A recent study from Jane Out of the Box, an authority on female entrepreneurs, reveals there are five distinct types of women in business. Based on professional market research of more than 2,500 women in business, this study shows that each type of business owner has a unique approach to running a business and therefore each one has a unique combination of needs. This article outlines three of the five types and provides tips for taking a break – and keeping business running smoothly meanwhile.

Jane Dough is an entrepreneur who enjoys running her business and generally, she makes a nice living. She is comfortable and determined in buying and selling, which may be why she’s five times more likely than the average female business owner to hit the million dollar mark. Jane Dough is clear in her priorities and may be intentionally and actively growing an asset-based or legacy business. It is estimated that 18% of women entrepreneurs fall in the category of Jane Dough.

Jane Dough is what many people would consider a “natural born entrepreneur.” She has a clear vision for her business, and is very successful by traditional standards. In fact, 15 percent of Jane Dough business owners own million-dollar-plus businesses, and 22 percent of the women in this group earn $100,000 per year or more. Members of this group report high levels of satisfaction with business ownership.

Jane Dough’s success and personal satisfaction are due to her ability to prioritize and to stay true to her boundaries. Therefore, she is very likely to make time to vacation – and to really be able to check out and relax. She may bring her laptop and check her e-mail from time to time, but her ability to stay true to her boundaries means she can step back from her business and take the time to truly enjoy herself.

One of Jane Dough’s challenges is that in her desire to achieve growth quickly, she may over-delegate authority. She may hand implementation entirely over to her team, trusting team members to plan and execute without significant input. Therefore, when it comes to vacationing, Jane Dough might provide team members with a to-do list and expect them to carry it through to completion before she returns. The speed with which this type of entrepreneur operates sometimes leaves team members in need of a little more clarity. So Jane Dough needs to be sure to slow down enough to provide detailed instructions and clear expectations before she turns off her phone. Then, once she’s gone, she needs to make herself available periodically so that her team members can get any answers they need.

Go Jane Go is passionate about her work and provides excellent service, so she has plenty of clients – so much so, she’s struggling to keep up with demand. At 14% of women in business, she may be a classic overachiever, taking on volunteer opportunities as well, because she’s eager to make an impact on the world and she often struggles to say no. Because she wants to say yes to so many people, she may even be in denial about how many hours she actually works during the course of a week. As a result, she may be running herself ragged and feeling guilty about neglecting herself and others who are important to her.

Despite the fact that Go Jane Go business owners take home the highest personal income of all the five entrepreneurial types, members of this group are the least likely to make time for themselves. In this case, vacationing often isn’t a function of finances; rather, it’s a function of the strict demands Go Jane Go makes on herself. Go Jane Go burns with a passion to help others, and she relishes knowing that she frequently accomplishes what few others could or would be willing to do. She utilizes her outstanding skills and abilities to tremendous advantage for others – but rarely takes the time to get clear on how she can leverage her gifts to create what she also wants. Go Jane Go often feels overwhelmed by the demands of others – and unappreciated as well. Still, because she fears that others won’t live up to her exacting standards, she has a tough time delegating work. For Go Jane Go, then, vacation may seem like a distant, im possible dream.

The good news is, it doesn’t have to be that way – and it shouldn’t be that way. The first thing Go Jane Go business owners need to come to terms with is that when people feel more rested and happy, they possess more energy to meet their responsibilities. For Go Jane Go business owners, it is absolutely critical to define what, other than work, feeds them and gives them joy. If they don’t give time outside of work ample attention, they will crash and burn. One way to find time for self is to schedule it into the appointment book – literally – and to treat these appointments with the same dedication as the appointments dedicated to clients, friends, and the business. This is the only way to protect “self-time” for busy Go Jane Go entrepreneurs. Another option is to create “total unplug times,” during which the entrepreneur lets everyone know she is unavailable for an extended amount of time.

Go Jane Go entrepreneurs often report that they can’t get away because they have too many responsibilities. However, refusing to take time off means Go Jane Go and her family members suffer. Also, refusing to take time to recharge deprives the world of knowing Go Jane Go at her best because stress and exhaustion prevent her from performing well. If a real vacation isn’t possible now, she can at least schedule it six months from now, look forward to it, and then enjoy it.

Here are some examples of positive ways to think about vacationing:

“My customers will respect me even more because my ability to leave the business with a capable team demonstrates to them that I have built a strong organization.”
“This is a wonderful opportunity for my team to grow. I’ve trained them well and they are prepared to handle nearly every contingency.”
“I have planned this vacation well in advance and I will make sure I take care of my customers’ needs before I go.”
“I’ll come back rested and ready to perform at my absolute best. Everyone will benefit.”

Go Jane Go business owners will have more energy, and will see their work flow more effortlessly if they put their personal priorities on their calendar and make them happen.

Tenacity Jane is an entrepreneur with an undeniable passion for her business, and one who tends to be struggling with cash flow. As a result, she’s working longer hours, and making less money than she’d like. Nevertheless, Tenacity Jane is bound and determined to make her business a success. At 31% of women in business, Tenacity Janes make up the largest group of female entrepreneurs.

Of all five types of business owners, Tenacity Jane is the one whose ability to vacation is a function of her finances. About 44 percent of Tenacity Jane business owners cleared less than $10,000 annually, and nine out of 10 reported dissatisfaction with cash flow and unhappiness with revenue, business costs or personal income drawn through the company. It’s no wonder then, that Tenacity Jane business owners often report feeling frustrated or stressed. Here’s the good news: Tenacity Jane is the most common type of business owner, and nearly all of the financially successful women Jane Out of the Box interviewed reported having gone through a Tenacity Jane phase and using lessons learned during that phase to find financial profitability.

In examining her habits, Tenacity Jane may discover that in her determination to create success for herself and her business, she is working all the time, and is constantly available to team members and clients. This will likely wear her down. To avoid burnout, it is critical to block at least one day per week to be work-free. Although it is less likely that a Tenacity Jane business owner will have the money to take a long, faraway vacation to a tropical paradise, it is still essential that she find time for herself. She may consider taking a monthly or bi-monthly mini-vacation, even if it is a one-night stay at a local resort where she can lay by the pool, eat dinner out and then sleep late the next day. Or she may simply schedule weekly hikes or window-shopping trips. The activity itself doesn’t matter as much as the fact that this often-overwhelmed business owner takes a day (or longer, if possible) to recharge so she can work smarter when she returns to the grind. Also, since many Tenacity Jane business owners are less experienced, new knowledge can jumpstart profitability. Tenacity Jane may consider combining a workshop or retreat with a little time away. For example, she could attend a conference during the day, and relax in her hotel room at night, reading a good book, enjoying her favorite movie, or talking to a friend on the phone.

Despite the differences in business owners’ styles, habits and characteristics, all business owners share one thing in common: the need to recharge. Getting away from the business and spending time doing something revitalizing (whatever that might be) is an excellent – and essential – component of finding the right balance and personal satisfaction.

Karin started her own business because she likes variety in her work. As an experienced graphics designer, Karin has had the opportunity to work with a diverse client base. “My clients range from fun to technical, and include medical hardware, medical software, food packaging and clothing,” said Karin.

One of the greatest rewards that Karin has experienced as a result of being a business owner is “the repeated small things.” “I love helping people solve their marketing and design problems,” said Karin. “When a client comes back and is excited about the feedback they are getting, on their new logo or website, it makes my day.”

Jane Out of the Box is one of Karin’s clients. She has taken Tricia Rennea Wilson’s Jane Type personifications and illustrations and designed them into the Jane website, direct mail campaign print collateral, exhibit booth design, and book cover for See Jane Succeed. “I keep Jane looking good,” said Karin. I make sure that all of the graphic elements that leave my desk have the same look and feel and work well together. I help keep the message consistent with color, font choices, and layouts – from the website to PowerPoint presentations. Karin says she is passionate about helping all sized companies – including Jane – look professional and approachable. “When my clients do well it is just good business for all of us,” said Karin. Karin tries to rekindle the passion for her vocation in a variety of ways. “In order to be creative all the time I have to feed my creative side outside of work,” said Karin. “I am a pretty good amateur photographer and love to take photos of nature and our travel. I also have a pottery studio in my garage and throw pots and hand built small dishes and boxes. I enjoy all kinds of books, but especially science fiction and mysteries”

After taking the Which Jane Are You? free assessment at www.JaneOutoftheBox.com , Karin discovered that she is a Jane Dough. “I wanted to be Merry Jane as she’s got such a cute sundress,” mused Karin, “but I could see where I’m a bit of a Go Jane Go sometimes too.” “When I read the description of Jane Dough a lot fits, or will fit soon,” said Karin. “I’m not looking to build an empire, but I’m pretty driven. I love my job and I do find that I’m still sitting at my computer after 5 a lot of nights. I tend to deliver a little more than I’ve promised. I want my clients to be successful – that’s just good for both of us. I’m always examining my processes to see if I can streamline things to make my life easier. I try to keep up to date with the latest technologies in my immediate world, as well as things that interest, or benefit, my clients. So, I will have to revisit this in 6 months or a year and see what I’ve gotten done and if my Jane changes or not.”

To all the other Jane Doughs out there, Karin’s advice is clear. “It’s good to know what you want from life and your business so that you aren’t just punching the clock every day,” said Karin. “Have a plan and revisit it often to make changes and adjustments. Make sure that you are enjoying what you do most of the time. Life balance is just so important.” Karin believes that she’s been both the Accidental Jane type in the past, but considers herself a recovering Go Jane Go. “I say NO when I have to – but nicely,” said Karin.

For the past 7 years, my dear friend Christine Mathers and her squad of ‘glam girls’ has collected makeup samples, cosmetic bags, hotel toiletries, perfume samples and small hair products from my girlfriends and co-workers. We all get those freebie toiletries from hotels or “gift with purchases” on cosmetics, which we’ll never use. Due to tremendous response, this effort has grown each year – so much in fact that last year we were able to prepare wonderful gift bags for more than 200 women! A nice perk at the holidays for ladies who probably spend most of their budget on their children.

If you are interested in donating, please see the flyer for more information on what to send, and where to send it. If you plan to ship your items, please use the Bullpen Marketing address listed on the flyer.

Bullpen is owned by another dear friend, Colin Hageney, who has generously donated their time and energies to create branding and hundreds of cosmetics bags for the Glam Girls, as well as providing space to collect and assemble the gift bags.

Feel free to pass this along to anyone you feel might be interested in contributing items. The Glam Girls need all items to be delivered no later than Friday, December 4th. So if you’ve got samples stacking up, won’t you please take a minute and help this wonderful cause?

View the full flyer

Let’s take a look at the latest growth statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau, which updates its Survey of Business Owners every five years:

• Women owned nearly 30% of non-farm businesses in the U.S. for a total of nearly 6.5 million majority-women-owned businesses. In addition, women were equal (50/50) owners with men in another 2.7 million businesses.
• The number of women-owned businesses grew 20% between 1997 and 2002 – twice the national average.
• Women-owned businesses generated $940 billion in revenue – 15% growth over the same time period.
• Running projections on this data, the Center for Women’s Business Research reports that in 2008, there were 10.1 million firms which were majority owned by women. These businesses employed 13 million people and generated $1.9 trillion in sales.
• Women-owned businesses tend to be smaller than male-owned businesses.

o  Though women-owned businesses accounted for 28% of all firms, they only accounted for 6% of employment created by businesses and 4% of revenues.
o  The average woman-owned business generated $145,000 in receipts versus $536,000 for male-owned firms. (That figure was from 2002 – in Jane Out of the Box research conducted last year, the average for women was $202,000 in revenue.)
o Only 3% of women-owned businesses had revenues of $1 million or more. (This compares to 6% of male-owned businesses.)
o Women-owned businesses are less likely to have employees – only 14% of them do.

As you can see, millions have taken their careers and their financial well-being into their own hands by starting their own businesses. For increasing numbers of women, owning a business is a meaningful way to showcase their talents, be fully accountable for their own financial well-being, and to live the lives they dream of. Whether they have visions of creating assets and wealth to pass down to future generations or whether their primary goal is to enjoy doing some work while having the flexibility to stay home with their young children, women everywhere are discovering that being an entrepreneur can be a great way to truly “have it all” in terms of the life you dream about.

Let’s look at how 2 of those Janes would deal with a bookkeeping crisis: Jane Dough and Accidental Jane.

Jane Dough is an entrepreneur who enjoys running her business and is comfortable and determined in marketing and selling. She tends to be working longer hours, but she doesn’t mind because her focus is on growth. (Jane Dough is five times as likely to hit the million-dollar revenue mark as other Jane types.) She’s clear in her priorities and may be intentionally and actively growing an asset-based or legacy business.

Because Jane Dough’s focus is on growth, she’s interested in systems that will help create leverage in her business. So when faced with a bookkeeping problem, Jane Dough will probably look at the system. Where in the system did the breakdown occur? And what can we do to fix it in the future?

Jane Dough will most likely sit down with her accountant and bookkeeper to dissect what happened and then to work on the system to prevent it from happening in the future.

Now, while it’s good that Jane Dough is focused on creating systems, she may be setting them up too quickly so she can move to the next item on her to-do list, thus implementing incomplete systems. This may be what has caused the problem in the first place. Jane Dough should take a step back and make sure those systems she’s putting into place are done right the first time.

Our second type of entrepreneur is known as Accidental Jane. Accidental Jane is a successful, confident business owner who tends to be making good money — despite the fact she never really meant to start a business. She’s the one who will say things like “I never set out to start a business” but she did because she might not have been happy with a previous employer or discovered a gift and wanted to share it with the world. There’s no question Accidental Jane is very good at what she does and her business tends to grow organically through word of mouth.

Accidental Jane is most likely doing her books herself, so when she discovers a bookkeeping crisis, she’ll probably start by going through the books herself to fix it. While she’ll be on top of the problem, Accidental Jane should really be focused on her gift – her brilliance. That’s what she’s good at and that’s what she loves to do. Accidental Jane’s first task should be to go out and hire a good bookkeeper. That will free up her time so she can keep doing what she loves to do.

Next week’s issue will explore how other Janes handle these challenges. Stay tuned!

I was delighted last week when I spoke to my dear friend and mastermind group member, Regina Novickis about how she’s changed her Jane type. I was so moved by her story, I asked her if she would be kind enough to share it with you. So she wrote the post below, and she says it so much more eloquently than I ever could!

To all the Janes out there who envision a better or different result from their business, I say, believe in yourself! Visualize your dream, reach out to people who can help you with the right support or information, and then determine to make your dream a reality. Regina did — and you can too!

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From Tenacity to Dough – 60-Days to Build the Business of My Dreams

In 2003, I left the corporate world to pursue my dream of co-founding an independent public relations agency. Fast-forward five and a half years to February of 2009, and I was feeling like I was right back where I had been when I first started. The money was better, but it wasn’t enough; the client retainers were big, but when you calculated the hours-for-dollars, I may as well have been working at a fast food joint; the clients were “high-profile,” but they were wearing me down. I was exhausted, burnt out, and had lost the passion for my work.

I knew there was a better way. I knew that no matter what, I would make my business succeed to the level to which I wanted.

When Jane Out of the Box founder Michele Dekinder-Smith first invited me to take the Jane assessment, it was no surprise that my result was “Tenacity Jane.” There are many wonderful qualities about this particular Jane – she’s driven; hard-working; and has a great entrepreneurial spirit. She’s a great Jane, and at the same time, I knew that while my assessment and reality at the time said Tenacity, my heart told me I was ready to be Jane Dough, aka, an empire-builder.

Once I really made the decision to make a big leap in my business, it was a matter of finding the right mentors, systems, and tools, as well as digging in my heels with my entrepreneurial boots. It meant stepping out and promoting my business in the same way that we do for our clients. It meant getting the systems in place to leverage all the work I had done in my thirteen-year PR career.

Last week, I was reflecting on my business journey over the past two months, and I realized just how much I had accomplished in such a short time, and how happy and proud I now am to work in my industry. I have a re-ignited passion for my work, and I am reminded, and rewarded, on a daily basis, on just how important my work is for so many other people’s entrepreneurial successes. After all, there’s no faster, less-expensive or more credible way to get your message out to the world than through public relations. Not only do I get to build my own business – I get to help others build theirs as well.

I decided to take the assessment again…and there it was: I’m now a Jane Dough.

Not everyone dreams of being a Jane Dough – but whatever type of Jane you are, or aspire to be, the best piece of advice someone offered to me as I was making the shift is this: you have the ability and the right to make your business look however you want. Dream it, and then put it into action.

Wishing you success,

Regina Novickis aka Jane Dough

www.prtakeoff.com

Regina Novickis
Regina Novickis, co-founder of PR Takeoff, is a seasoned public relations executive with more than 13 years of experience managing brand positioning, public relations and media relations efforts on behalf of consumer/entertainment clients. With extensive contacts at high-profile media outlets, she has secured coverage for clients in every genre of national press ranging from USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Time and Newsweek, to Self, Marie Claire, GQ and Maxim, to “Entertainment Tonight,” “The View” and NBC’s “Today” show.
From national product launches to increasing brand awareness, Novickis’ PR career has included work for some of the world’s most recognizable companies. These include brands such as Baskin-Robbins, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, Disney Consumer Products, FOX, Zicam Cold Remedy, Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment, Fantastic Sams, L.A. Looks and ABSOLUT Vodka, to name a few.

Novickis holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of California Los Angeles. She spent her junior year at the University of Venice in Italy.

Because Merry Jane has such a unique approach to business, she presents a number of lessons of interest to anyone considering starting a business in their spare time.

Lesson #2

Do more with less using systems and leverage.

When you want to grow a business without pouring in tons of hours, your best bets are to put systems in place. Each system you have will save you time because you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. And, when you document your systems, it’s even easier to bring other people on board to leverage your time because it’s very clear to them what they need to do.

Merry Jane is very focused on fitting her business into an allotted amount of hours – so she’s smart about using systems (whether her own or someone else’s) wherever she can. Take a page out of her book and start creating a systems manual, complete with checklists as you have time. This will help you streamline your time and put you in the best position to help employees and contractors be successful in achieving the goals you set for them.

<– Read Part 1 ………… Stay Tuned Tomorrow for Part 3 of 3 Important Lessons from Merry Jane

In Part 2 of this three-part article series, I’ll show you how you can use the Concept Statement you developed in Part 1 – along with a brief questionnaire – to conduct what market research professionals call a Concept Test. It’s a tool used by Fortune 500 Companies to help ensure success for their new products and services, and you can do it yourself at a fraction of the cost.

Are you ready?

WHAT TO ASK
Now that you have your Concept Statement, you’ll need to develop a survey to gauge the reaction of your target market. Your survey should consist of a brief introduction and your concept statement, followed by a handful of questions that are key in determining whether your product or service stands a chance. Those questions are:

?Purchase interest

• How likely are you to buy this product, if it were available to you?

A) Definitely will buy,
B) Probably will,
C) I might,
D) Probably will not,
E) Definitely will not buy.

?Overall Likes and Dislikes

• What do you particularly like about this idea?
• What don’t you like or what could be improved about this idea?

?Value

• How would you rate the value for the money for this product/service?

-Excellent
-Very Good
-Good
-Fair
-Poor
-Uniqueness

•How new and different is this idea?

Make sure you include a range of possible responses, such as those shown above, so it’s possible to develop a detailed picture of how your respondents feel.

WHO TO ASK
Next, you’ll need to find a group of people in your target market. If your product is a new all-natural diet soda, for example, your target market might be health-conscious women, ages 20-45. There are research companies specializing in finding groups of people with just the characteristics you’re looking for – but if you’re on a budget, I suggest you talk with friends, family, and friends-of-friends, as well as those of your employees. Chances are you’ll find a significant number of people in your target market.

Another great DIY technique for getting your survey in front of your target market is working with someone who has a business that serves that market. Ask them if they will send your survey to their customer base, perhaps in exchange for something you might be able to offer in return.

If possible, offer some type of incentive or ‘thank you gift’ for those willing to take the time to fill out your survey. An inexpensive way to do this might be to offer a drawing for an iPod mini or another item with widespread appeal.

One thing to watch out for when approaching market research on a DIY basis is bias. Your friends, relatives, and friends-of-friends are the network most obviously available to you, but they’re also the people most likely to hesitate in being brutally honest. Let them know that the best thing they can do for you is to tell the truth, and find a way for them to return the survey anonymously, if possible.

Finally, a word about “sample sizes,” or the number of surveys you want to see returned. Large corporations will typically interview 150-300 people of a particular target group when they are evaluating a concept. Clearly, the more people you interview, the more reliable your results will be, but surveying people can take a lot of time. The trick is to get as many people as you can, but know that beyond 200 or so, you’re going to see diminishing returns.

Now that you’ve got this important feedback on your new product or service, it’s time to put that information to work. In Part 3, I’ll walk you through exactly what to do with the results of your Concept Test, step-by-step.

What went wrong?

Like most small business owners, you fell in love with an idea before you tested the marketplace – a classic example of what I call developing a marketing plan in reverse. It’s much less risky to gather information about the market for your product before you dedicate significant resources towards developing it.

In order to ensure that the new products and services they launch stand the best possible chance for success, Corporate America employs a variety of marketing research techniques before investing time and resources in development. A little basic smarts and network know-how will allow you to do the same thing for yourself.

This is the first of a 3-part article where I’ll show you how you can learn from Corporate America to save you time, money, frustration and maybe even ultimately your business. So let’s get started.

Once you have a clear idea in mind for your new product or service, you’ll want to do what Corporate America commonly calls a “concept test”. In this kind of research, you’re going to have your target market consider your idea and tell you whether or not they’re interested in it, and most importantly, why.

First of all, you’ll need to sit down and clearly delineate exactly what your product or service is, including what features and benefits it will offer and how much it will cost. Typically, you’ll write 2 – 3 paragraphs describing your idea, making sure to clearly explain the benefits to the potential buyer. Really invest some time here and have other people read your description to make sure, A) your word choices are unambiguous and clear and, B) you’ve hit all the major highlights.

Congratulations! You now have a concept statement.

So now that you have a concept statement, what do you do with it? In part 2 and 3, I’ll walk you through step-by-step what to do with your concept statement to start testing it and what you should do with the results.

A new study from Jane Out of the Box, an authority on women entrepreneurs, reveals that there are a significant number of women in business who’ve created significant financial success, but who may feel overwhelmed by a to-do-list that is out of control. This article provides important, “Do’s” and “Don’ts” for duplicating the success of the market segment known as “Go Jane Go” in the year ahead-without taking on the stress of her hectic life.

Comprising 14% of all women entrepreneurs, Go Jane Go is passionate about her work, and has no problem marketing and selling herself, so she has plenty of clients-but she’s struggling to keep up with demand. She may be a classic overachiever, taking on volunteer opportunities as well, because she’s eager to make an impact on the world and may really struggle saying “no”. Because she wants to “say yes” to so many people, she may even be in denial about how many hours she actually works during the course of a week. As a result, she may be running herself ragged and feeling guilty about neglecting herself and possibly others who are important to her.

At the same time, her hard work is also paying off. Go Jane Go takes home more money from her business at the end of the day than any other segment of female entrepreneurs, and she’s four times more likely than the average female entrepreneur to have hit the one-million dollar mark. However, her “big paycheck” may reflect a tendency to delay hiring people to help her get the work done.

Other types of women entrepreneurs can learn a lot from Go Jane Go’s can-do attitude that will help them achieve financial success. Just remember that it is possible to have too much of a good thing. So if you a Go Jane Go yourself, pay careful attention to the “don’ts” below. Where might you be able to gain a little perspective that will help you gain better balance in your life overall?

1) DO – Be an idealist

A big-picture vision of your life’s purpose is a motivating force, and it’s a big part of why Go Jane Go is so successful. Knowing what you stand for will not only help you get out of bed in the morning inspired by the possibilities, it will attract clients to your door who can see big things for themselves.

2) DON’T – Be a perfectionist

While providing a great product or service is virtue-and going the extra mile to make it happen can help to set you apart-pushing yourself too hard is not a sustainable strategy in the long run. Perfectionistic habits may cause Go Jane Go to wind up working very long hours, contributing to her stress level and guilt feelings. Remember that satisfying your customers, if you’re a natural perfectionist, is often easier than meeting your own exacting standards-so learn to recognize when “good is good enough” – because your good will be better than many people’s “best”.

3) DO – Build a team

Go Jane Go knows how to attract other people who are equally good at what they do and can be an effective catalyst that inspires her team members to go the extra mile. She’s great at recognizing and appreciating others and gladly and generously shares all kudos with members of her team.

3) DON’T – Ignore Poor Performance

Although she inspires others to want to go that extra mile, Go Jane Go may be better at seeing someone’s potential than their actual performance. As a result, when a team member is not performing, she may tend to make excuses for that person. Rather than initiate what she may perceive as a confrontation, Go Jane Go may burn extra energy following up with the poor performer, attempting to understand the reasons behind the performance issue instead of addressing the problem directly. Or, she may start gradually removing work from the person, doing more and more herself as her trust in them diminishes. If you’ve had problems giving critical feedback in the past, commit to yourself that you will no longer let such things fester.

4) DO – Deliver great customer service

Go Jane Go tends to be all about relationships, and this is a key factor in her success. She knows that integrity and communication are the twin pillars of lasting business relationships, and she knows how to be responsive to her clients’ needs, desires and timeframes. As a consequence, her customers love her, and recommend her to everyone they know.

5) DON’T – Forget to give yourself as much as you give others

Go Jane Go can keep herself so busy meeting others’ needs that she seldom has time to take care of herself. She is often last on her own to do list. This may manifest itself in taking client calls after hours or on weekends, giving more hours to volunteer activities than she originally agreed, or investing lots of time in counseling and supporting other people. While being responsive is important, returning phone calls after hours or spending your weekends putting out fires are habits that quickly become counterproductive in terms of creating or maintaining the life balance you seek. Most problems are not dire emergencies and will wait. People respect those who have good and reasonable boundaries.

Also, while volunteering for a great cause can be a deep source of personal satisfaction, over-committing is another classic habit of the overwhelmed and over-stressed. Carefully consider where you are investing your time and make sure you are investing sufficient time in yourself to feel rested and ready to go.

Go Jane Go proves that being loving in business, having high personal standards, and the confidence and passion to help others succeed are a winning recipe for financial success as an entrepreneur. If this is your style, the key is to care for yourself as compassionately as you care for others. Over the long haul, this is necessary to ensure you can be your strongest, happiest self … and therefore do even greater work in the world.