Women entrepreneurs often face challenges that men do not. For instance, women still do the lion’s share of household chores and childcare. At the same time, women entrepreneurs frequently bring unique communication and interpersonal skills to the table. Rather than attempting to be like men, savvy women entrepreneurs leverage their individual qualifications. For many women entrepreneurs, a direct sales business model provides an ideal environment to develop their leadership skills and build their businesses.
Combine Autonomy and Support
Many women entrepreneurs must balance their careers with childcare or with caregiving for a parent or other older relative. A business model focused on direct sales is often ideal for women entrepreneurs because it combines the autonomy entrepreneurs often crave with the support of an established product or service.
Under such a model, entrepreneurs have the autonomy to schedule their work around their family obligations. Direct sales operations also allow women to take advantage of communication and interpersonal skills in developing their sales and marketing approaches. At the same time, working with an established brand removes the need to reinvent the wheel. Entrepreneurs can spend less time getting their businesses up and running more time building their customer bases and actually making money.
Leverage Legitimate Money-Making Incentives
Under a direct sales model, entrepreneurs have an incentive to generate income while maintaining their family and personal obligations. Each independent business owner decides what days and hours she or he wants to work, and how many hours to work each week. Schedules can even change from week to week to accommodate doctor’s appointments and after-school activities for their kids.
Nonetheless, many would-be entrepreneurs shy away from direct sales because of widespread misinformation. In particular, many misleading reports about a so-called Amway scam insist that the company’s Independent Business Owners [IBOs] only makes money by continually recruiting new representatives. This is simply not the case. Like any other legitimate direct sales operation, IBOs make money by selling real products to real people.
Savvy operations also know that developing the capabilities of their workforce — and especially women — creates more capable leadership, and just plain makes good business sense. Amway encourages business owners to develop entrepreneurial skills through extensive educational materials and free online training.
Encourage Self Care
One of the best aspects of living in Oregon is the outstanding quality of life available to its residents. And while hard work is essential to success as an entrepreneur, it’s also essential to allow for downtime to recharge creative batteries. Smart executives understand the importance of setting aside time and space for self care. Women especially are often afraid to allow themselves to show vulnerability. They must often be reminded that they can only take care of their loved ones by taking care of themselves. The flexibility of the direct sales business model makes it easier for women entrepreneurs to take the time they need for self care.
Enhancing Leadership Skills in Women
On one level, enhancing leadership skills in women involves similar strategies as encouraging leadership in men — allowing for autonomy, providing educational opportunities and encouraging work-life balance. However, because women often have more family and other responsibilities, flexibility is also extremely important.
One of the strengths of a direct sales business model is that entrepreneurs have the latitude to create their own schedules, and even change those schedules if needed. This flexibility makes direct sales an ideal option for women entrepreneurs.
