Over the past 100-odd years, women have played a critical role in the ever-changing labor force. 

According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, 57.3% of women are now in the workforce and 68% of men, yet despite this representation, only 24% of women hold high management C-suite positions.

With this lack of women in prominent senior positions, alongside other gender-related issues, including the gender pay gap and prevalence of harassment towards women at work, it is clear there are still leaps and bounds to be made by industry leaders and organizations to better promote gender equality in the workplace.

The good news is that some steps can also be taken by female business leaders who are looking to voice and fight these issues, take charge of their careers, and grow their business or influence in the industry.

The path to advancing in the industry looks different for everyone – a marketing professional may look to broaden their network by attending conferences, while a social worker completes an online Master of Social Work to get a higher certification. 

Whatever your business model or entrepreneurial path is, here are our top tips to help achieve this success. 

Build a supportive network

Just as you need a network to support you within the confines of your personal life via friends and family, creating a professional network that can help support your career is also vital to building success.

Professionals who work in the same sector as you, current or previous investors, partners, and fellow founders, mentor-figures, and even people who work at businesses businesses you admire or want to collaborate with are all great connections to build to help stay informed on industry trends, developments, growth opportunities, and to seek advice when needed. 

Take the time to build and nurture these relationships, and remember to give back to them when you can – relationships should never be one-sided. 

Be assertive and negotiate

While the majority of men have no issue understanding their worth and negotiating partnerships, pricing, or funding, years of unconscious bias that men are the breadwinners, cultural expectations, and just a hint of biology have left women far less likely to negotiate for better money or positions. 

Studies have also shown that women will rarely pursue growth opportunities if they do not have 100% of the skills listed for a job (or close to it), while men will happily submit an application if they have around 60% of the skills. 

Learning to move past these hesitations and becoming more assertive when it comes to your accomplishments and experience will help you learn to better negotiate and get exactly what you want for your business or venture. 

Be sure when you are having the discussion that you can demonstrate your skills and experience, be clear and concise about what you want, and if there are potential barriers, that you have worked out ways to remove them. 

Loyalty and empathy are good – to a point

Many women find themselves irrationally loyal to a company and may experience guilt at the thought of leaving the business model or moving on from a partnership behind.

While loyalty itself is a fabulous quality, it can reach a point where you need to stop worrying about how others will cope without you, and instead begin to focus on empowering yourself, rising to new challenges, and growing your business. 

By putting yourself first, you can start to hunt for opportunities that are more appealing to you, match your interests, and are on the right path to reach your business goals. 

Be proactive with your business goals

If you have identified areas for growth or advancement in your business or entrepreneurial journey, it is important to start taking steps towards achieving these goals. 

You may like to break down your goals into smaller, achievable steps and note them down in a way that can help you keep track of your accomplishments. You may also like to reach out to your network of mentors and business advisors to help provide guidance or even refine the goals based on their advice.

Fake it till you make it

Okay, we don’t mean lying on your brand, but the research is clear – confidence plays a significant role in how people perceive a leader.

In a Forbes study, business leaders who self-assessed themselves as having higher confidence levels were also perceived with higher leadership effectiveness, and it makes sense. 

A leader with low confidence would inevitably struggle with many management duties like leading investor calls, managing teams, or making strategic decisions, and in some cases, research has even gone so far as to suggest that confidence can outweigh competence. 

While building your confidence levels can be incredibly difficult, through a combination of mindset, disciplined practice, and stretching yourself, you have the potential to unlock this skill to help climb that ladder and advance your field.

Pay it forward

The most important way to help women advance in the entrepreneurial space is to be a girl’s girl and support other women. As you advance in your field, it is important to remember to guide and inspire other women to achieve their dreams too. 

Make the time to share your learnings, hype other professional women up at your business landscape or on your socials, and celebrate in both your own and their success. 

Advancing your business, particularly for women, can take time, effort, and commitment. While it can sometimes feel as though it is a never-ending battle, taking the steps highlighted above can help you work towards your goals and make huge strides in the industry. 

From generating a supportive network to working on your confidence, never stop trying to take charge of your business and achieve all you want to achieve.