The top 10 traits of successful, creative business women

The Best Triumph Could be Just Around the Corner

With ongoing news of inequality, unequal pay and a lack women at boardroom level, businesswomen clearly still have challenges to face.

I've been running my PR agency Boomerang for four years now and it certainly hasn't been easy. Seven-day weeks, 12-hour days – it's tough, but being a woman hasn't even come into it in my opinion.
There have been rare occasions when I've suddenly become uncomfortably aware of my gender. A prospective client once asked questions that hinted at whether I intended to have children – I suppose my answer would have determined his decision to hire me.

Then there's the look of surprise when you tell certain men you are the managing director or the misogynistic comments, patronizing remarks and not being treated as an equal in meetings.

But despite the odd experience, I don't believe being a woman has held me back or altered my chance of success. Being a successful businesswoman really comes down to personality. I've always been fiercely independent, confident and determined to succeed. And whenever I meet other female entrepreneurs, they share similar characteristics.

With this in mind, if you're a woman (or indeed a man) who wants to start your own business, read the following top 10 traits that I believe make a successful entrepreneur.
Self-belief
Look at any successful businesswoman and you will discover how much they truly believe in themselves. Self-belief is probably the single most important trait possessed by any successful entrepreneur. If you don't believe you can succeed, then you won't get very far.
Ambition
Facebook's chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg recently challenged women to have the courage to be as ambitious as men. While this makes me cringe because all the women I've ever known are ambitious, it's definitely a trait that both successful men and women possess.
Confidence
Confidence is essential if you want to win clients and build a profitable business. Confidence will win people's respect, earn their trust and gain you a solid reputation.
Passion
Successful female entrepreneurs are always passionate about what they do because they tend to create businesses around the things they enjoy.
Humility and a willingness to learn
You cannot rest on your laurels when you run your own business. The creative industries are always changing, so you will constantly need to keep up and innovate. Successful female entrepreneurs know this and will work hard to learn and improve all the time. They'll read books, go to workshops and be willing to learn from others.
Sense of purpose
There is no point in starting a business unless you possess a strong sense of purpose. You have to believe that you are destined for great (and good) things.
Assertiveness
To be a successful businesswoman you have to be assertive, otherwise people will not respect you. Convey assertiveness by being fearless, speaking with authority and purpose. Adopt a confident manner, deal with any criticism rationally and be calm, cool and considered.
Hard work
Singer Marsha Evans once remarked: "You can have unbelievable intelligence, you can have connections, you can have opportunities fall out of the sky. But in the end, hard work is the true, enduring characteristic of successful people." Even Margaret Thatcher said: "I do not know anyone who has got to the top without hard work. That is the recipe."
Bravery
Whether you're a man or woman, it takes guts to run a business and deal with all the difficult challenges you will undoubtedly face.
Persistence
Starting a business is one thing, keeping it going is another matter entirely. To be a successful businesswoman, you have to be persistent and never give up.

Read the full article at: heguardian.com

Patty Block, President and Founder of The Block Group, established her company to advocate for women-owned businesses, helping them position their companies for strategic growth. Charting the course for impactful, sustainable, profitable businesses, the beacon is control: of your strategic direction, your money, your time, your staffing, and your ability to bring in business. The Block Group brings together the people, resources and ideas that build results.

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