Women Not Helping Other Women

You always hear that it’s helpful to have friendships with other women business-owners and entrepreneurs, in addition to your regular group of friends. They can give you great advice about your business, they have already been where you are now, they have resources that could help you, or they may know the right person to put you in contact with.

But it takes a while to build any type of genuine friendship. And not everyone is compatible to be friends. There are some people who will criticize your business ideas, your rates or prices, your method, or even something as trivial as your looks or that you used the wrong word while speaking.

After observing or being involved in situations where women are NOT helping other women, I feel we should at least not go out of our way to be rude. Optimally, we should strive to be someone who tries to help other women. I think GIVING HELP puts us in a position to RECEIVE HELP from other women in the future.

How can you be a woman who helps other women? Here are 6 ways to help:

1) Listen to what she is saying

Instead of giving someone your memorized sales pitch, consider how your service or product can genuinely help her solve an issue. Or, see if you can refer her to another business colleague or product that can help. When you offer support in this way, you will be more open to receiving support like this in the future.

2) Industry doesn’t matter

Most women business owners face similar issues and use some of the same resources, no matter their industry. Don’t limit yourself to attending events for your industry only, speaking solely with people in your own industry or just with your target customers. You can sell to your niche but have conversations with everyone. I feel that I have learned more from attending networking events with people from industries different than my own.

3) Share your resources

At an event I attended last year, a speaker said the reason he is very successful at networking and in his career is because his goal is not to sell, but to try to use his resources and network to help a new contact. He knows that his new contacts will be appreciative of his help and will not hesitate to use their resources to help him in the future. I love this idea and try to think of how I can help new connections this way.

4) Don't assume or label

Don't assume you know someone’s whole story based on how they look, speak or on one detail you know about them. Just because someone was laid off, don't assume they are not knowledgeable in their field. Just because someone is dressed well, don't assume they are stuck up and unhelpful. Just because someone looks a bit disheveled, don't assume they are disorganized in their business. This sounds obvious, but I have seen this happen way too many times to know that people still get caught up in that junior high school mode. We should be conscious of this and try to avoid making these assumptions.

5) Be honest

Don't be embarrassed to share your own experiences. It may help someone to hear how you have overcome a difficult business or personal situation. So many women entrepreneurs have started their business because of a difficult situation or a change (positive or negative) in their family, work, health, or lifestyle. Your business may still be in the thought stage, you may have recently had a baby, been laid off for a couple of months, or have been taking care of a sick family member this past year. You may be able to connect over these challenges and offer a different perspective or find support yourself.

6) Don't criticize

Don’t add to the problem. We hear enough criticism in our daily lives that we don’t need to hear it from other women. Unless someone is asking for your criticism, don't offer it. Remember, everyone does things differently and we all have a unique vision for our business. Plus, this is why our clients buy from us instead of someone else. And if someone asks for your advice, please be kind and helpful.

Wouldn't it be great to go to an event and meet another woman business-owner who is helpful and friendly? I would love to encounter someone like this, and I hope you would, too. I think, for this reason, we should always try to support and help other women business-owners.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only. I am NOT an attorney and I am NOT YOUR accountant. The information provided does NOT constitute legal, tax, accounting or any other type of professional advice. Please consult with your own attorney or tax professional. We assume no liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions or reliance on this information.