“Don’t you fall out all the time?” is often the response when I tell people that I run an agency with my sister.
Hmm… I wonder if two brothers in business are ever challenged on their working relationship? I suspect the answer is no. It seems the very idea of two women, not least two sisters, running a business together is a recipe for disaster.
Sure, as children we fought like cats and dogs (there was that one incident involving a shovel and some horse manure…) but as mature, adult women, my sister Celia Anderson and I are blessed with a fantastic relationship which extends to our business life, too. Since 2013, we’ve been running a copywriting agency together as sisters, co-partners and best mates.
Not just any copywriting agency
Siblinc was, and still is, the world’s only copywriting agency dedicated entirely to fashion product descriptions. We’ve built up a stack of great clients, working with international fashion houses such as Hugo Boss and Kurt Geiger as well as several boutique European labels and online retailers.
Setting up an agency, or indeed any business, is a challenge for anyone. But is it more of a challenge for women? We think so. Not least because of the daily juggling act required to run a business, coordinate childcare, pack school bags and remove broken snail shells wedged in between little toes, but also because it takes a lot of confidence and self belief to put yourself out there. Not all women struggle with this but it’s something both Celia and I come up against and we suspect we’re not the only ones.
Confidence is key to success and we’d like to share our top four tips for building on your confidence in business.
Setting up an agency, or indeed any business, is a challenge for anyone. But is it more of a challenge for women? We think so. Not least because of the daily juggling act required to run a business, coordinate childcare, pack school bags and remove broken snail shells wedged in between little toes, but also because it takes a lot of confidence and self belief to put yourself out there. Not all women struggle with this but it’s something both Celia and I come up against and we suspect we’re not the only ones.
Confidence is key to success and we’d like to share our top four tips for building on your confidence in business.
Tapping
If you haven’t come across this yet, check out Jessica Ortner on YouTube. Tapping is an ancient Chinese acupressure technique which works to change your mind, body and energy system all at once. Taking just five minutes each morning for tapping can have a powerful impact.
Imagine: if you faced each day without negativity, worry or fear, what could that mean for you and your business?
Visualisation
All successful entrepreneurs across the world share one thing in common: a clear picture of where they want to be. Visualisation is fundamental to business success. Taking time out for self care and creating a visualisation practice each day is just as important for your business as a solid marketing plan or a comprehensive social media strategy. But, sadly, it’s often the first thing that gets overlooked by many business owners.
Create a vision board, listen to visualisation meditations online (check out Jason Stephenson on YouTube) and map out what success will look like for you, not just in your business life but in your personal life, too.
Befriend other women in business
The expression ‘be wary of the friends who don’t applaud when you win’ is something which will resonate with many of you.
As women in business we should be building each other up, not tearing each other down. Surround yourself with likeminded women who want you to succeed just as much as they want success for themselves.
This is exactly why we love the Venus Awards: we recently attended the Devon and Cornwall ceremony and it was fantastic to see so many women being celebrated and recognised for doing amazing things.
Beat the boardroom nerves
Focus on winning the room, not the product. This is something which can be applied to any boardroom, or indeed any room. If you find yourself in a pitching situation, nerves can often get the better of you because you’re so focused on the product.
But remember, you are the product. Sell yourself. Allow your personality to shine through and don’t feel like you have to fit a corporate mold. If you win over the room, that relationship will reap far more rewards and last far longer than the value of the product itself.
Little and often
Confidence in business is a daily struggle for many but if you take time out for yourself, surround yourself with likeminded professional women, and allocate time each day to work on your confidence and self belief, just imagine the positive impact it’ll all have on you and your business.