Collaboration is Key

Collaboration is Key

Being a small business owner is not for the faint of heart. It requires commitment, perseverance, and collaboration. The work never ends and is a continuous cycle of what’s next.  With a lifetime of service, I knew when I launched my business, I could not do it alone.  The African proverb It takes a Village is not lost on me. Being a female founder can be an even more uphill battle than one could ever possibly imagine launching a business. Female founders need other female founders; we are no longer in a man’s world; it is everyone’s world. In business, you must align yourself with other businesses that will support you, and business relationships must be mutually beneficial.  Why do we need female founders supporting female founders?  We all want to win! Women business owners are paving the way for us newbies. They illuminate what has been, what is, and what your business will become. They have felt the silence, void, fear, and loneliness but have overcome them. Female founders live the American dream even if it isn’t how they imagined it. We are entrepreneurs but also parents and children, and we do the heavy lifting in our world. Only female founders can truly understand other female founders.

I have recently been able to experience true collaboration as it was intended. I collaborate with small businesses, solopreneurs, and non-profit organizations; you will likely see females leading the charge. We have a charisma that is underestimated at times.  But our voices are being heard, and we are sitting smack middle in of that table. And what I have learned is that collaboration across diverse industries can be incredibly beneficial for business exposure and referral opportunities, speaking engagements, and some groovy networking experiences.

Completing the AccelerateHER program through the TWU Center for Women Entrepreneurs introduced me to female founders rocking the business world. These women are at the table and have a voice, and I hope we all found mutually beneficial relationships during the process and the safe space we needed in our journey. We worked together, celebrated together, and we scaled together. We became a niche group of female founders in different industries who found collaboration.

Please join me in supporting and congratulating the first Houston AccelerateHER cohort through TWU Center for Women Entrepreneurs. I invite you to check out how they are making a difference in their communities. I know they made a difference for me. Collaboration is key!