How to Inspire Younger Women, As a Businesswoman
It is well known that the support of well-established connections is essential in the world of business. It is also well known that women are still underrepresented in positions of power and influence in the commercial sector.
One of the best ways to increase the numbers of young women who rise through the ranks of the business world is through the support of senior, established businesswomen who have the experience and knowledge to share with their younger counterparts. However, it is not always as easy as it sounds, and there are many ways to support young female businesswomen and entrepreneurs.
Keep reading to learn about the best ways to give young female entrepreneurs the support they need to rise through the ranks of the business world.
Amplify female voices
There are several ways to amplify female voices in a business capacity. One of the easiest and fastest is to utilize social media. We all use social media platforms, and many young women are likely already following you and hoping to gain insight. Simply sharing a post, tagging, or featuring a post in a “story” can have a significant impact when using platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter.
There are other powerful ways to boost female voices. Suppose you are organizing events for your workplace. In that case, it is worth considering the gender ratio and trying to even it out so that women also feel represented during the event or talking series.
Boost impactful networking
Buying products and sharing posts on social media can be impactful, but it is not as significant as helping younger businesswomen network effectively and make introductions. Developing and maintaining a diverse, healthy network of contacts is essential for succeeding in the commercial world. It is often easier for men to make connections than women because there are fewer older businesswomen.
Mentorship can prove to be highly beneficial for young mentees for sharing information but also for networking. Mentorship can bring with it a whole host of benefits for young women, including creating an entire list of new business contacts. Not all mentorships are good fits, so it is worth taking your time and finding the right mentee to whom to devote your time and energy.
Networking events can be intimidating for young women, especially if they are not focused entirely on women in business. It is worth stepping out of your comfort zone during networking events and approaching any young women who appear to be alone, struggling, or uncomfortable. Sometimes all they need is a friendly face and an implied vote of confidence.
Advocate for policies that support women
Not everyone is interested in politics and political actions, but for those that are, advocating for policies that support women is one of the most effective and powerful ways to help women in business. The types of policies that help women will vary greatly depending on the place you live, but they are all significant for assisting women in getting ahead in the business world.
Some of the policy changes that positively impact women include increased maternity leave, better healthcare options for women, and stronger laws supporting women who claim workplace harassment.
Support female-led businesses
Although you cannot make your company’s procurement decisions based on whether the supplier is female-led, it is possible to support female-led businesses in an impactful way. Boosting women-owned businesses can be as easy as just doing your research and changing some of your purchasing decisions.
Alternatively, you can also support women through investment. You can tailor your investment portfolio to favor female-led businesses as one way to support women in business. More importantly, however, you can help women-owned businesses by allowing them to pitch their start-up ideas for seed funding or angel investment.
Female business leaders to follow
Suppose you are still unsure where to start or are looking for other ways to help young businesswomen. In that case, you should follow a few different female business leaders who are making waves and actively supporting other women every day through their work.
One female leader in the business world who other businesswomen can look to is Malini Saba, the founder and chairman of Saba Group. Malini Saba founded Saba Corporation in 1992 and developed a conglomerate spanning agriculture, pharmaceuticals, real estate, hospitality, fintech, mining, entertainment, and impact technology. Malini Saba now focuses on philanthropy and supporting other young women who dream of starting in business.
Other businesswomen who should be emulated include In-N-Out Burger’s Lynsi Snyder, YouTube’s Susan Wojcicki, AMD’s Lisa Su, and Rosewood Hotel Group’s Sonia Cheng. There are hundreds of different ways to support female entrepreneurs, and as the demographics of board rooms become more equitable, you can be sure that more and more young women will be looking for guidance, support, and mentorship.
