Spotlighting Women in Business: Exclusive Interview with Female Entrepreneurs Making Waves In The Industry.
We love celebrating and encouraging the "women empowerment movement", we had a brief talk with a few female entrepreneurs in different industries about what they do, what it’s like to do what they do and what advice they have for other women aspiring to keep chasing their dreams.
These women are changing the game and were happy to answer questions about women's empowerment and how important it is to build a business that empowers others.
In our interviews, we always ask our clients this question - What does women empowerment mean to you? We have curated similar responses to this question for your knowledge and we hope it inspires you in one way or the other.
Featured in this article is our female photographer of the day - Olga Zabegina.
We have interviewed many strong women making waves in the business industry, when asked "What does the word Women Empowerment Mean to you"?
Kenya Moore (Former Miss USA, Star of Real Housewives of Atlanta, and Entrepreneur) In an exclusive interview with OTS Magazine Said "My definition would be to afford women the same opportunities as men by supporting one another and encouraging us to make things happen for ourselves by believing in ourselves."
We also interviewed Loren Ridinger (Senior Vice President of Internet retailing giants shop.com and marketamerica.com. Creator of the award-winning cosmetics line, Motives, the uber-luxurious skincare line, Cellular Laboratories, and the solution-oriented product line, Fix Solutions). when asked what women empowerment meant to her, she said that women need to surround themselves with other positive women. If we don’t lift one another up and support each other’s endeavors, then who will? Women can do it all: be the mother, be the wife, be the CEO, be the best friend, be the sister, be the daughter, be the teacher. That needs to be celebrated.
It is often said that you come from a family of entrepreneurs. What have you learned from them so far?
Loren Ridinger: Working with my family is such a blessing. The love and respect I have for my husband, JR, for building this business goes beyond words. There are times when he leans on my expertise and advice, and I do the same with him; we complement each other, which makes for not only a great business relationship but strengthens our love each and every day.
The same thing can be said about my brothers, Marc and Steve. They bring so many valuable assets to the table each and every day, and we all complement each other. We all contribute, we all listen, and – at the end of the day – all agree on moving this company forward for the benefit of everyone involved. We work hard each and every day: a team of entrepreneurs setting out to change the landscape of their industry.
“I have never worked a day in my life without selling. If I believe in something, I sell it and I sell it hard.”
— Estee Lauder, Co-Founder of Estee Lauder Corp.
What was it like starting a business for the first time?
I didn’t realize I was going to be an entrepreneur. I think that’s something maybe my professors in art school tried to tell me that I just didn’t pick up on. When you’re an artist, you are everything. You’re the creator, the accountant, the secretary, the art handler, the shipping department — and it’s overwhelming sometimes. I think the hardest thing I face is being hard on myself. And I think I just need to be more patient with myself and my business.
What is it like to be a female entrepreneur in this day and age?
What I’ve learned in this new business is that the female entrepreneur force out here is strong. It is incredibly supportive and is what encouraged me to do it again. I’ve also recently started a women’s entrepreneurial networking group out here that meets once a month and has been growing fast. It’s really been a fun and exciting new development.
What advice would you give to other women who are looking to build their careers?
It’s advice that I need to give myself as well; have a multitude of ways to measure success. Success shouldn’t just be about the money you make or the connections you make. For artists, if you’re making art that means something to you, that should be considered a success. Also, be prepared to fail. Be prepared to order too many of something, or have one thing that never sells, and learn from it.
Another boss queen answered: I think that there are so many creative and talented women that don’t trust themselves and are afraid to take that leap. I truly believe that if you leap, the net will appear. So many people talk themselves out of that. My second piece of advice is to ask for help. Know your strengths, and bring in people because you can’t do everything. You need to prioritize or else you’ll end up burning out.
Jen from Greece Said: I would say that if you’re passionate about something, you will succeed at that. I think it’s really important to have that passion because when you do, it doesn’t become work or a job, it becomes your life. I think that makes a real difference.
Fashion stylist from London: Work hard. Build a network of trusted connections. Get great referral partners. Save – launching a business in the UK is expensive.
Do you worry that as a strong female CEO or entrepreneur, you will intimidate others, especially the opposite sex?
Ummm no. If we spent all of our time worrying about men nothing would ever get done! Instead, we invest our energy into our own performance as a leader. Do men get intimidated? Probably! But that’s not our problem.
What Inspires you?
Smart, strong, driven, dedicated female entrepreneurs – women who go for it, work damn hard, succeed, and pave the way for other women to do something similar. Oprah, Tina Fey, and Sheryl Sandberg – are massive inspirations for me.
As an entrepreneur, what is it that motivates and drives you?
I think a lot of entrepreneurs will say the same. It is not about the money. I don’t know if it’s a lack of confidence or a surfeit of confidence but you always want to prove yourself, you’re never quite satisfied – and that might express itself in being very competitive. You just want to do your own thing and are prepared to take huge risks to do it.
In one word, describe your life as an entrepreneur.
Struggle - it feels like a constant struggle. You are never quite satisfied, always trying to push the boundaries, and then moving on to the next thing – which inevitably takes you back to starting over again.
What do you put your success down to?
I think it is being able to take several leaps ahead in your mind. It’s like a Rubik's cube - you see something and it is all jumbled up – but you know there’s some clarity in there somewhere. And it’s being able to visualize what can result from that clutter that makes the difference.
What would you say are the key elements for starting and running a successful business?
Knowledge, contacts, and experience. These things are priceless.
Most successful businesses evolve from knowledge of the industry that you’ve been working in before – and how successful you were in your previous career. You might not have an idea today – but get the most qualifications you can and work as hard as you can in your career – because that will help in the future
“On my own, I will just create, and if it works, it works, and if it doesn’t, I’ll create something else. I don’t have any limitations on what I think I could do or be.”
— Oprah Winfrey, Host, Producer, and Philanthropist
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