Posts Tagged ‘Small Business’
Is winning everything? was first published on Women in Focus.
Women in Focus is a recently launched website and initiative by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. It is a place for women to be inspired, informed and connected with other women in business in Australia and around the world. Angela Vithoulkas, CEO of VIVO Cafe Group, will be the Guru on the Business Beat section and will be providing weekly articles on all things small business.
Uh oh, I could be in trouble with this answer. Everything is pretty all encompassing, not a lot of wiggle room here. But I want to be clear and narrow this very broad sentence; I’m referring to awards and what they mean to a business and the owner. For me they have meant a lot, for others nothing. Would I describe it as “everything”? Yes.
Asking the question “is winning everything” will annoy some people, and rightly so. I’m not back peddling but I am saying that it’s not only winners who win. It’s what you do with it that matters and makes the difference.
Business Daughters was first published on Women in Focus
Women in Focus is a recently launched website and initiative by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. It is a place for women to be inspired, informed and connected with other women in business in Australia and around the world. Angela Vithoulkas, CEO of VIVO Cafe Group, will be the Guru on the Business Beat section and will be providing weekly articles on all things small business.
We often hear of the struggle we have as women to have it all and do it all. The pressure we are under to be superwomen, manage families and work, look great and unruffled. Then we wonder what effect we have on our families when we don’t meet these expectations, let alone ourselves. We agonise over the long term results - will our children hate or appreciate our sacrifices, will our partners understand and are we even happy doing it “all”. Well, speaking as a daughter of a mother who walked this path and then later as a daughter in business following in her shoes, I think I can safely say the research is in.
I spent my entire life sharing my mother with every business she ever bought and worked. I grew up in the back of a shop. I did my homework on the counter in between my list of jobs. It’s just the way it was.
Raising the family
Friends and business was first published on Women in Focus
Women in Focus is a recently launched website and initiative by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. It is a place for women to be inspired, informed and connected with other women in business in Australia and around the world. Angela Vithoulkas, CEO of VIVO Cafe Group, will be the Guru on the Business Beat section and will be providing weekly articles on all things small business.
As a self employed business owner of many many years, I have gathered some experience along the way and wisdom tends to come from walking a path barefoot, strewn with broken glass. It’s almost a right of passage to have a scar or two. So the subject of doing business with friends has come up a lot. For some it’s almost a mantra “never do business with friends”. And what about doing business with family? That’s a big one and a whole other blog.
Do women find it harder to do business with friends than men? Do we always regret it when it gets too hard or we feel we are about to lose our friendship because someone is getting the better deal and we feel resentful? We have all heard of mates rates but what does that mean for our business?
Business Dreams was first published on Women in Focus
Women in Focus is a recently launched website and initiative by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. It is a place for women to be inspired, informed and connected with other women in business in Australia and around the world. Angela Vithoulkas, CEO of VIVO Cafe Group, will be the Guru on the Business Beat section and will be providing weekly articles on all things small business.
All business owners and CEO’s are in the business of dreams. We bring our ideas to life, it’s what we do. We implement and execute our “strategic plan” (I believe this is the fancy title). Basically we put our money where our mouth is and risk everything for it. All dreams have a price - right or wrong, good choice or bad, success or failure. But a business or business owner without a dream is empty, even if it and you still functions.
First published in The Leadership Magazine: The Small Business Wheel
Let’s face it; the feeling of running around like a mouse in a wheel isn’t new to small business. It’s more the norm than anyone cares to admit and the most likely scenario of the life of a small business owner.
I watched my parents live it for many years and I of course also jumped in when I started in business. You do get used to it after a while; that’s the problem.