14 P’s of The Perfect Business Woman

The perfect business woman – we all know of course that there is no such thing because we’re all human and occasionally our crowns slip sideways and we stuff up. But there are aspects, both personal and business oriented, that are must haves at a reasonably high standard if we are to succeed in our business and as a business owner. I call them my 14 P’s of the Perfect Business Woman. I don’t want this blog to overwhelm you so I’ll just give a quick overview of each one. 

1.  PROFESSIONALISM

Definition: the skill, good judgment, and polite behavior that is expected from a person who is trained to do a job well. A high level of professionalism is expected when working with clients. A high professional standard means you are doing your business relationships well, treating your clients well, have strong emotional maturity, make well informed business decisions, conduct yourself well, have a good reputation and character.

2.  PEOPLE SKILLS

It is not surprising to find someone who has a fantastic business but has a reputation for being hardnosed, abrupt, self focused, even just plain rude. When hubby and I ran our wholesale business for 7 years this never ceased to surprise us. The reason these businesses generally succeed is because they have a strong monopoly or market niche, were in the right place at the right time etc. BUT generally you cannot afford to have grotty people skills. It will lose you business.

3.  PRESENTATION

By this I mean your personal presentation. As the perfect business woman we do not have to be expensively dressed, but dressed appropriately, clean and tidy, nicely groomed, with brushed hair, clean and deodorant is very important. I attended a networking event once where one of the women arrived in tatty hem ripped jeans, stained top, ill fitting clothes in general. But horror of horrors when she bent over to pick up something off the floor, because her jeans were so badly fitting, we all got to see more of her butt and sad sack g-string than we should have. I have also experienced this with a waitress at a cafe I visited when she leant over to clean the table. If your business is online you can work in your pyjamas but when you go out you need to look sharp. Using the F-word and other expletives is a No No.

4.  PASSION

You need to have a passion for your business/product/service.  WHY?  Because you will never be able to sell yourself, your products or service well if you do not love what you do.

5.  PARTNERING

Perfect business women know how to partner and collaborate with others for mutually beneficial business building. Partnering with other business owners in co-sponsorships, giveaway collaborations, or mutual promotion are becoming so important these days to get your name/product out there. Learning to work well with others in your business and appreciating the strengths they bring to your business is also vital. Think about partnerships (formal or informal) that enhance your business life, such as your lawyer, accountant, business mentor, and your family.

6.  PERSEVERANCE

Rome was not built in a day and neither will your business be. Most businesses take a lot of hard work and commitment, patience and perseverance and you will need to develop these within yourself if you are to make it through the first two years.

7.  PROACTIVE

Great business people are proactive people. They take life and business by the horns and make it happen. They don’t wait for clients to walk through the door, they work hard to attract them. They don’t procrastinate and leave important things undone, avoid conflict or making hard decisions. They don’t play the victim or the blame game; they take responsibility for their stuff and get it done.

8.  PRIORITIES

Learning to set goals, plan action steps, run a good TO DO list, prioritize tasks and people are essential skills. As a busy business person you cannot afford to be overtaken by the tyranny of the urgent. Learn how to manage your time well and develop good organisational skills.

9.  PROMOTION

No business grows without promotion. So many of us hate spending that advertising dollar what ever media we choose to do it on, but the reality is that your business will not grow itself unless you tell someone about your products/service. Having a good promotional/marketing plan is essential.

10.  PLANNING

This isn’t just goal setting but having a step by step action plan about where you’re going and how you’re going to get there, including what resources you need. A famous quote says a life without a purpose becomes a wandering generality. A business without plans will soon lose its way.

11.  PROBLEM SOLVING

Such an important skill to learn for any business person. Business life is full of problems that need solutions. Knowing how to resolve difficulties and gnarly situations will help you to stay in better emotional control when things go hay-wire.

12.  PROCESSES

S.Y.S.T.E.M.(s) save your sanity, time, energy and money. Get organised, have tight systems and processes for all of your business activities. Get help with this if you need to. Sloppy systems will drive you nuts and keep you unproductive and unprofitable.

13.  PROFIT

The perfect business woman does not start a business until she has first worked out her profit margins. Not all great ideas will make you money. Don’t give away products with high profit margins or over discount. Be very strategic about this. Learn how to read your accounts properly and calculate gross and net profit margins, break-even point. You ABSOLUTELY must learn how to manage your cashflow and understand where your gross profit is being spent.

14.  PROTECTION

Last but not least, have protections in place for yourself and your business. By this I mean appropriate insurances, health and safety practices, correct employment procedures, permits and adherence to local regulations, lawyer vetted contracts and strong terms and conditions.

So there you are, not an absolute list, but a good start to help you be realistic about what you need personally and business wise to build a great business and be a professional business owner. 

If you’re starting up a small business or struggling with any of the aspects above, then I can help. There’s more info on this on my Business Mentoring page.

Happy money making

Fiona