaks through,”
my friend…
the ceiling is SHATTERED.

We KNOW that many women have created six figures PLUS of annual revenue. 7 figures of annual revenue. We know that MANY women are out-earning their husbands or significant others. We KNOW that SOME women have broken through the “glass ceiling” and are soaring high…

And we KNOW
that Once ANY ceiling is compromised…
it is of NO USE.
It is IMPOTENT of its power.

Ceilings that have been “breached”
must be REPAIRED and REINFORCED
in order to be of any use at all.

That’s great news… but….

Here are 7 Specific Ways Women Entrepreneurs (Unknowingly) Repair and Reinforce their OWN glass ceilings… holding their income down and themselves back:

1. Women UnderValue Themselves.

   Some women don’t charge what they want… or even what they think they deserve…. And instead, charge what they think the other person will pay. This is akin to not asking for a raise or not negotiating your pay in the corporate world. But in the entrepreneurial world, there need not be ANY negotiation. Charge what you KNOW you are worth. Place a real VALUE on all you bring to the table… and watch your own income SHATTER previous “highs” in your career.

2. Women Entrepreneurs Too Often Follow the Rules of Business.

   You know, all of the “you should do this, FIRST.” rules. The “pay your dues” rules. The “wait to be noticed” rules. The “you’ve got to get your name out there” rules.

   Listen, if the statistics hold true, the rules of business lead to a 80% failure rate, OR WORSE. So, ignore the rules. Set up shop, speak to your market daily and SELL because you know it’s the noble and honorable thing to do, and deliver more than they expect. Anything else… is optional.

3. Women Entrepreneurs Have a Tendency to Dull Their Shine.

   And honestly… I get it. “mean girls” are alive and well on the internet, regardless of our age. There ARE people who will pick apart what you post. Shame you for your beliefs. Kick you out of a parade for differing EVEN ONE degree from what has been deemed “acceptable” groupthink. But, more than that… when you shine BRIGHTLY (as we all know we were born to do) you attract attention…

   You get critiques, yes..
   and also, compliments.
   And BOTH can make us uncomfortable.
   So, we sometimes squirm our way out.

   “No… I just got lucky.”
   “Thanks… but, I really just threw it together.”

   No, no no.

   Shine brightly,
   accept compliments,
   embrace what makes you AMAZING.
   OWN your SHINE.

4. We can sometimes fall victim to the addiction of approval.

   It’s like we take action…
   and then wait.
   Did “they” see it?
   Did “they” like it?
   Do you think they read the email yet? Why haven’t they responded? Maybe I’ll re-read it for the 100th time. =)

   I have seen even supremely proud and INCREDIBLY successful women entrepreneurs go into an emotional tailspin over a lack of comments on a live stream or take a post down due to lack of engagement.

   I wrote this article back in 2011, which still has merit today: http:// www.bmichellepippin.com/ hoping-to-impress-or-impact / Focus on IMPACTING people… instead of IMPRESSING people and you will see your income (and your brand) grow tremendously.

5. We can take NOs too personally.

   Look… I know your business is an EXTENSION of you. Truthfully, I decided this week that I will NOT
   absolutely WILL NOT
   accept ONE PENNY from someone
   who is NOT a Women Who WOW member.

   =) Literally… I love women who WOW.
   It is my proudest accomplishment yet.
   And when I personally reach out to invite someone to join our tribe of incredibly driven and accomplished women entrepreneurs… and they say NO???

   Many times, I’m honestly in disbelief. lol…
   Although, with time, I have learned that people ALWAYS self-select correctly: http:// www.bmichellepippin.com/ take-long-hard-look-reject- offer/

   And I DO have a tendency to take it personally…but every time I do, I Lose time. Time I COULD spend serving TRUE badasses, and SOULMATE members.

   Every NO is a good thing.
   Every NO leads you to an even better YES.
   So, collect your NOs.
   Even learn from them…
   But KEEP moving.
   Keep asking.
   Keep selling.

6. We sometimes dress in Costume.

   Comparison is the THIEF of joy.
   And when we are dressing up like someone else online,
   even if that person is WILDLY successful,
   it will quickly thwart our business growth.

   There was a time when I thought that in order to reach EVEN the level I’m at NOW, I’d have to get organized and proper and professional and polished. I thought I’d have to show up like the other leaders, wearing a power suit, red lips and well-coifed hair.

   Which was just NOT ever going to happen.
   Not for me.

   So, I set out to create success
   ON MY TERMS…
   WITHOUT COMPROMISING
   who I am,
   what i love,
   and how I CHOOSE to show up.

   And a funny thing happened,
   as soon as I dropped the entire charade of thinking I needed to show up like everyone else,
   my own brand
   and the demand for my own brand
   TOOK OFF.

7. We have a tendency to blame the glass ceiling… =(

   The MOMENT we make something outside of ourselves “the problem,” we ROB ourselves of the power to BECOME the solution.

   The moment we shirk FULL responsibility for our current circumstances, we give up our inherent power to change them.

   So, whether you blame a system, a man, your parents, your upbringing, your culture or the “glass ceiling”… really doesn’t matter. If you’re not seeing YOURSELF as FULLY empowered in your OWN life, you will NOT reach your full potential.

   ONLY when we take 100% responsibility for our success… do we take BACK 100% power to create it…. on our own terms, without compromise.