Sex & the Entrepreneur

It’s a fact. Men and women are different.  They’re different physically.  They’re different mentally.  They differ emotionally.  Historically, women were often encouraged to be caretakers – and men the risk takers.  But these days, it’s the entrepreneurial spirit of the ladies that’s adding fuel back into the economy.  In fact, an October 2010 report from the National Economic Council showed that women own 30 percent of all privately-held, small businesses in the U.S.  So ladies, here’s the question: why do women make good business owners?  Cotton Candy contributor Ornella Grosz spells out just a few of a woman’s natural strengths that can translate into M-O-N-E-Y.

Developing Relationships

Women are natural-born leaders.  Part of being a strong leader is developing relationships.  Women often value relationships – sometimes more than our male counterparts. And there is an undisputed correlation between positive interactions with an employee and performance.  Employees who have open, professional relationships with their bosses tend to have higher morale. Women often nurture these relationships.  Nurturing relationships with your employees and constant mentoring can boost performance.  Developing action plans to enrich an employee’s workplace experience can help a person reach maximum potential.

Multitasking

And as many of you already know from your daily lives, we women are great at multitasking. That skill often translates into a great businessowner.  Running a household and operating a business require many of the same skills, attitudes and abilities to multitask.  Women are constantly pulled in different directions,   continually making decisions and are consistently distracted when managing a household.  But these organizational skills enable women to be great entrepreneurs.  Some scientists say women have Mother Nature to thank for their uncanny ability
to multitask.  They say compared to men, women have more nerve fibers connecting the left side of the brain to the right side, making the transferring of data faster for women.  The result:  women can spend the day at the office, be a supportive mom and a nurturing wife with excellence.

Communication

Another important skill that woman often posses: clear communication. Communication is not only key for relationships, but, for running a successful business.  Several psychologists say men tend to focus on fast decision-making and production.   They say women value communication, an inherently important part in succeeding as a business owner.  Through verbal communication, talented employees are more likely to remain on the job, work harder and take on multiple tasks. They are more likely to feel valued and appreciated.

Final Note: Women make strong business owners. As many continue to make professional transitions in their lives, consider turning your hobby into a career change.  As a woman, your natural abilities just may be the skills you need to start a new, rewarding venture.

Written by: Ornella Grosz
Ornella Grosz is the author of Moneylicious: A Financial Clue for Generation Y