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A  continuation of business and life lessons learned from my half-marathon race:

Lesson 5:  Sometimes you need to go slower than you wanted to – and that’s OK.

I admit it, I like to achieve my goals quickly.  I set a high bar for myself (I bet you do, too) for most things.  I had a race time goal in mind when I started.  But I also realized along the way that in order to take care of myself, I would need to let go of the pace goal and instead focus on the experience. 

I pushed myself, but I did slow down.  Between miles 8 and 10.75, I walked some.  Actually, I walked a fair amount.  I knew that if I didn’t, I might not finish the race.  And I saw that by slowing down, I could enjoy the journey more. 

In what areas of your life are you driving yourself so hard that you aren’t enjoying the journey?  If you slowed down, just a little, or just for a few days, would you end up better off?  Give yourself permission to slow down from time to time – so you can be stronger overall.

A  continuation of business and life lessons learned from my half-marathon race:

Lesson 4:  Though you have an “end goal” in mind, you need interim goals that lead you there. 

About 2 miles into the race, going at a considerably slower pace than on my favorite treadmill, I started realizing that 13 miles is an awfully long way.  I knew I wanted to finish the race – but every time I thought about how much farther I had to go, I felt discouraged. 

So, I changed my focus.  Instead of thinking about the end goal, I started thinking about the next interim step.  “I’m just going to run to the next water station, and then re-evaluate.”  At one point, I was tired enough that I bargained with myself by saying, “I’m just going to run 100 more paces.”  If the end goal seems too dauntingly far away, allow yourself to focus on just the one next step that will lead you further along the way.

What big dream do you have that feels too far away to ever be real?  What one baby-step can you take today to move you in the right direction?

A  continuation of business and life lessons learned from my half-marathon race on Sunday:

Lesson #3:     You’re going to stumble sometimes – the key thing is to keep going after you do.

Four times during that run a tree root jumped up, grabbed my ankle, and yelled “fall!”  Four times, I stumbled.  I never actually fell to the ground, but that was luck as much as anything.  Each time, my adrenaline raced, my heart started pounding, my knees and ankles cried out.  I thought to myself at least twice, “This is stupid!  Why are you doing this?”  But I kept on going. 

In life, we’re going to stumble.  Things outside our control sometimes seem to conspire to create obstacles.  But maybe, those obstacles are a key opportunity to show what we’re made of.  Once you dust yourself off and keep on going, you have a renewed sense of pride and have learned more about yourself and what you’re capable of.

When was the last time you stumbled?  Did you get up and keep going?  What did you learn about yourself as a result?

A continuation of business and life lessons learned from my half-marathon race on Sunday:

Lesson 2:  No matter how prepared you are, you’re going to encounter things you didn’t expect. 

Generally speaking, I’m a person who likes to have a plan.  I like to be prepared for every eventuality.  I don’t like surprises.  But there are times in life, and in your business, and in the race, when you just get caught by the unknown. 

I’m normally a treadmill runner.  I hop on and clip along at just under a 10-minute-mile pace.  Smooth sailing.  Easy on the knees.  Comfortable air temperature.  But this cross-country stuff is different.  I encountered inclines that challenged my heart and breathing.  I got dirt in my shoes, down in my socks – ugh!  And the last quarter mile, when I was feeling relieved to almost be done – I encountered powder-fine sand that was even harder than running on the beach, where at least the sand is more dense and kind of packed down. 

What I learned is that you have to adjust to the unexpected and find a way to get through it.  What other option do you have?  Quit?  No way.  So you’ve just got to deal with it and keep going.  (Oh, and add it to your life lessons learned so the next time, you’re better prepared.)

When was the last time you encountered the unexpected?  What did you learn?

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Yesterday, for the first time ever, I ran a half-marathon.  This race was different, not just because it’s farther than I’ve ever run before (13.1 miles), but because I’m normally a treadmill runner and this was a cross-country race.  The course was a trail run through the Alafia River State Park – and it’s nothing like running on my usual treadmill.  The ground was uneven, I encountered different surfaces that I didn’t expect, and the going was much slower than I anticipated.  Still, I finished!  And I’m proud of that.

In the afternoon, I was online, updating my FaceBook page, when it suddenly dawned on me that there are a lot of similarities between running that half marathon and running my business.  Over the next week, I’d like to share with you seven lessons I learned from the race that we can all apply to our lives and businesses:

1.      Sometimes, you have to “Just Do It!”

I’d had this race on my calendar for a couple of months, but I just hadn’t gotten around to paying to register.  I’d been training for it, and saying I was going to do it.  Then, however, a crazy-busy business travel period came up.  I was in 5 cities in 10 days just prior to the race.  I got home on Friday, seriously thinking about bailing on the Sunday event (remember, I hadn’t registered yet).  I was tired.  I hadn’t trained the way I wished.  I was afraid I wouldn’t do it well.

But then I started thinking about how guilty I’d feel if I didn’t do it.  And then I realized that, if I bail on it now, I might never actually do it.  I realized it was the voice of fear holding me back ….. and I hate that voice!  So I immediately got online, registered, and committed myself.  And now, looking back, I am so glad I just did it.  Because now, I’m a person who has run a half-marathon … instead of a person who dreams about doing it.

What have you been hesitating about that you can now “just do”?

As you may have read, Jane Dough is one of 5 types of Janes–women entrepreneurs looking to build a successful business.

Jane Dough enjoys running her business and is comfortable and determined in marketing and selling. She may be working longer hours, but she doesn’t mind because she enjoys the enterprise so much. Her focus on growth is why she is five times as likely as the average woman entrepreneur to hit the million-dollar revenue mark with her company. She is clear in her priorities and may be intentionally and actively growing an asset-based or legacy business that she can later sell or pass on to her children. It is estimated that 18 percent of women are Jane Doughs.

Please meet Jenny Ford, founder of www.monkey-toes.com.  She’s the first Jane Dough to send us a video.  When you watch her, you’ll see immediately how focused she is on growing her business by thinking strategically and using great systems.

Jane Dough - Monkey-Toes.com

I suspect, too, that once you’ve seen her video, you’ll just have to pop over to her site to see the awesome shoes she has for little ones.  If my son, RJ, were little, I’d snap them up in a heartbeat … but I guess at age 18 and shoe size 14 we’re a little out of Jenny’s target market.  :)   My brother and his wife, however, are expecting — so there may be some monkey-toes in my future that way!

I came across this great article today based on the premise that WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS around going to be key in turning our economy around!

What are YOUR thoughts? A Million Woman TurnAround… Hmmmm….

Here is an excerpt from this article by Nell Merlino with the Huffington Post:

From my recent experience helping US women grow their businesses, I am convinced women will lead America out of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Kept out, put out or having walked out of the “boys will be boys” boardrooms, C-suites or the dead end jobs we had propping up the fellas, women have started small businesses in record numbers — 10.5 million to be exact. Rather than depending on or hoping that the handful who caused this economic crisis will rescue them or bail them out, women are poised to grow their businesses and rescue the country themselves. Read the rest of the article…

Here is a great article by marketing and business coach, Katrina Sawa. I met Katrina this weekend at Alexandria Brown’s Online Success Blueprint Workshop in Los Angeles, CA. She has great energy! And coincidently, this article appeared in my search this morning for women entrepreneurs and I decided to share with you.

Partnering is a great way to build your business quickly. In fact, Jane has partnered with a number of experts for this reason exactly. I call these partnerships Joint Ventures. Women are naturally gifted to create great relationships. When you can tap into this talent for your business, you can catapult yourself into long-lasting success.

Check out Katrina’s 2 simple tips to build partnerships by reading this article! Continue reading »

Here is an article that claims that women are paid less than men for the same jobs because they spend less time networking. In fact, many successful women state that their success can be credited to their deep relationships. Perhaps women can spend less time networking but they are better?

What do YOU think about this? Do women really NOT socialize as men do? Or do we just do it differently? Tell us your thoughts.

Networking gap means less pay for women

Posted by Fran Wood October 15, 2008 8:15AM

Categories: The Working Life

In 2006, New Jersey women earned 78.3 cents for every dollar a man earned in comparable jobs. Today that number is down to 77 cents. Granted that’s an improvement over the 72 cents it was the first time I wrote about this issue in 1978.

Still, a nickel strikes me as rather pitiful progress in 30 years.

Sen. Diane Allen (R-Burlington), who co-sponsored legislation to create the state Council on Gender Parity, has noted that part of the reason women’s pay remains lower is not because of some conspiracy but simply due to circumstances.

That’s the good news.

The bad news is that a major component of those circumstances is difficult, if not impossible, to change.

That part is “networking” - socializing off the job with those who are in a position to affect salary and promotions. Read the rest of the article

Here is a reprint of our latest press release. This research is so exciting, we want to be able to share it with all women entrepreneurs and everyone who does business with these women.

New study shows female entrepreneurs fall primarily into one of five categories Tampa, FL (August 28, 2008) – A two year study, commissioned by Jane Out of the Box, a research-based online resource community for female entrepreneurs, shows that all women business owners, though highly dynamic individuals, can be categorized as one of five types. The distinction between the categories, says the study, is based on women’s choices in balancing personal and professional needs.

As a result of the study findings, Jane Out of the Box also provides information on how women who are dissatisfied with their “type” can take relevant steps to move their business and lifestyle to a position that better aligns with their goals. Women who are satisfied with their type will also be given advice on how to reap even greater rewards from their businesses.

Additional information, as well as a free, evaluation/classification assessment, can be found at www.JaneOutoftheBox.com, then log in and click on Which Jane Are You?

The first type listed in the study, referred to as Jane Dough, enjoys running her business and is comfortable and determined in marketing and selling. She may be working longer hours, but she doesn’t mind because she enjoys the enterprise so much. Her focus on growth is why she is five times as likely as the average woman entrepreneur to hit the million-dollar revenue mark with her company. She is clear in her priorities and may be intentionally and actively growing an asset-based or legacy business that she can later sell or pass on to her children. It is estimated that 18 percent of women are Jane Doughs.

Go Jane Go, is the second Jane type. She is a successful female entrepreneur who has grown her business to the point that she may now struggle to get time away from her work for vacations or to take care of herself. She feels confident and organized and has put systems in place to get her work done, however she may have difficulty saying no to clients and/or volunteer opportunities. She is four times more likely to hit the million-dollar mark than the average female entrepreneur. On average, Go Jane Go types also have the highest personal income drawn from their businesses, though she has the least amount of personal time. Go Jane Go types are the least common, weighing in at 14 percent.

The third type of female entrepreneur, Tenacity Jane, may be struggling with cash flow concerns, but her passion is undeniable. She’s likely to be feeling stressed and may also feel overwhelmed and worried, specifically when it comes to business finances and cash flow. She may have a dissatisfactory balance between her professional and personal life, but is determined to make her business a success and refuses to give up. The study showed that 31 percent of women business owners are Tenacity Janes.

Merry Jane, is the fourth “Jane” type. She has created a business that meets her needs for time freedom. She has time to take care of herself and can take time off when she wants to. She is typically working 40 or fewer hours per week and does not feel extreme stress. Though she generally has a lower income than the other “Janes,” she is happy with the balance she’s created in her life. According to the study, roughly 19 percent of women business owners are Merry Janes.

The final “Jane” identified in the study, Accidental Jane, is a successful, confident business owner who makes a good income. She most likely did not intend to start a business, but had an area of expertise that lent itself to a business idea. She has created her own ideal job through her business, which she may have started due to dissatisfaction with her previous employment or following a layoff. While at work, she may have some difficulty prioritizing what she needs to do, but she readily leaves work “at the office” when she’s done for the day, so she’s not stressed as a matter of course. She likely has no big plans to aggressively grow her business and is simply enjoying the work as it comes. About 18 percent of women business owners are Accidental Janes.

“US Census statistics show that only three percent of woman-owned businesses make it to the $1 million mark,” says Michele DeKinder-Smith, founder and CEO of Jane Out of the Box. “This research should help female entrepreneurs everywhere identify their own type, and determine whether or not the businesses they have built fall in line with their personal priorities and values. Women of all five types may find themselves wishing to be more like a woman in another group. We believe, based on our research, that if this is the case, it is possible to follow a specific plan to change the group you’re in.”

Jane Out of the Box is an online, research-based resource community serving the needs of female entrepreneurs. Jane Out of the Box offers tools, research, resources and networking opportunities to members. Additionally, Jane Out of the Box provides training and marketing consulting services to Fortune 500 companies, non-profit organizations and government organizations looking to meet the demands of women entrepreneurs.

Take the free assessment now and discover which Jane you are. Then, come back and post your thoughts here!