Being a “She-EO” has its advantages and disadvantages.  It means we’re in charge of our business and it also means we have to be at the top of our game if we want to achieve success, as we chose to define it.

My goal in this blog post is to help you catapult over some of the obstacles that kept me bogged down for years.  I’ve condensed almost two decades of experience into these four rules:

Create your definition of success and own it!

More often than not, women entrepreneurs mistakenly strive to achieve success as defined by others such as society, family, friends and colleagues.  This can leave you feeling exhausted, empty and defeated.  When you create your definition of success – in business, life, relationships, health, etc., you’re committed to a goal that’s uniquely yours.  It becomes your true north and makes decision-making SO much easier!

When you know what success looks like, feels like and lives like for you, then you’re well on your way to achieving it.  There’s no doubt or hesitation, no apologies or excuses.  You are the She-EO of your success.

When you have a win and receive a hearty congratulations from a friend or colleague, embrace it gracefully and confidently. According to leadership consultant, Rachelle J. Canter, Ph.D., “Own your success for all the other women who look up to you and emulate you.”

Never underestimate your value.

Consider this: you’re in complete control of your earning potential. In order to make a shift in your business you must: 1) be aware of your gifts and talents, 2) understand what you have to offer your ideal clients and 3) monetize your products and services to reflect what the market will bear. For more on this, you’ll want to register for my free October Business Success Masterclass.  Couple all of this with your unique value proposition and you’ll see your income soar.  As Albert Einstein notably suggested, “If you put a small value on yourself, rest assured that the world will not raise your price.”

It’s lonely at the top, so bring others with you.

By nature, having a home-based business or being a solo-preneur, can be lonely, but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. An article published by the Harvard Business Review echoes this notion —  it’s isolating at the top. First-time She-EO’s can be particularly susceptible to this isolation. Much of the loneliness that entrepreneurial leaders will face is connected to the growing pains of personal development as Jack Welch, former Chairman and CEO of General Electric, has said, “Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself.”

Be unapologetically Uniquely You!

Your uniqueness is a bankable currency. It defines your business and sets you apart from the clutter of a cookie-cutter marketplace. You’ll have great difficulty attracting your ideal clients if you’re trying to be someone or something that’s not authentically you.  Your ideal clients are attracted to someone who is ‘real.’ Having your business founded in authenticity, in your uniqueness, is a baseline of belief in what you say and in what you sell. It’s the courage to offer unique value and market yourself in a way that is consistent with your brand. Being everything to everyone sets you up to be nothing to no one.

These rules have allowed me to become a successful She-EO and I’m confident that following these rules will help you achieve success, as you chose to define it!

What rules have your discovered on your entrepreneurial journey that help you live in success every day?  I’d love to hear from you.