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3 ways women hold themselves back in business

By on December 4, 2013
AC edited portrait

By Annemarie Cross.

Pay inequality.

Sadly, studies continue to show an 11 to 12 per cent gap in pay with men who have the similar skill sets and abilities being paid higher than their female colleagues for the exact same work.

Why does this happen? And, why is it that many women entrepreneurs also seem to struggle when it comes to getting paid what they’re worth?

In my article: Women Entrepreneurs: How Your Money Story Can Keep You Stuck I mentioned studies that had found that:

Women were more reluctant to initiate negotiation and when they did, they undervalued their work;

Women set lower targets for themselves before they even started a negotiation;

Women tended to accept the first offer and were hesitant to negotiate a better deal.

Melbourne Business School professor – Mara Olekains also stated that “In anticipation of a women’s lower expectation, their negotiation opponents also offered less than they would offer to comparably qualified men.”

I think that sucks! Big time!

Which leads me to wonder – are woman also bringing the same approach that is keeping them from getting paid what they’re worth when employed – into their own business?

Through my work with hundreds of women entrepreneurs and helping them get noticed, booked and paid what they are worth, here are three common things I’ve found were holding them back.

1. They didn’t believe in themselves

2. They doubted their skills and experience

3. They believed everything had to be perfect

If you resonate with any one of these areas, you too may be holding yourself back from smashing through your glass ceiling and getting paid what you’re worth.

Let’s look at each of these a little more closely:

Don’t believe in yourself and that you have what it takes to be successful?

This can often occur when we compare ourselves to what everyone else is doing and achieving, deepening the self-belief that you don’t have what it takes to be successful.

As I’ve written in my article: Fallen Victim to the Competitor Comparison Trap: – STOP comparing yourself to everyone else. Measure and look to expand YOUR personal best.

To do: Set yourself goals that are achievable and action plans so you continue moving forward to achieve your goals. Remember to celebrate all of your milestones – even the small wins. Everything counts and continues to get you closer to your main goal.

When you look at what other people are doing and achieving in their business, you’re forgetting that you are looking at them when they are at their best. You’re not privy to the challenges and obstacles they’ve had to overcome to get there.

Remember, you CAN achieve whatever you set your mind to. The only person who can stop you – is you!

Doubt that your skills and experience are enough to build a successful business?

Think you don’t have the necessary skills and experience you need to ensure your business is a success?

If you’re unsure about something, get a mentor/coach, enroll in a program, or hire someone to help you.

You don’t have to do everything yourself, and you certainly don’t have to know everything yourself. In fact, believing that you need to know and do everything on your own will definitely keep you from smashing through your glass ceiling.

Learn the skill you need, or outsource it.

Think you need to have everything set up perfectly before you can build a successful?

Believe that you need to have the best looking website, brochures, business cards, logo, social media presence, or (fill in the blank) before you can build a successful business?

Getting caught up in the perfection syndrome will again – keep you from smashing through your glass ceiling, especially if it stops you from getting clients.

Something my mentor/coach once said to me that I’d like to pass on to you is: “Go and get a client!” Ok?

Don’t let the fact that you don’t have your website looking perfect or whatever else it is that you think you need – stop you from going out and getting clients.

Annemarie Cross is an authority in influence and impact – a Business Coach residing in Melbourne.

Money, Marketing & Mindset Business Coach for Women Entrepreneurs: Annemarie draws on her 18+ years’ award-winning expertise to provide ‘step-by-step’ personal branding, business building and marketing strategies alongside breakthrough personal, business & money mindset principles for women in business so they can stand out, get more clients and build a wildly successful business doing what they love. Annemarie is also the International Award-Winning Podcast Host of the www.AmbitiousEntrepreneurShow.com.

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