4 Tips to Become a Confident Female Small Business Owner

March is Women’s History Month, a time for Americans to highlight and celebrate the contributions that women have made to society.

Around 31 percent of small business owners are women — and this percentage continues to climb year after year. While this growth is good news, women-owned small businesses are still harder to come by in the United States.

If you’re a female small business owner, don’t consider this fact a weakness. Your small business is unique, just like you are! Follow these four tips from our industry experts to become a more confident small business owner this year.

1. Surround Yourself with Like-Minded People

Whether you’re new to the small business world or not, the most successful people all have one thing in common: they surround themselves with people who are on the same page.

Now, this doesn’t mean to push aside everyone in your life who isn’t like you — but connecting with confident people who are also small business owners, or have a background in entrepreneurship, will be beneficial to you and your business in many ways.

Start with something small, like attending a local or digital networking event. Networking is a great way to meet like-minded professionals. Even if you don’t connect with another small business owner or anyone in your specific industry, you may be surprised by who you start talking to and what you learn about them. A new acquaintance may have several worthwhile connections they can introduce you to later on!

Having local professionals in your corner provides great opportunities for feedback, growth, and even business awareness. Plus, you know what they say: You are who you surround yourself with!

2. Do Research and Follow Industry Trends

You’ve likely noticed this at some point in your life, but it’s so much easier to exude confidence when you really know what you’re talking about.

If you want to stay one step ahead of your competitors, keep industry research at the top of your to-do list. Keep up with what’s going on in the small business world. What issues are being discussed and voted on, and how will they affect your business if they’re passed?

What products or services are new in your industry? What trends are circulating social media, and does it make sense for your small business to hop on board?

And when it comes to business processes, what’s new in the point of sale world? What hardware does your retail store need to have in order to accept all payments, and what software features are a must-have nowadays?

Staying informed and being ahead of the curve is an incredible way to boost confidence in yourself and your small business.

3. Always Be Open to Learning

This is a great follow up to the previous point, because as a small business owner, it’s important to keep on learning.

Maybe you want to learn more about accounting, employee management, or reducing shrinkage at your retail store. No matter what topic you want to brush up on, we always recommend making space for continued education.

Check out local and online workshops, or even pop in to a community college nearby to see what kind of courses they’re offering. If you’re a hands-on learner, classes are a great way to pick up new skills and gain confidence.

Social media has more opportunities than you’d think, too, with hundreds of Facebook and LinkedIn groups for you to join. These groups are completely free (unless they’re part of a larger organization with membership dues), and they’re a great place to be if you want to learn from others in your industry or the small business world in general.

Being confident as a small business owner comes naturally when you feel good about your skills. But there is always room for improvement!

4. Don’t be Afraid to Take Risks

Nothing feels better than stepping outside of your comfort zone, taking a huge risk, and watching it pay off.

You decided to be a small business owner in the first place, so risk isn’t new to you. You just can’t be afraid of trying new things once your feet are on the ground. Nothing amazing ever came from sitting back and being comfortable.

Never let the fear of failure hold you back in your business endeavors. And never let being a female in the small business world intimidate you from making big moves. Being a business owner will never be easy or mistake-free. Things will happen unexpectedly, but all that matters is what you learn from the bumps in the road and how you’ll bounce back.

To all of the female small business owners out there: You’ve got this! Practice makes perfect, especially when it comes to building confidence.

We Help Small Businesses Think Big

Who is POS Nation?

We’re a retail point of sale provider, supporting over 10,000 small businesses nationwide with in-house software, warranty-backed hardware, 24/7 technical support, and payment processing. 

We’re a small business, too, and we pride ourselves in our top-notch customer service and industry expertise. If you’re in the market for a new point of sale solution and you’re not sure where to begin, download our free retail POS system buyers’ guide! You can also schedule a live demo of our software by reaching out to sales@posnation.com.