Female Entrepreneurs – Julie Gordon White
SUMMARY
However, the problem is that these women often struggle with being out front and letting others know their value.
Julie Gordon White, an award-winning entrepreneur, a best-selling business author, and a TEDx speaker, shares valuable tips on how female entrepreneurs can be successful in their business and in all aspects of life.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
When strengths are overused, they become weaknesses.The downside of being the inside person is you may feel devalued or people don’t see you.
If you’re going to be in business, you have to own it.
You have to be out front so others can see and know your value.
You have to toot your own horn.
If you’re focused on your mission and your audience, then you can’t hold yourself back.
Write down your big dreams and visions.
Don’t create something you don’t love.
Design what you’re going to do in a way that’s fulfilling for you and the people you serve.
TRANSCRIPTION: FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS – JULIE GORDON WHITE
Kamala Chambers
On this episode, we’re going to be talking about how to be successful as female entrepreneurs.
Today, we are here with are here with Julie Gordon White. She is an award-winning entrepreneur, a best-selling business author, and a TEDx speaker. We’re thrilled to have her on the show.
Luis Congdon
All right, Thriving Launchers, we are here with Julie Gordon White.
It’s exciting to have her on the show. Julie, are you ready to launch?
Julie Gordon White
I’m always ready to launch.
Luis Congdon
All right.
The first thing I want to ask about and it’s something I don’t have a lot of insight into because I’m a man. So I’m going to ask you and Kamala.
What is it like to be in business as a woman? What are some of the challenges and the pros? What is it like being a woman in business?
Julie Gordon White
Great question.
Female Entrepreneurs Have A Strategic Advantage
Julie Gordon White
Being female entrepreneurs is a strategic advantage today, but initially, I didn’t.
Initially, I thought nobody would want to work with me when I started my boutique, Mergers and Acquisitions firm especially some guy that had grown a manufacturing firm for 20 years. I thought, “He’ll never want to entrust me with the sale of his company.
But it was another old guy that told me, “Julie, I hate going up against you because a guy prefers working with female entrepreneurs than with another man.” And I thought, “Really?” Whether that was true or not, I owned that, and I appreciated him saying that.
From then on, I took it as a strategic advantage and especially being a woman of color, that’s like a double whammy.
Own That You Will Rise Above As Female Entrepreneurs
Julie Gordon White
I am seen in a room, especially a room full of men. In that industry, there are less than 10% of all people that sell companies and intermediaries are female entrepreneurs. I always felt, “Oh great. Nobody will forget who I am.” and so, I just kind of owned it.
What makes the difference is the perspective you bring to the room.
In my case, being female entrepreneurs, just made me rise above. That’s how I approached it.
Kamala Chambers
I love that, and I love that you’re using it as strength and not a weakness. That’s a fantastic point of view to take it from to be one of the successful female entrepreneurs.
What are some tips you would give some female entrepreneurs that are trying to build their business fast?
I know you work with helping female entrepreneurs create large businesses. What are some main things you think are most important?
Julie Gordon White
I love answering that question because especially I think both male and female entrepreneurs suffer from this. Sometimes, female entrepreneurs cast way too wide of a net of people you want to work with.
Fantastic Way For Female Entrepreneurs To Start A Business
Julie Gordon White
When I started growing my little boutique M and A business, I started with main street companies, and I selling florists. Everyone thought, “That’s a terrible idea. Why would you just focus in the floral industry?”
I thought starting that way was fantastic because I didn’t have a lot of competition. Therefore, could own this space because then, I could research on their industry and what made those businesses successful. So when I would meet with the seller, then I could tell them all about their industry more than they even knew, and then they knew that I was the one because I knew their business.
Female Entrepreneurs Should Also Know The Industry
Julie Gordon White
I first of all, always go deep on your client base. We always talk about avatars. That’s who they are. Also, we talk about demographics, psychographics, but also know the industry.
That’s always the part people get squarely about because they worry they’re going to miss out on something.
If you go narrow and profound, you’re going to gain market share, and that’s a great way to grow fast.
Kamala Chambers
That’s right on.
Struggles Of Female Entrepreneurs
Kamala Chambers
That’s one of the most important things, and one of the biggest struggles people have including female entrepreneurs. It’s a constant tweaking to niche down. It’s important to find that one thing you’re going to help solve for people.
One thing I love to open up a conversation about is, Luis and I, we share a business together. We work side by side. I’ve been in business longer than Luis.
Luis Congdon
A.K.A, she kicks more butt than I do.
Kamala Chambers
I do a lot of the operations. He goes out there and networks to people while I make things happen in our business.
One thing we’ve both repeatedly seen is that Luis will get more acknowledgment, people look passed me sometimes, and he’ll just get in general, just more recognition for our business.
How Female Entrepreneurs Get Acknowledged For The Work They Do
Kamala Chambers
I’d just love to hear how you’ve worked through this on your own? As a woman and one of the successful female entrepreneurs, how do you stake your claim for what you’re doing in the world?
Julie Gordon White
It’s interesting because I’m listening to you speak and you said that Luis is the one that’s out front getting the business, and you are in the background cooking the business, making it happen. That’s part of why he’s seen as that person because he’s the one out front.
I encourage you to be out front too or be okay and feel fully valued that you’re the person who puts it all together.
Female Entrepreneurs Who Are In The Background
Julie Gordon White
I think it’s a great strength that the two of you have this great partnership where he’s doing his strength. You’re doing your strength. But the downside of being the inside person is that you may feel devalued, or people don’t see you.
I love in your marketing that you present both of you, but I would encourage you Kamala, to come out from behind the computer, and be out front as well. Then, you’re going to feel more value just as a person because people see you.
Female Entrepreneurs Putting Themselves Out There
Julie Gordon White
Just put yourself out there, and maybe Luis, you have to switch shoes now and then or not, you just make more space for her out front.
Kamala Chambers
Yeah.
Female Entrepreneurs Putting Extra Effort
Kamala Chambers
This is a good conversation because we female entrepreneurs get washed out sometimes, just in general. To make the extra effort to put ourselves out in the forefront is important.
Luis, I know you go out there. You do a lot of the talking but one thing I’ve also had to train Luis is to talk about “we” instead of “I” as much, and I think that’s an important thing to bring to the conversation as well.
Use The “We” Language
Kamala Chambers
I don’t know if this is common, but I think men can just talk more about themselves, and just naturally take credit for things, whereas female entrepreneurs are maybe more inclusive, and use “we” language, and think about the whole and the community.
Have you seen that?
Julie Gordon White
Yes, very typical.
Difference Between Male And Female Entrepreneurs
Julie Gordon White
Men just go forward ahead, “I’ve got this. I’m going for it.” And female entrepreneurs are like, “Well, what do you think?” and that’s a strength. Both of those things are strengths.
Julie Gordon White
If you were sort of in the background of things, you got to come to the front, and raise your voice. You don’t have to be washed out in any way.
Female Entrepreneurs’ Role In A Partnership
Julie Gordon White
I think it’s a partnership thing if you will. I don’t want to say issue, but this is part of what happens in partnerships that there’s often I call it “the gas and the brakes.”
One person is the “gas,” and the other is the “brakes.” Usually, the “brakes” is the person on the inside, the operations person who sees the numbers, who pays the bills, who has the reality check on the business.
Then, there’s the gas. It’s the person who is in sales, marketing, business development. They’re out front. They seem to get to do all the fun stuff, and they’re spending them the money because, in their mind, you’re spending it to make it.
The person on the inside can sometimes feel left behind and not seen. That’s why it’s important for you and other female entrepreneurs to be in the front.
Partnership Dynamic As An Important Piece For Female Entrepreneurs
Julie Gordon White
Just know that there are some gender differences because female entrepreneurs are collaborative. We’re great about that. We’re inclusive, but there’s also the partnership dynamic. That’s a piece of that as well.
Luis Congdon
What’s another piece of advice that you find yourself suggesting to female entrepreneurs quite often?
Julie Gordon White
I’ll just piggyback on Kamala’s statement.
Female Entrepreneurs Stepping Up And Being In Power
Julie Gordon White
You have to toot your own horn.
If you’re going to be in business, you have to own it. Don’t ask for a seat at the table. You own the table.
Step up and be in that power.
You’re an entrepreneur. You’re creating risks for yourself. You’re doing something great in the world, so you have to tell people. You can’t be shy. You can’t sit around waiting for people to say, “So, tell me how great you are.” You don’t have to do it in a boastful way, but you need to let people know. You need to put it as a link in your signature that says, “Listen to my podcast that Kamala and Luis produced for me.”
Female Entrepreneurs Putting Their Work Out There
Julie Gordon White
Whatever it is, you got to put your work out there. Let people know because if you’re not shining, then you’re not letting other people know that they can shine too.
Whoever you are as a woman and a business owner, you have to be willing or push yourself to go out in front and toot your own horn because nobody else is going to do it.
Kamala Chambers
There are some good tips in there on how female entrepreneurs can put themselves out there more.
Female Entrepreneurs Sharing Their Gifts
Kamala Chambers
That’s the thing. It is to find those ways that you can share your gifts with the world more. Isn’t that what the real trick of everything in life? It’s about how we can shine our gifts out to the world even more.
Julie Gordon White
Right.
Female Entrepreneurs Focusing On Their Mission And Audience
Julie Gordon White
If you’re focused on your mission and your audience, then you can’t hold yourself back. You can’t be shy about it because you got a purpose.
I want to help female entrepreneurs. I want them to grow to a million, so they can someday sell for a million. I can’t be quiet about that.
Julie Gordon White
You just cannot be quiet about it.
Luis Congdon
What do you think is one of the major roadblocks?
It seems to me like one of them we’ve covered is female entrepreneurs have this sense about them where they’ve been nurtured to play more as a team, be part of a team, be more inclusive.
Roadblocks Experienced By Male And Female Entrepreneurs
Luis Congdon
Whereas men, because of the way they’ve been nurtured through society individually are just a lot better about talking about themselves, their successes, and not so much team players. They can play on a team, but somebody likes to be the star, and men are into that and female entrepreneurs are a little bit more inclusive.
And so, one of the piece of advice I hear you say is it’s good for female entrepreneurs to learn how to talk about their successes, the things they’re up to, their wins, and make sure to go out there. This is a piece of marketing. It’s crucial to go out there and toot your own horn as you put it.
I’m curious. What is something else you find that female entrepreneurs are challenged by that you find yourself consistently coaching them through?
Julie Gordon White
I’ll step into my world as a mother of three kids.
Find A Way To Honor Yourself As Female Entrepreneurs And Mothers
Julie Gordon White
Finding that way to honor myself as an entrepreneur, and also be the great mom that I want to be is a constant shifting. I won’t say a balance or a challenge or an issue, but it’s a shifting because you can’t do all things all the time.
Find that place where you can become comfortable.
Honor who you are and what you want to be in the world as a woman and a mother, and be okay with some of the things that you don’t do.
Know What’s Going To Work For You As Female Entrepreneurs
Julie Gordon White
For example, I just made it clear just like from the start. I don’t bake stuff. That just doesn’t feel like a good use of my time. I’m going to buy some awesome cookies and cupcakes or whatever for the bake sale, but I’m not going to bake stuff.
I’m not going to go to the classroom, but I’m going on a field trip because it works better in my business. It’s good for my business if I block out a whole day, and go on a field trip, be completely engaged with my child and the class than to try to get away in between meetings and be in the classroom for two hours. That just didn’t work for me.
It’s figuring out how you can honor both sides of yourself if you’re a mom. That’s something I talk a lot about.
My kids are 24, in college, and one heading to college. I’ve been through all the pieces of it; boys, girls, and ADHD, you name it. I’ve touched it all.
Being Female Entrepreneurs And A Mothers At The Same Time
Julie Gordon White
I just often get in this conversation like, “Julie, how do you balance all of that?” It’s about honoring what’s important to you, what’s important to your family, and not trying to be a stay-at-home mom and an entrepreneur. You’re just kidding yourself if you’re trying to do both.
Kamala Chambers
That’s powerful to take on those different roles.
I love that you didn’t say it had to be balanced because balance can be hard to find. You’re stretching yourself in this various ways.
Julie Gordon White
Yeah.
Can I just add one thing to that Kamala?
Kamala Chambers
Yeah.
Julie Gordon White
It’s about being present in the role you’re in at the moment.
My kids had an intervention. This is old. I’m going to date myself. It’s a blackberry intervention where they had sat me down, “Mom, you’re on your phone all the time.” It’s when I’m trying to close a deal, and you have to be very present, due diligence, etcetera, but, what I wasn’t doing was setting clear boundaries like I’m going to go over here because I need to do this thing.
I was letting it all bleed together, and I think that’s where it got a little messy, and of course, it takes kids to be real with you.
Female Entrepreneurs Creating Boundaries
Julie Gordon White
Being present where you are in the role and the moment helps to find and create those boundaries.
It makes it a lot easier to manage that way.
Kamala Chambers
That’s the real trick and the constant practice.
Julie Gordon White
Yeah, in all areas of your life.
Kamala ChambersExactly.
Before we go, what’s the last big success tip you want the Thriving Launchers to go out and apply today?
Female Entrepreneurs Thinking Big
Julie Gordon White
If you could see in my office, I have this big decal on the wall that says, “Think big.” That is the core of who I am.
I honor you if you want to have a small home-based cottage business, but if you’re going to have a company, you’re going to work hard anyway. You’re going to stay up late doing things because they need to get done or serving clients, and I hope you’ll love it along the way.
Female Entrepreneurs Doing What They Love
Julie Gordon White
But if you’re going to work hard, you might as well think big like what is the biggest thing that can come out of this? How many people can I help and serve?
Just go for it. Just design it in a way that feels fulfilling and just right for you, and the people you serve.
Then, as you’re going down the path, and you hit those rough spots, don’t quit. Just pivot. Just keep pivoting. Just turn a little to the left or the right and keep going because new answers, new pass, new gateways will open up.
Female Entrepreneurs Pivoting All The Way
Julie Gordon White
If you got a passion and a dream, there’s just no stopping you. Just be ready when you hit those little roadblocks, and just pivot all the way to exactly who you are, and who you want to serve, and what you want to be in the world.
Luis Congdon
I love that Julie, and I know that’s something a lot of us struggle with.
There’s a great saying that says, “Shoot for the moon. If you miss, at least you’ll land on the stars.”
Julie Gordon White
Yeah.
Female Entrepreneurs Thinking About The Biggest And Most Amazing Thing
Luis Congdon
That’s a great piece of advice for men and women. I think it’s a great one for women in a lot of ways too because I know women, in many ways, have been nurtured to not think about the biggest, grandest, most amazing thing. And maybe not all female entrepreneurs are this way.
I noticed it maybe with some of the older generations like Kamala’s mom, my mom. They don’t always ask for what they want. They ask for a piece of it.
Female Entrepreneurs Writing Down The Things They Want
Luis Congdon
I want to encourage you Thriving Launchers to write down a list of the things you want. I want you to play big, think big. There are so many stories of people who said, “We had a goal of selling a million, we sold the million. I wished I would have made our goal two million.”
Whatever it might be, the biggest point right here now Thriving Launchers is to think big.
Think about those big dreams and visions. Write them down, and don’t be ashamed of your dreams and visions.
One last thing before we sign out here, Thriving Launchers.
Female Entrepreneurs To Take Action Now
Luis Congdon
As you’ve listened to today’s episode, I hope you’ve gotten one piece of advice from Julie that has inspired you. Whatever that is for you, I want you to think about it whether it’s the last thing that we signed off with, for you thinking about some big goal or some big vision.
But don’t just listen to the show, get active, take this as an opportunity for you to think about yourself and the things you want, and to improve your life. With that, we leave you. Keep thriving you all.
