PRACTICAL WAYS WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS CAN SUPPORT EACH OTHER

4 years ago, I heard Tom Bilyeu say ‘Community is the new currency’, and totally agreed with him. At the time, I was on the Mandela Washington Fellowship studying at Kellog’s Business School, Northwestern University. How did I get there? The answer is a long story but the short version is that God has blessed me with a very supportive community. Today, I want to use some of my entrepreneurial experiences to explain how women entrepreneurs can support each other.

Source products and buy from each other

Last year, I conducted a one-off Sales Strategy Coaching Session for some of the women in The Fabulous Woman Community. Afterwards, I asked them if they would be interested in a Grow Your Instagram challenge I wanted to pilot. Little did I know that this would deepen the bond we had. In December, when the group members were thanking each other, I was pleasantly surprised by what I read. A number of them thanked others for patronising their goods and services.

One person made a long list of ladies who had patronized from her within such a short period. Imagine my joy! See, this is why networking and community matters. To me, buying from each other is one of the best ways women entrepreneurs can support each other. ‘But Ama, I don’t need her products and services.’ Did I hear you say? No problem, go to the next point.

Engage with their posts

Have you heard of the so-called social media algorithm? Well, this machine sitting somewhere determines who to show your posts to depending on who is already engaging with your posts. Engagement can be a like, comment, share, visit to profile or any action taken as a result of seeing a post. For instance, if I post something and a woman living in Chicago comments, Opana algorithm will likely show it to another woman living in Chicago. In other words, people with similar features on the same platform.

Therefore, even if you do not need a woman’s products and services at the moment, simply engaging with her posts works. One of the easiest ways to engage on Instagram for instance is to share their post to your stories. I was so happy when one lady told me she had patronised the hair products of another lady whose pictures I shared. She said to me ‘I’m trying to source from women within the network’ You see what I mean? My bald head didn’t need her hair products, but my stories helped her sell.

Refer businesses

You’ve heard of the law of cause and effect right? I have seen it work so many times it is freaky! Trust me on this one and refer the services of women entrepreneurs you know to others. Be quick to recommend and see how others will recommend you as well. People ask me all the time to recommend one thing or the other. I love racking through my brain to find people who solve problems so I can connect them to those who need it.

Of course there is a risk involved. On a few occasions, I have gotten in trouble when for instance the recommended person didn’t deliver. Well, I don’t believe we must stop recommending everyone because someone messed up. In any case, I intend to share on ways women entrepreneurs can make it easy to be supported. Join me on the next episode of Mind Your Business, will you?

Collaborate

One of the best business moves I made at the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey ws to collaborate with other brands. For instance, in the first three years we collaborated with Yawa of the Leading Ladies Network to conduct her Strategy Retreat. At the time, all I wanted was an opportunity to bring her wonderful product to the women I served. Little did I know that this was the beginning of a mutually beneficial relationship with many blessings.

Last year, Vera Obeng asked us to do a giveaway on social media. I had never done one before and didn’t even know where to start. I dilly dallied saa until a few days to the end of the year, I began panicking. After looking taking inspiration from how others did their giveaways, Vera and I agreed on a Christmas giveaway on Instagram. I really didn’t know what would become of it but we did it anyway in four days or so.

I was pleasantly surprised when Vera told me she had gained 26 new followers just from the giveaway. I was like what?! In fact, it was on this day that I had the idea to do a Mind Your Business episode on this subject. I kept thinking, ‘wow we should definitely have more collaborations’

Teach others what you know

Frankly, I believe if you have valuable knowledge and do not share it, Jesus is soaking your cane in kerosene. Oh you’ll enter heaven alright, but not before He gives you a couple of lashes for being stingy with your knowledge haha! I don’t mean this should be free all the time of course. By all means, charge a fee for your time, effort, etc. Besides, most people only commit to doing the work when their skin is in the game.

One of the best gifts I gave to myself in 2020 was to invest in a course creation training by Kristi Jackson of Women CEO Project. It cost me some $$$ but I have made so much more from applying the knowledge. Imagine if she had held on to that knowledge, who knows? If you are in business and are not teaching what you know already, consider that as an extra stream of income. Do I hear you say, ‘Ama I don’t know how to teach oh’? Well, you can learn it. Or perhaps write a book. Or something.

Find a way to teach what you know. You really don’t want to die with all that $$$-making knowledge do you? (I’m rolling my eyes at you). Aha! I bet someone is thinking ‘who am I to teach others?’. If this thought occurs to you, tell Mr. Imposter Syndrome to go climb a tree! And for the person thinking, ‘what will others say’? I ask you, ‘how dare you allow others to stop you from doing God’s work’? OK, now that I’ve gotten these off my chest, let’s move on to the next point.

Hold each other accountable

Do you struggle to do what you gotta do? One way to reduce this kind of stress is to have an Accountability Partner, Coach or a Mastermind group. There is magic in a few other people knowing what you want to do, brainstorming with you and cheering you on. It’s amazing how sometimes you sit and crack your brain saaaa for an answer. You pray, nothing. And then during a conversation with someone a light bulb just goes off in your head. That my friend, is your answer from God.

Moreso, the mere fact that there is another woman entrepreneur banging on your door screaming ‘get your butt out and sell’ is fire! OK, I don’t mean that in literal terms but you know what I mean. I talk more about accountability partners here https://fabhub.lpages.co/4-key-partners/

Pray for each other

Finally finally my sisterine, if you cannot

  • buy from her
  • engage with her posts
  • refer her business
  • collaborate with her
  • teach her what you know
  • hold her accountable

Just pray for her. Ask God to give women entrepreneurs wisdom to make money. You know why, many women entrepreneurs need the money so they can help others. Besides, when your income far exceeds your expenses, paying tithe and making donations doesn’t hurt at all. You become a cheerful giver!

On that note Instagram Marketing For Beginners Workshop

Before I let you go, some of my recent workshop participants made a request which I thought will interest you as well. Instagram Marketing For Beginners Workshop will help participants learn how to:

  • Set up an Instagram Business Account
  • Complete their bio
  • Have multiple links accessible in their bio
  • Create highlights
  • Understand how to use the insights
  • Create posts, reels and IGTV
  • Market their products and services using Instagram

As usual, I will teach the skills, strategies and tools which have worked for my business and can work for you too. Early bird discount applies so hurry and head over to  http://bit.ly/InstagramMarketingForBeginnersWorkshop.

Ama xx

PS: Be nice and share this blog post OK?

Photo Credit: Vera Obeng Photography