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To All Entrepreneurs, Stop Being One-Sided

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When starting out, it is an uphill battle for many entrepreneurs to find their voice in their industry and get their business out there. Just like you may have experienced when job hunting back in the day, employers wanted you to have a certain number of years experience in the industry, but no-one actually wanted to give you that experience. A catch-22 that can feel totally unfair if you know your own capabilities and just want the chance to prove yourself.

This scenario is often the case for entrepreneurs. While you obviously aren’t job hunting, you are looking for opportunities to make yourself and your brand known in the world. But it seems like no-one will give you the time of day until you have actually “achieved” something. So until you are “successful” it can essentially feel like you are a nobody.

We need a to show the whole story, not just the end result

However, people don’t always want to see the happy ending to the story where the entrepreneur was ultra successful, made millions of dollars and lived happily ever after. 

While that can be inspiring, it is often much more inspiring to hear from others just like yourself who are in the startup phase right now. People who haven’t achieved their vision yet. People who, on the outside, seem like they haven’t achieved much at all despite having a couple of years of hard work under their belt.

In business books, on podcasts and in articles, we are always being told one of the secrets to success is to “love the process”. That means to love all the ups and downs that come with entrepreneurship, especially in the early days. However, the reality is something different. The process of starting up isn’t celebrated at all. Only the end result- if it ends up in what most people define as success. People only want to share your story once you’ve been through it, not while you are living it.

But this is how we get the one-sided version of entrepreneurship. The side that only shows how people are successful and make lots of money being an entrepreneur. The side with all the challenges and the ultra hard startup days remains hidden. When we only see the glory, it’s no wonder that people have a fear of failure and will quit at the first sign of trouble. Most people don’t even realise that every single entrepreneur faces challenges and no-one is an overnight success.

There needs to be a balance of what is depicted in the media about entrepreneurship and that begins with seeking out startups and letting them share their current story and their vision of where they are heading.

“There are no quick wins in business – it takes years to become an overnight success.” – Richard Branson

All entrepreneurs deserve to be role models, not just the ones who have “made it”. 

These people have just as much to offer an audience, if not more, in terms of inspiration for other entrepreneurs. These are the people who aren’t too far removed from their humble beginnings to forget how hard it was at the start and the challenges they faced in business and life to get their break.

They are living all those unique start up challenges right now. Those early years can be isolating and exhausting. There are extra challenges that startup entrepreneurs face, such as bootstrapping or working late at night after their 9-to-5 or once the kids have gone to bed.

These first years of a business are not insignificant. Startup entrepreneurs deserve to share their story, why they started, their vision for a better world and what they are working on right now. Whether they achieve “success” or not is irrelevant, because even if their businesses aren’t around in another five years, they are still role models to other aspiring entrepreneurs. That’s because they took a chance that many people don’t. They took the chance to make a difference in the world, create a different life for themselves and put their idea out into the world. All of which is something to be celebrated.

If you can help, then you should

For those who have podcasts, media sites, article submissions, events or conferences, basically anyone who is in some sort of position where they can help fellow entrepreneurs build awareness of their brand and their vision, please use your platform for good. Use it in a way that shows the many sides of entrepreneurship. Most claim to be about helping others build their businesses and create success and now it is time to prove it. Helping others also means sharing the stories of people who are relatable right now, not just those who were once upon a time.

And for those of you who are trying to get your voices heard- keep going, ignore the rejections and just keep asking. Keep sending the emails, making the phone calls and trying to establish the right connections. Keep voicing your opinions on what matters to you in any way that you can. Your time will come when others will stand up and realise that you have something great to offer the world. Then they will be knocking your door down to get you on their podcasts!

Shannon Threlfall is the founder of The Founder’s Vision, a platform for news, business strategy, consulting, online courses, collaboration and more. This is a platform for WOMXN entrepreneurs who have a massive vision for their business and see the world differently. We are leading a movement to revolutionise the business world and create a new economy that has diversity and social entrepreneurship at its heart.

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Business

The Entrepreneur’s Reading List That Transforms Ideas Into Empires

These must-read titles and writing insights reveal how entrepreneurs turn bold ideas into empire-level success.

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top entrepreneurship books for business growth
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Entrepreneurship is powered by stories—of accomplishment, failure, and decision moments that define businesses. Books are maps, providing insight from individuals who’ve traversed the road ahead. (more…)

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Entrepreneurs

The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025

Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

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Bridging the gap between employees and employers
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In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”

While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.

Why This Gap Exists

Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.

What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.

Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap

Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.

1. Practice Mutual Empathy

Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.

2. Maintain Professional Boundaries

Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.

3. Follow the Golden Rule

Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.

4. Avoid Micromanagement

Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.

5. Empower Employees to Grow

Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.

6. Communicate in All Directions

Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.

7. Overcome Insecurities

Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.

8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship

True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.

9. Eliminate Favoritism

Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.

10. Recognize Efforts Promptly

Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.

11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews

When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.

12. Provide Leadership Development

Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.

13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles

Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.

The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role

Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:

  • Build diverse talent pipelines

  • Embrace flexible work models

  • Design compelling career paths

  • Simplify HR processes

  • Redefine the value HR brings

The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.

Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff

When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.

Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.

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Entrepreneurs

What Makes an Entrepreneurial Leader? Traits of the World’s Best Innovators

Inside the mindset of entrepreneurial leaders who transform risk, passion, and vision into world-changing results.

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entrepreneurial leadership skills and traits
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When you think of Richard Branson (Virgin Group), Bill Gates (Microsoft), Steve Jobs (Apple), Rupert Murdoch (News Corporation), and Ted Turner (CNN), one thing becomes clear: they are not just entrepreneurs, they are entrepreneurial leaders. (more…)

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Entrepreneurs

Building a Business Empire: Lessons from the World’s Boldest Entrepreneurs

Learn essential lessons, success strategies, and mindset shifts every aspiring entrepreneur needs to overcome challenges and build a thriving business.

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how to build a business empire
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Back in July 2017, I attended a business seminar on entrepreneurship in India. With my appetite for learning and meeting new people, I wanted to explore the latest developments in the entrepreneurial world. (more…)

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