Strategies and Tactics for Women by Dr. Shannon Reece

Entrepreneurs come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Despite the many different types, they all joined the ranks and do what they do every day for powerful reasons.

Last week I asked the question —

“Entrepreneurs, why do you do what you do? What is your motivation to sacrifice willingly, invest completely and risk everything?”

I wish to extend a personal “Thank You” to the six experts who responded, and I’m honored to be able to share their impassioned responses with you. If you are considering taking a leap of faith and starting your own business I hope you will be inspired by these amazing women.

“Simple answer really, I do what I do to make a difference in the lives of others, it’s what feeds my spirit and keeps me going everyday, and second is the freedom of working in my own time.”
– JoAnne Funch (@joannefunch), Founder of Heartache to Healing

“I do what I do because I’m passionate about helping professionals live happier, healthier more productive lives.  Before I started Calahan Solutions, Inc., I worked for a very large global consulting firm in the northern Chicago suburbs.  Every day, I saw wonderfully amazing people that were stressed to the hilt.  They worked hard and never really had time to do the things in life that they loved.  I saw families and marriages suffer.  I saw health suffer.  I saw profitability suffer.  I saw teamwork suffer.  I saw personal lives get put to the side.  I saw many things suffer.  Once I figured out how to help my friends I wanted to share the knowledge with as many people as I could!  I consult and speak on the topic of productivity, but what I really do is help people reclaim their full lives.  In addition, I do what I do as a real-life education for my son (who is 9) that he can do anything that he wants if he puts his mind to it.  So far, he has started 2 different businesses of his own.  What could be better than that!?”
– Stephanie LH Calahan (@stephcalahan), Founder of Calahan Solutions

“Why do I do it? It’s a question I ask myself frequently! On the one hand, I can’t help but do it. I give in to the urge to express myself, to exercise my creativity, and to maybe…just maybe, make another woman entrepreneur’s business a bit better or help another woman make her dream business come true. On the other hand, it is my way of fulfilling my dream, doing what I love (helping others make their dream businesses come true) and making money at it.”
– DivaShannon Bradford (@smallbizdivas), Founder of Small Business Divas

“I want to work smart not hard. I want to focus my time on strategic planning, writing, marketing analysis and speaking engagements while my team  focuses on the day to day client management. I continue to work hard at achieving my goal because I want to be independent.  I was laid off twice from the same company, a major corporation, and I do not want to put myself in a position where that can happen again.  The lay offs were devastating and threw my whole world into chaos.  You come to trust your employer as being your employer. A lay off rips the rug out from under your feet and you immediately enter into panic mode. I want to be the source of my own security.”
– Lauren MacEwen (@laurencubed), Primary Strategist and Creator of SM Cubed Consulting

“I do what I do because I love it!  It’s the most fun I can possibly have.  I am passionate about helping people transform their lives and their businesses, and transforming my own life in the process.”
– Stephanie Padovani (@bookmorebrides), Co-founder of Book More Brides

“I absolutely love helping people and it’s incredibly rewarding to use my skills to help others succeed. Building a business is certainly challenging, but I’m willing to take risks and make sacrifices so I can control my own destiny. The bottom line is that I do it for freedom and flexibility, which is difficult to achieve when you work for someone else.”
– Laura Click (@flybluekite), Founder and Chief Innovator of Blue Kite Marketing

This week’s question:

The last two months of the year are extra challenging to the entrepreneur, who not only has to run her business, but also shop, cook, entertain and track Santa with GPS. How do you enjoy the holidays without letting your business suffer?