| Every woman business owner wears several | | | | isn't experiencing the freedom she craves. Ebbs |
| different hats throughout the day. From being a | | | | and flows will smooth out over time, and a |
| wife and a mother to being an employer, a | | | | low-maintenance, constant marketing system will |
| business owner, and a friend, each type of female | | | | help, too. In the meantime, Accidental Jane will |
| entrepreneur handles each type of relationship | | | | continue to balance her business and her |
| differently. While some women business owners | | | | relationships. Here are some tips for how to |
| undoubtedly stand out as shining examples of | | | | manage that balance: |
| how to handle various types of relationships, | | | | In business: Because Accidental Jane business |
| others face challenges with communicating and | | | | owners often started their businesses to escape |
| prioritizing. The good news is that challenges can | | | | corporate politics, they usually do not want to hire |
| be beat with the right information and tools | | | | employees, or to be tied to regular office hours. |
| strategies. | | | | Therefore, if they do need help they end up hiring |
| A recent study reveals there are five distinct | | | | contract workers who can meet their needs |
| types of women in business. Based on | | | | without requiring the same attention as traditional |
| professional market research of more than 2,500 | | | | employees do. Accidental Jane must work to |
| women in business, this study shows that each | | | | ensure that she is available to answer her helpers' |
| type of business owner has a unique approach to | | | | questions, though, so they know exactly how to |
| running a business and to handling the other details | | | | meet her needs. Also, making the most of her |
| of her life - and therefore each one has a unique | | | | business relationships by networking and |
| combination of needs. This article outlines three of | | | | maintaining regular contact with past and current |
| the five types and provides tips for making the | | | | clients will help Accidental Jane to maintain a more |
| most of their relationships. | | | | even workload. She values receiving positive |
| Jane Dough is an entrepreneur who enjoys | | | | feedback and repeat business, so that |
| running her business and makes good money. She | | | | maintenance will increase her personal satisfaction, |
| is comfortable and determined in buying and | | | | too. |
| selling, which may be why she's five times more | | | | At home: Although Accidental Jane business |
| likely than the average female business owner to | | | | owners reported high levels of satisfaction with |
| hit the million dollar mark. Jane Dough is clear in | | | | their work-life balances, they also wished for a |
| her priorities and may be intentionally and actively | | | | more even workload. Because her workload |
| growing an asset-based or legacy business. It is | | | | varies so much from day to day, Accidental Jane |
| estimated that 18% of women fall in the | | | | may feel one day like she can't stop working |
| category of Jane Dough. | | | | early to attend a child's T-ball game; while the |
| While Jane Dough is arguably the most | | | | following week she may wish there were 3 T-ball |
| "traditionally" successful type of female | | | | games with which she could occupy her time. The |
| entrepreneur, she faces certain unique challenges | | | | unpredictability of her workload can wreak havoc |
| when it comes to relationships. | | | | on her ability or desire to create personal plans. |
| In business: Jane Dough is a fast-paced | | | | As her workload evens out, plans will become |
| entrepreneur who strives for aggressive growth. | | | | easier to make. In the meantime, she can make a |
| The speed with which she operates may keep | | | | point of rescheduling, rather than canceling, any |
| her from effectively communicating her business | | | | plans that must make way for a big project or |
| vision to her team members - and it may make | | | | new client. Accidental Jane values being a positive |
| her come across as brusque and impatient. When | | | | role model for others, and will encourage her |
| communication fails and team members do not | | | | children to find career paths they love and enjoy. |
| live up to Jane Dough's expectations, she may | | | | Merry Jane is an entrepreneur who usually is |
| react quickly by firing them. To improve her | | | | building a part-time or "flexible time" business that |
| relationships with members of the team, Jane | | | | gives her a creative outlet that she can manage |
| Dough can schedule regular planning retreats and | | | | within specific constraints around her schedule |
| performance reviews. The planning retreats will | | | | (whether she's an ad agency consultant or she |
| give her an opportunity to share her short- and | | | | makes beautiful artwork). She may have a |
| long-term visions with her team members in a | | | | day-job, or need to be fully present for family or |
| pre-planned format so everyone understands the | | | | other pursuits. She realizes she could make more |
| direction she's going with the company. The | | | | money by working longer hours, but she's happy |
| performance reviews will give team members an | | | | with the tradeoff she has made because her |
| opportunity to hear feedback from their | | | | business gives her tremendous freedom to work |
| employer, and to share any ideas they have | | | | how and when she wants, around her other |
| developed (and this fosters a feeling of ownership | | | | commitments. |
| in the company). Jane Dough should also keep in | | | | Merry Jane's myriad responsibilities demand that |
| mind that while she is adept at keeping her | | | | she manage her time - and her relationships - well. |
| business separate from her personal life, others | | | | She has more freedom than any of the other |
| are not - so she needs to work on | | | | types of business owners have, and she enjoys |
| communicating clearly yet kindly with team | | | | that. When it comes to her relationships, then, she |
| members and with colleagues, vendors and clients. | | | | can learn to manage them so she gets the |
| At home: As previously mentioned, Jane | | | | maximum value. |
| Dough is skilled at keeping her business life | | | | In business: Merry Jane business owners |
| separate from her personal life. Therefore, when | | | | often would like to earn more money. To do so, |
| she arrives home, she is fully present for her | | | | a Merry Jane entrepreneur must utilize her |
| family members. While most Jane Dough business | | | | existing business relationships. By surveying her |
| owners reported a high level of satisfaction with | | | | customers or clients, she can get a clearer picture |
| their work-life balance, they also reported working | | | | of exactly what they most enjoy about her |
| long hours. While this type of business owner may | | | | services or products, and she can then market to |
| feel satisfied with her work-life balance, she must | | | | an audience most like the one with which she |
| consider the opinions of her family members if | | | | currently finds success. One thing to keep in mind: |
| her business demands large quantities of her time. | | | | because Merry Jane is so busy, it is imperative |
| Accidental Jane is a successful, confident business | | | | that she find a way to remain available for |
| owner who never actually set out to start a | | | | contact if team members have any questions |
| business. Instead, she may have decided to start | | | | when she is not in the office. This does not mean |
| a business due to frustration with her job or a | | | | being available all day, every day; rather, it means |
| layoff and then she decided to use her business | | | | being specific with team members about how and |
| and personal contacts to strike out on her own. | | | | when to contact her for important questions. |
| Or, she may have started making something that | | | | At home: Merry Jane is determined to make |
| served her own unmet needs and found other | | | | a contribution to her household, whether it's |
| customers with the same need, giving birth to a | | | | financially or otherwise. Therefore, she is |
| business. Although Accidental Jane may | | | | exceptional at being fully present when she is |
| sometimes struggle with prioritizing what she | | | | home. From taking care of her children to working |
| needs to do next in her business, she enjoys | | | | a full-time job in addition to her business to helping |
| what she does and is making good money. About | | | | her parents, Merry Jane is dependable, and she |
| 18% of all women business owners fit the | | | | and her friends and family members value that |
| Accidental Jane profile. | | | | gift. |
| Accidental Jane enjoys the freedom of running | | | | It may be difficult for female entrepreneurs to |
| her own business outside of corporate restraints. | | | | switch gears between their business and home |
| On the other hand, she sometimes finds herself | | | | lives; however, each one can employ specific |
| tied down by influxes of work that follow her dry | | | | strategies for being an effective part of every |
| spells. During these times, she may feel like she | | | | relationship in which she participates. |