passion makes perfect
Passion. Depending on what you read, it's either the key to business success or an overrated attribute. Wherever you land on the spectrum, it is true that passion alone cannot help you succeed. But practicing what you are passionate about certainly can.
That's the gist of a recent New York Times article, Why 'Finding Your Passion' is Such Terrible Advice. Basically, finding your passion is not about discovering what you naturally excel at, but instead pursuing things that interest you, understanding you are likely to fail along the way:
"One important step to change our approach to potentially new passions is to redefine failure as the catalyst to change and improvement, rather than as a final destination. When you look to successful people you admire, study them not only for their victories and achievements, but also for how they overcame failures and changed as a result of them." Read more.
That is certainly a theme in our interviews with female founders and successful entrepreneurs. Practicing your passion, especially through those inevitable stumbling blocks, is often what leads to the most success.
For many Women Owned businesses, that passion is fueled by solving a problem. In today's issue, two of our featured businesses (Kenson Kids and 10th Avenue Tea) were founded by moms who saw a challenge and developed a solution, based on their own experiences, expertise, and yes, passion.
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Plan a Women Owned Picnic
There is something about the spring and summer that calls us to spend as much time outdoors as possible; new plants sprouting, warmer weather, and longer daylight hours. Pick a shady spot and some items from this Women Owned guide to plan a picnic for yourself, family or friends!
Build your own Women Owned picnic with this guide and show your support for women entrepreneurs.
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Kenson Kids
Based in North Carolina, Kenson Kids was founded by two “Mompreneurs” who saw a need (as parents themselves) to create high-quality parenting aid products that really work. From incentive and chore charts, daily checklists, and ID bands, to potty training, games and stickers, Kenson Kids’ products help parents, teachers, and caregivers positively influence behavior, manners, and self-esteem, while helping all children thrive at home, school, and in life.
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Ann Foley
10th Avenue Tea
"My cofounder and I are both busy moms. Between the two of us we have 7 kids. We are both tea lovers, but found that waiting for tea to steep and carrying around a drippy teabag wasn’t realistic for our busy lifestyles. It seemed our only option was ready-to-drink beverages that end up in a landfill. Instead, we wanted something more innovative. So we set out to create a convenient, sustainable beverage for health-minded consumers."
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- SBA: Spotlight on women-owned employer businesses
- Bankrate: Closing the gap: how to overcome obstacles as a female entrepreneur
- Today Show: Female Founders Fund is investing in the future of women-owned businesses
- Fast Company: These women entrepreneurs are working to help each other succeed
- WeWork: The future of the unicorn startup is female
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"If you don’t believe in the business idea, don’t do it. You must believe it down to your core and be prepared to eat, breathe and sleep working on it sometimes! But it should be enjoyable, too -- have fun!"
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Gia Machlin
President & CEO, EcoPlum, Inc.
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