We don’t all have to be like Miranda Priestley
This is not a blog post about turning you into a Devil Wears Prada, Miranda Priestley ‘Bitch Boss’. But, it is about looking at some formidable that successful businesswomen seem businesses that seem to struggle.
Also, this is not a post to play into the word bitch being derogatory. The title of the post is to make you think. Do you often feel like you are working yourself to the bone with your business and are getting nowhere? Do you often wonder how others can charge so much more than you and still get the clients? Whilst you struggle to get people to pay the smallest amount? Do you constantly go to networking meetings but it doesn’t seem to bring anything to fruition? Do you feel like you are constantly helping others and you don’t get back? Then this is the post for you.
I was sat with my lovely friend, fellow entrepreneur and brand guardian extraordinaire, Nicola Wordsworth. We were talking about the women we were surrounded by and the attributes that seem to make some of them very successful. We termed the phrase being a Bitch in Business because, like it or not, there is a selfishness that is required to get you to where you want your business to go.
Just take Beyonce, one of the most powerful and successful women on the planet but she still has her stage persona ‘Sasha Fierce’ who she turns into to give her the vibe she needs to perform.
After our little discussion, we then went straight on to a women’s networking meeting. There in front of us was a room full of ‘Bitches in Business’. It was fascinating and really interesting to observe all of these qualities in action.
Top ten bitch list
So here is a list of 10, you can try them all or you can pick and mix. But, if you are struggling with the success of your business then it is worth digging deep to see if you avoid these traits out of fear and what you can summon up in yourself to add them to your tool belt to help your business.
1) Confidence
This may seem an obvious one, but ‘Bitches in Business’ display unfounded confidence in what they do (they may not always feel it but they put their Peacock feathers on and display to everyone). They have a single-mindedness in who they are, what they want to achieve with their business and that what they are doing is the right thing.
2) Push through the Flaws
No one is perfect, because there is no such thing. We all have areas in which we don’t quite feel 100%. Where we feel we are lacking but Bitches in Business push through their flaws. They challenge themselves to step outside their own boundaries.
Shonda Rhimes is a Hollywood powerhouse. She is the producer of some of the most successful modern-day programmes, including Greys Anatomy, Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder. However, despite her power and massive success, she had a deep fear of speaking in public, appearing on TV shows and anything that required her to talk publicly about her work. So she challenged herself to a year of saying Yes.
If you are interested in finding out more then click here, buy and read the book to see the profound impact it had on her life. She didn’t let some of her fears, something that would have grounded other people, stop her in any way. She pushed through her flaws and created an even more powerful life for he
3) They have a Mission
Not only do they set goals, but they have a mission. They know their ‘Why’. It is this mission that drives them and they are not afraid to talk about it, despite how random or even ‘whoo whoo’ this mission may seem. It is this mission that gives them their passion to keep going, to push forward, to stand up in a room full of people and talk about it and to always be the first to the podium when offered a chance to speak about it.
What was your mission to set up your business? If you don’t know, get clear on it because it will help to drive your confidence.
4) They Network like a Queen
Networking is not about showing up just before the lunch starts, thrusting your business card at the nearest victim and then hoping for the best. Bitches in Business know how to network like a Queen. They know how to work the room, they turn up prepared and they know what they want from the meeting.
I went to a networking group recently and agreed to meet someone I had talked to. By the time I had even got myself on the bus she had sent and emailed me with prospective meetup dates.
Bitches in Business, know who is going to be at a group before they turn up, they know who they want to meet, they work the room and they connect afterwards. If you fear networking, this is a big one to get over, even if you have to do a Beyonce.
Bitches in Business know what level to network at. They do not network with people who are not going to have a positive impact on their business. It is maybe one of the most common pieces of advice I give to business clients. To step up their networking game, to spend more time with people who are at the next level and not groups that hold their businesses back and keep their prices capped.
The right networking groups help you to create a powerful network of your own. So put on your invisible crown, your most stunning stilettos and turn up and be the Bad Ass Queen of Networking.
5) They Work their Connections
Bitches in Business build powerful networks and they work their connections. This is not about being selfish. In order to build a network you have to give but you also have a right to take. One of the biggest failures that small businesses make is they tend to give, give, give but then will not ask when it is needed. You should never be afraid to take.
If you connect with someone and they promise to introduce you to a good connection, chase them if it does not happen. I had this happen to me. I promised to connect two people and poorly on my part, I had not done it and she called me on it and chased for the introduction. This was a powerful move because a lot of moaning about networking is the fact that people do not follow through on what they will say they will do.
Go through your connections, those that you have helped and ask for an introduction to someone. I can’t say this enough, you need to work your connections.
6) They have positive failures.
If you ever heard a ‘Bitch in Businesses’ talk about their failures, you would think that they had won the lottery. They are able to move on rather than go down. They have an ability to turn every problem into something golden. Look at someone like Martha Stewart. I recommend in no way that we all go and commit crimes. But her little stay in prison did not really miss a beat for her business and today her business continues to thrive.
What if Oprah Winfrey had thrown in the towel when she was sacked from her newscasting job. She didn’t she was a total ‘Bitch in Business’ and became one of the most powerful women in the world. I love the story of the fact, that the building they used to lease as the studio for her long-running Oprah show, would not let her bring her dogs into the building. So she brought the building so she could bring her dogs to work with her. That is such a ‘Bitch in Business’ move.
Your failures are your biggest learnings and there is not a single business in the world that has not had suffered, but even if you are crumbling inside, chin up like a ‘Bitch in Business’ and act like you have just won an Oscar.
7) They know the value of their time & knowledge
‘Bitches in Business’ give nothing away for free. They understand the value of their time, they understand how much their knowledge and experience is worth. If they are a therapist and the normal fee is £50 per hour they will charge £100 if they are a coach and normal coaches charge £100 per hour they will charge £200.
They don’t want to follow the crowd they know how to stand out. It is not that they are playing a game it is because ‘Bitches in Business’, know, believe and are able to articulate why they are worth more than anyone else. They will do things that may not gain them the financial reward, but they are still in control. For example, if they speak for free, they may want a recording to use for marketing purposes, if they give a free session they may want a testimonial.
‘Bitches in Business’ never do anything without their plans and goals in mind. To be a ‘Bitch in Business’ don’t do be driven by the limiting beliefs of others. Truly trust in your knowledge and expertise and charge the right price for your products and services.
8) They make tough decisions
‘Bitches in Business’, may not like to make tough decisions, it may make them nervous but they do what is right for their business and personal brand. I once had to fire a friend who was working in my business. She wasn’t working out, in fact, she wasn’t really working at all and it was the right decision for the business.
It may seem harsh, but I see all too often, with clients, people holding onto things and people that are not working out, whether it is out of a sense of loyalty or fear of ending the business relationship. But this kind of action can cause untold damage to a business and brand which in some cases, businesses may never recover from.
‘Bitches in Business’ work in a different way they remove barriers that are affecting the success of the business, they do not allow toxicity to affect their business they are quick to act and ensure that their plans are not disrupted. You don’t have to be ‘Bitch’ in the way you take the action, but you need to make sure that you do it.
9) They Build a Team
‘Bitches in Business’ are not doers. They understand the value of building a team, whether it is in person or virtual. They know what they are good at, they know the level of their skills and as we have said about they know the value of their time. ‘Bitches in Business’ do not do the jobs in business that do not utilise their value.
They recognise that they have to generate business and invest that in a team. Someone who charges £100 an hour doing a £2o an hour task is costing the business money not saving it. The moment they can, a ‘Bitch in Business’ starts to outsource. Here is just a short list of people that a Bitch in Business will bring on as soon as they can.
- Cleaner
- Nanny/Child Care
- Assistant (Virtual or office based)
- Social Media expert
- Business Coach/Mentor
- Book Keeper
- Sales
- PR
- Technical Expert
- Photographer
- Designer
- Lawyer
Don’t cost your business money by trying to be your whole team. Be a ‘Bitch in Business’ and focus only on what you bring to the business.
10) They invest in themselves
Without exception, every single ‘Bitch in Busines’s I know has a coach or a mentor. They want to get better and they understand the importance of investing in themselves and business. I know ‘Bitches in Business who have paid over £20,000 to be a member of a mastermind group. I know women who pay thousands a month for one to one coaching, those that have travelled overseas to attend mastermind sessions, those that give up weekends to attend courses and those that set themselves reading targets.
‘Bitches in Business’ invest their time, they invest their money, they invest in their business and they invest in themselves. To Be A Bitch in Business you need to get a coach.
Bitches in business do not allow themselves to be held back. They ‘Think Big’. They don’t set small goals, they are not running their business to earn a bit of extra holiday money and for something to do whilst the kids are at school. They think big, talk big and set big goals.
‘Bitches in Business’ are not held back by their own or anyone else’s limiting beliefs. They recognise the value they bring to the world and strive to ensure that all the right people know about it. That is what leads to success.
Time for you to get your ‘Bitch in Business’ on.
