Women have come a long way in a very short space in business in Australia and all over the world.
But there are still barriers to being truly empowered, and we sought out four of Australia’s successful businesswomen to tell us how women can be further empowered at work.
This is what they told us:
Sonia Gibson – Award Winning Owner of Accounting Heart
Sonia’s the director of Accounting Heart, and she has won Accountant of the Year, a Stevie Award and more. She says female empowerment often starts with a seat at the top table. She points to Deloitte’s research, which shows only 15% of participants in board meetings are women.
She also says women need to be encouraged to speak up once they have their place at the table. It’s no use to include women and then fail to elicit their contributions. “This is doubly true in virtual meetings,” Sonia offers, “many women are trying to balance the needs of work and family while working from home, and it’s not so easy to read virtual cues. Making space for a woman to talk makes it easier for her to contribute.”
Amy Sanders-Robbins – Award Winning Director Of Bespoke Family Lawyers
Amy’s legal practice Bespoke Family Lawyers helps people uncouple legally and mindfully, so they can move forward confidently. She says it’s important to understand your personal finances and how they interact with your business if you want to feel in control. “Be clear about what you want and how the business should work for you, now and into the future.”
“I encourage all women in business to make a plan around their personal needs, income and business life. By being clear on your situation, you can build your business to support the life you want and have options if your personal circumstances change.”
She says this approach empowers women to be in the driver’s seat, so they can make confident, informed decisions from a place of clarity when life changes.
Emma Allen – Award Winning Director of Active Property Investing
Emma is all about helping everyday Australians better plan their investments and find quality properties that bring real returns for the investor. She says feeling empowered in business begins with trusting yourself and your own judgement.
She notes, “This doesn’t mean everything turns out the way you think it will. But by staying true to yourself, you’re better prepared to navigate the hurdles in your way and find the place that you are meant to find eventually.”
She also warns that you can easily disempower yourself if you don’t accept that success isn’t always a straight-line road. She says, “You will encounter obstacles, and they won’t all be within your control. Accepting this gives you the most room to navigate around problems as they arise.”
Faye Tan – Award Winning Founder Of Mama Movement
Faye’s business Mama Movement is an exciting new label that creates colourful disruption in the active-wear industry. Her colourful and bold active-wear helps women enjoy exercise by empowering them to celebrate their bodies with colour. It’s her passion project, and she quits the corporate world for her own business.
She says the key to being an empowered businessperson is to lead with purpose. She says, “so many people now make their buying decisions with their hearts. They want to buy products and services that they can truly believe in.”
“To make that work for you, you need to make it clear to the customer the WHY behind your products. Every interaction you have with a potential customer should be treated as another opportunity to show them your purpose. If you make shopping with your business an experience that makes people feel good, they won’t stop coming back.”
Final Thoughts Of Female Empowerment In Business
Being empowered is something that each woman in business needs to find within herself. Now, of course, others can help or hinder us on this journey, but if you want to succeed, you need to feel capable of succeeding.
Fortunately, these four amazing success stories in business have shared their tips to get you started on your journey of self-empowerment. Good luck!
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