Ladies who Launch

Oprah Show Interview 01 Jan 08, enhanced by Peter/CXO Wiz4.Biz 7/12

More women are starting their own businesses in order to live the lives they want, says Victoria Colligan, co-founder of LadiesWhoLaunch.com Oprah talked with Victoria about her company, which provides a social network for entrepreneurial women, and about why and how women make the decision to launch their own businesses:

· A woman’s entrepreneurial spirit is driven by her lifestyle. “Women polled by Ladies Who Launch cite freedom, flexibility & control as the top reasons for starting their own business”, Victoria says. The next most important factors are creativity, fulfillment & passion. Money comes in last place, she says.

· Connections count. “Women who surround themselves with other entrepreneurial women are more likely to succeed”, Victoria says, which is why Ladies Who Launch connects like-minded individuals and offers business skill-building workshops. “It’s a way to start to think about your business and your dream in a very realistic and a very big way,” she says.

· It all starts with one small step. “Whether you make one phone call, send an Email or make that first Product”, Victoria says, “All success stories start with baby steps that eventually snowball. Starting small—perhaps as a side job or from your home—also lends to the high success rate among women. Women start businesses more slowly without trying to grow them too fast, so they’re less likely to take these huge risks at the beginning that may lead to failure,” she says.

· Moms make great entrepreneurs. Victoria, herself a mother of two, says “Moms are more likely to start businesses and more likely to be successful. They’re already used to they’re running their households and they’re juggling many, many different elements of their life, which are all things that you need to be an entrepreneur,” she says.

· Confidence is key. Speaking from experience, Victoria says, “Women actually develop confidence through the process of launching a business, which in turn helps their endeavors grow. Just start something in your life – a new relationship, a new baby – and you will have a happier life, you will feel more confident, and that’s what it’s all about,” she says.

Comments: Do you think that covers it or do you have something to add?