Reflections

– What are some ways women can gain better access to finance and capital?

– How can governments and institutions better support women in entrepreneurship?

– What policy changes do you think could help reduce gender inequality in entrepreneurship in your country?

– What changes can you implement in your business approach to overcome some of the barriers presented above?

Empowering Women Entrepreneurs: Building Resilience

DEFINITION: Resilience is the capacity to recover from adversity, adapt to change, and face challenges with determination. It encompasses the ability to maintain flexibility in difficult situations, foster strong social support networks, and engage in self-reflection to grow from experiences. Resilience is not an inherent trait, but a skill that can be cultivated over time through practice and persistence. By developing resilience, individuals are better equipped to handle setbacks, stay focused on long-term goals, and continue progressing despite the obstacles they encounter.

IMPORTANCE: Resilience is a vital attribute for personal and professional success because it equips individuals with the mental and emotional strength to navigate challenges, setbacks, and adversity. In today’s fast-paced, unpredictable environment, resilience allows people to stay focused on their goals, manage stress effectively, and remain adaptable to changing circumstances. Without resilience, even minor challenges can feel overwhelming, leading to burnout, frustration, or giving up.

Traits that foster resilience

Flexibility: is the ability to adapt to changing circumstances, remain open to new ideas and strategies. It’s a critical trait for entrepreneurs, enabling them to respond to unexpected challenges.

Example: Judit Polgár – as one of the greatest female chess players, Judit faced and overcame the challenge of being a woman in a male-dominated sport. Her ability to adapt her strategies and continuously improve her game is a testament to her resilience and flexibility.

You can read more about: Judit Polgár – Wikipedia

Adaptability: is the ability to adjust your thoughts, behaviours, and strategies in response to the changing conditions. 

Example: Mária Telkes – known as the “Sun Queen,” she was a Hungarian-American scientist who faced numerous challenges in her career, particularly in the male-dominated field of science. Despite these obstacles, she adapted her research and focus to continue innovating in solar energy technology. Her adaptability was key to her success in developing solar-powered devices, including the first solar-heated house. 

You can read more about: Mária Telkes – Wikipedia

PERSEVERANCE:  plays a crucial role in achieving long term goals, helps individuals push through difficult situations and keep moving forward. Fosters resilience, as repeatedly facing challenges and persisting through them builds mental toughness.

Example:Katherine Johnson was a pioneering African American mathematician and physicist who made significant contributions to NASA’s space exploration efforts. She is best known for her role in performing complex calculations that enabled the United States to successfully send astronauts into space and return them safely. One of her most famous achievements is when astronaut John Glenn specifically requested that Katherine Johnson verify the electronic calculations for his orbital flight around Earth. Glenn’s confidence in her abilities speaks to her expertise, as this flight was a key moment in the Space Race.

You can read more about: Katherine Johnson – Wikipedia

Watch the inspiring movie about her carrier: Hidden Figures – Wikipedia

FURTHER TRAITS that foster resilience:

Optimism, Problem-Solving Skills, Self-Reflection,, Gratitude, Emotional regulation, Physical Well-being… and many others, we will see it during the training.

Conclusion and takeaways

Recap: Resilience involves the ability to bounce back from adversity, remain flexible in the face of change, and confront challenges directly. Key components of resilience include building strong social support networks, cultivating adaptability, and engaging in regular self-reflection. These qualities allow individuals to manage setbacks more effectively and continue progressing toward their goals despite obstacles.

Encouragement: As an entrepreneur, integrating these principles into your journey will help you navigate the inevitable ups and downs of business life. By embracing resilience, you can face challenges head-on, adapt to shifting circumstances, and leverage your support network for guidance and encouragement. In doing so, you’ll create a solid foundation for long-term success.

Final thoughts: Resilience is not just a fixed trait, but a skill that can be nurtured and strengthened with consistent practice. Over time, you can develop the mental and emotional fortitude needed to overcome difficulties and persevere, ensuring that you remain on course toward achieving your entrepreneurial aspirations.

Exercise: Learn something new

Learning something new and stepping out of your comfort zone are important because they promote personal growth, build resilience, and open up opportunities for success. When you push past familiar boundaries, you gain self-awareness, discovering your strengths and areas for improvement. This process boosts confidence as overcoming challenges shows you’re capable of more than you think. Stepping outside your comfort zone also exposes you to new experiences, ideas, and people, creating pathways for innovation and personal development. Ultimately, it helps you adapt to change, manage stress, and achieve long-term fulfilment in both personal and professional areas.

Part 1: Think about your entrepreneurial goals. List 3-5 resilience skills or abilities that you already have but would like to strengthen, or that you would like to learn   and start applying.

Part 2: Rate your current proficiency in these skills on a scale of 0-5. How strong are they, and how often do you use them in your daily routine?

Part 3: What is your motivation for improving these skills? Consider the reasons or situations that are driving your desire to develop these skills.

Part 4: Describe how your work and life will change as a result?

Part 5: Think about a particularly challenging workday. How will you incorporate and apply these new and/or improved skills in that scenario?

Reflection: 

Take a few moments to reflect on the importance of stepping out of your comfort zone. This is a crucial part of personal and professional growth. Please consider the following questions:

• Think back to a situation when you stepped out of your comfort zone. What challenges did you face, and how did you grow from that experience?

• Identify one specific area in your life where you can push yourself beyond your current comfort zone. How could this help you achieve more, either personally or professionally?

• Consider how stepping out of your comfort zone can help you develop new skills and build resilience. How do you think this will prepare you to handle future challenges?

Exercise: Manage your energy

Energy management is crucial for maintaining both your productivity and well-being throughout the day. Unlike time, energy is a limited resource that fluctuates based on various factors—physical, mental, and emotional. By understanding what activities drain your energy and what boosts it, you can take control of your daily performance and avoid burnout.

This exercise is designed to help you visualise your energy levels during different parts of your workday. By identifying energy drainers and boosters, you’ll develop a personalised plan to eliminate what drains you and enhance what recharges you. Effective energy management not only improves your focus and efficiency but also helps maintain your resilience, allowing you to thrive in both personal and professional settings.

Let’s get started and take the first step towards optimising your energy!

Part 1: 

Step 1: On a blank piece of paper, draw 3 large flowers with 10 petals. These flowers represent your energy and well-being.

Step 2: Reflect on your workday from beginning to end. Using a scale from 1 to 10, colour or shade the petals to illustrate your energy level:

Flower 1 = Morning

Flower 2 = Afternoon

Flower 3 = Evening

A bright, fully coloured petal represents peak energy (8-10)

A partially coloured petal indicates moderate energy (4-7)

A faded or uncolored petal suggests low energy (1-3).

Part 2: 

Identify the factors (such as activities, relationships, etc.) that drain your energy and those that boost your energy during your workday. Write your list  next to the flowers. 

Examples of energy drainers: long meetings, multitasking,  tedious tasks, learning with the kids, doing the shopping,  etc…

Examples of energy boosters: positive interactions, breaks during the day, relaxation, exercise, walk, good sleep, etc…

Part 3: 

Select three energy drainers from your list and create a plan to eliminate them.

Select three energy boosters from your list and create a plan to enhance them, and practise them more often.

Reflection: 

Take a few moments to reflect on your energy management throughout the day, focusing on both energy drainers and boosters: 

-When was the last time you actively checked in on your energy levels, and how did it impact your performance and well-being?

– How do you feel when you engage in energy boosters, and what positive effects do they have on your well-being?

-What specific actions or habits can you incorporate into your routine to recharge your energy more effectively throughout the day?

 Exercise: Processing best practices

As part of your training, you’ll be watching motivational videos featuring successful women entrepreneurs. 

Watching motivational videos featuring successful women entrepreneurs is a powerful tool for building resilience. These videos allow you to learn from the experiences of others who have overcome challenges and setbacks in their journeys. By seeing how they manage adversity, you gain practical strategies that you can apply to your own entrepreneurial path, helping you handle difficulties more effectively.

Beyond learning, these videos provide a source of inspiration and motivation. Witnessing the success of others, especially those who have faced similar struggles, boosts your confidence and encourages a growth mindset, which are essential components of resilience. You also get the opportunity to observe best practices and strategies that have worked for others, which you can adapt to suit your own needs.

The process of watching and reflecting on these videos allows you to internalise the lessons and apply them to your own life. This reflection not only helps you make better decisions but also strengthens your ability to recover and grow from challenges, enhancing your overall resilience.

Please watch the motivational videos and then answer the questions: 

1. What strategies or tactics did she use to grow her business?

2. What lessons does she highlight that could be relevant to your own journey?

3. How did she transform obstacles into opportunities?

4. How crucial was networking to her success? Does she mention any significant relationships or partnerships that contributed to her growth?

5. What are your top three takeaways from the videos?

Reflection

Take a few moments to reflect on your strengths, areas for improvement, and how you can work towards building resilience. As you do, think about the following:

-How can your strengths help you reach your resilience goals? What actions will you take to use them when things get tough?

-What can you do to improve the weaknesses you listed? How will these changes help you deal with challenges better?

How will you get your support network involved in your resilience goals, and how can their feedback help you stay focused?