One of Kansas City’s accomplished businesswomen, Cheryl Womack, answers letters from women seeking advice and encouragement for their business endeavors.
Dear Cheryl,
For many years I have dreamed of owning my own business and doing something I love. I have done everything, from selling perfume, clothes and jewelry from the back of my car to coming up with designs for handbags and ladies sleepwear, all while being in an abusive marriage for 20 years, working and raising two kids. I also attended undergraduate school.
It’s been four years since I divorced my husband. I’ve since graduated with an MBA and become a school teacher, and I’m stuck. I’m stuck because now my job tells me I need to take additional credits in order to receive a standard teaching certificate, and I didn’t see it coming. I can lose my job as of January.
I came up with an idea to enter into the food specialty industry, and I talked it over with my 19-year-old son. I did the research and began putting things together to start Ð but my dreams were crushed, or should I say died, the morning my son was murdered on May 28.
So here I am at 3:55 in the morning crying as I write this e-mail. I can’t sleep. I would like to know how to overcome the obstacle of someone shooting my son in the head!
I’m not looking for sympathy. I just want to get out of the rat race. I am a hardworking woman, and I need to know how to make my plan work to work past my pain. Please help me with information. - Darlene
Dear Darlene,
You have a remarkable story, and it demonstrates your strong and vital character.
With your success in selling out of the back of your car, how did you determine that you wanted to teach? Having your Master’s or any other degree is always a plus but really doesn’t mean a thing if you’re working for yourself and you own the place.
I can’t imagine how horrible it must have been for you to have lost your son. Yours is a truly difficult story. Let me suggest that you take the sadness and the hardship of this terrible loss and use the energy that you are using to fight off the disappointment and sadness and refocus it to start your business. It sounds like you could do it out of your house to begin.
You have told me that by going to college, surviving an abusive relationship, and successfully selling products out of the back of your car that you are resourceful and determined. These are two critical elements required to be a remarkable and successful entrepreneur.
Part of what you have to overcome is the fear of getting started. Put this energy into trying just one thing instead of trying so many different things. You have your education and now you need to focus on one single plan and see it through to a conclusion. You will have more money, opportunities and happiness. You will be a role model to countless others showing that you chose to use the energy you were using to mourn your son to celebrate him instead. Maybe even name the business after him in some way. It will mean more to you than anything.
Dear Cheryl,
I currently work full time. My five-year plan is to begin my own business. To get there I need further experience. I think the next step for me is to become an Executive Assistant or PA to a remarkable and inspirational Business Director/Leader whilst I continue with part-time Business Studies in preparation for this. I know I can apply to agencies that will easily slip me into this kind of role, but what I want is to find the right type of person to attach myself to.
Is there a job listing or list of leading women who need a back up woman in Sydney, Australia?
Thank you. I appreciate any advice you can muster! - Tracey from Australia
Dear Tracey,
Some immediate input is that if you are working on a five-year plan, you have the first thing figured out. Setting time limits on your goals is critical if you are going to succeed at anything. You may have to go through a few lemons to get the type of women that you are willing to be mentored by while getting paid to work for them as well.
I imagine that your ambitions are significantly stronger than being a PA for someone?! What is it that you want to do in life? What things do you do well, what things seem more like a hobby than work, what are your life ambitions? Working for a successful person will not help you find these things unless you begin to look for and find them out about yourself before you start any enterprise or become involved in someone else’s dream. You are on the right path to set timed goals, but I can’t see where you have identified anything specific for yourself that will help you focus on what type of women you want to work for or even if you really want to do that once you know more about yourself.
It is more important at this point to learn about you than to learn about someone else. You will then be in a better position to look for a mentor.
In addition to multiple business interests, Cheryl Womack leads the Star Group in program development for recognizing the Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World™. www.leadingwomen.org.
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