New look. New feel. New direction.

We did it.  Whew.  Nothing like a deadline to make you move and make it happen.  Yesterday our new website went live!

We started our rebranding discussions back in March.  After 15 years of operation, we decided that Company of Women needed a facelift.  As an adolescent, our views on what we needed to do had changed, and it was time for the organization to represent the new reality of doing business today.

Gone are the pinks and purples that represented our femininity.  We are women in business and we’re here to stay and to be taken seriously. We’ve gone with an edgier look – lime green and blue.  Our logo is no longer just our signature.  We are more than that and the symbol of the mountains reflects the journey we are on.  

Each mountain represents the three pillars of our organization – business development, leadership and personal development.   After working on the Good Enough book for three years, in which we explored why women don’t feel good enough about themselves, it became clear that without confidence, we can’t achieve what we wish for ourselves.   So in addition to focusing on business development, we also want you to have the tools and faith in yourself to be successful.

And talking of success – our new slogan is Success on your own terms.   No more comparing yourself to others. No more living someone else’s dream. No more striving for other people’s definition of success.  It is all about you and what you want out of life, and we’re behind you every step of the way.

The smaller triangle in the middle represents leadership.  It is smaller because not all of us are leaders, yet we wanted to foster women’s leadership because this is the way to the future; to changing the world we live in.

So there you are – a quick snapshot of our new look and programming focus.  Yesterday we launched the new website, so we start October afresh, moving forward.

It is a bit nerve wracking and a lot of work.  I’ve had to let go of my need for perfection, because while we have hopefully ironed out the kinks, there are bound to be some teething problems.  Please be patient.

I’ve always said you are never alone when you own.  Well that is so true.  None of this would have happened without the facilitation, input and creativity of other others. My thanks to my team for helping us pave this new future.  And a special thanks to my daughter Megan, who worked tirelessly to create the new website. 

Go check it out – www.companyofwomen.ca

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Confidence. Don't leave home without it.

“The only thing standing between greatness and me, is me.”

Woody Allen

Isn’t that the truth.  So often we are the ones getting in our own way, letting our fears and lack of confidence hold us back from becoming who we are meant to be.

Another truth is that starting and running your own business is not for the faint of heart.  

Nothing rarely goes to plan and at the first roadblock it would be all too easy to give up.

But we don’t.  Not if we really, really want to have our own business.  

Sometimes it means taking a step back and looking at what we are doing and want to achieve and asking if you’re on the right track or do you have to tweak something to make it better.

In her book She Means Business, Carrie Green identified that the first step to building a business is to look inward.  “Conditioning yourself for success is far more important than any business strategy, because if you don’t have the right mindset, you’ll get in your own way and won’t be able to create the success you want.”

In order to succeed we have to push past the self-doubt, fear and obstacles. In our Good Enough book, we talk about confidence, and how you don’t want to leave home without it.

But how do you build confidence?  Because it is not something you can put on and leave on.  It is a fair weather friend. In some situations, we can be self-assured and willing to step up to the challenge; in others, we hold back, tentative and fearful of making a mistake.  

And maybe that’s the key.  It’s letting go of that fear of failure and realizing that mistakes are just feedback that we need to listen to and move on.  As we heard from our panel of trailblazers at the conference, just do it.  The longer you wait, the harder it becomes to step out of your comfort zone.

Knowing yourself helps you to better understand what you strengths are and where you may need help.  Ask your friends and family what strengths you bring to your business.  You might be surprised with what they say.

Talking of friends, you want to hang out with people you believe in you, who are supportive and are there to give you honest feedback, and if necessary, the kick you need to get moving. 

Carrie Green is right.  If we don’t believe in ourselves, how can we ask other people to do so.  Her book is divided up into three sections. Interestingly only one is dedicated to the actual business planning process, the other two are devoted to helping you understand yourself, your motivation and developing the right mindset to succeed.

It is one of the reasons why at Company of Women we will be introducing a new series of programs to help build women’s self confidence, because without that component, it is hard to succeed – whether you are in start-up mode or more seasoned and want to take your business to the next level.

Out of the mouth of babes

Last week I attended Matilda.  For those of you unfamiliar with the Roald Dahl’s story, it is about a little girl who has the misfortune to live in a home where the parents couldn’t care less about her and who attends a school where the principal feels children are just maggots.

Not much of a life for a child.  You will be pleased to learn that there is one character, Miss Honey, who does take a caring interest in the child.  But in one of the Matilda’s songs, she has a strong message for all of us. 

Here’s just some of the lyrics:

Just because you find that life's not fair, it
Doesn't mean that you just have to grin and bear it.
If you always take it on the chin and wear it, nothing will change.
Just because I find myself in this story,
It doesn't mean that everything is written for me.
If I think the ending is fixed already,
I might as well be saying I think that it's OK,
And that's not right!

Interesting.  An important message for any of us who may be feeling stuck, who see no “light at the end of the tunnel.”  As Matilda says, if we do nothing it won’t change.

As we start a new year, what changes could you make?  As Matilda says, just because life seems predictable, doesn’t mean you have to subscribe to the ending you think is written for you.

Following extensive research, Amy Vodarek and I are finishing off our book Good Enough? which is coming out this Spring. After connecting with over 350 women, we’ve learnt more about how and why women suffer from self-doubt or feel an imposter, all of which holds them back from realizing their potential. 

But it doesn’t have to be that way.  Many of the women described digging in and making new and often difficult choices. But one’s for the better. It means we have to reflect on what is happening, both past and present, ask ourselves tough questions and look at small steps we can take to change the situation and take charge of our lives.

Because as Matilda says, to stay stuck, is not right.