As we have already wound up Women’s History Month, I thought I’d take a moment to pause and consider how lucky I am to be a female small business owner. From the very beginning when I got into business, I knew entrepreneurship would allow me to become the master of my own destiny. I passionately believed in the company I purchased, its offerings, and customers. I was, and still am, lucky enough to be surrounded by incredible women at all turns.
From my fellow team members to my mom who is my biggest cheerleader and mentor, I am empowered by strong, smart, capable women at every turn each day. I look up to even more that I have never met as well and always get excited when I see some of my favorite female entrepreneurs making headlines in the news. They never fail to re-inspire me all over again and to encourage countless others to follow and pursue their big dreams and become the leaders that they are meant to be.
If you ever find yourself in need of a little extra quotable encouragement along the entrepreneurial road, you’ve come to the right place. Here are nine of my favorite leadership sound bites from great female ‘treps who have gone the distance and then some in their fields.
1. “Don’t you dare underestimate the power of your own instinct.” — Barbara Corcoran
2. “There are always things that are needed. There are always ways to do things better. It’s all about offering solutions.” — Lori Greiner
3. “When you lose something in your life, stop thinking it’s a loss for you… It is a gift you have been given so you can get on the right path to where you are meant to go, not to where you think you should have gone.” — Suze Orman
4. “Take your time, do not be in a hurry. And do not think you need to achieve everything right here, right now.” — Savannah Guthrie
5. “Don’t be intimidated by what you don’t know. That can be your greatest strength and ensure that you do things differently from everyone else.” — Sara Blakely
6. “There is no perfect fit when you’re looking for the next big thing to do. You have to take opportunities and make an opportunity fit for you, rather than the other way around. The ability to learn is the most important quality a leader can have.” — Sheryl Sandberg
7. “Be authentic. You can’t buy integrity.” — Meg Whitman
8. “I learned the hard way that you have to put it out there, even if it’s not well received. You just gotta go for it.” — Alli Webb
9. “Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher.” — Oprah Winfrey
