STRONGER TOGETHER

women who mean business

It’s no secret that women are expected to juggle multiple roles while keeping their personal and public lives running smoothly and balanced in the process. These six influential and accomplished business women discuss what it is like to be women in business, their hopes for a more inclusive world, career milestones, and advice on everything from starting your own business to supporting other women and learning the value of trusting your insight. Now more than ever, there is an increased pressure to ‘have it all’ but these women share a collective recipe for success and the secret to cracking the code; we are stronger together, it’s okay to start again and there is always room for more women and working mothers in business.

Charlene Flanagan & Niamh Ryan Ella & Jo @ellaandjocosmetics ellaandjo.ie

What is the most rewarding aspect about being a woman in business? There is a spark shining inside of you when you are living and breathing in an environment that brings you so much joy everyday. For us, it’s the messages from customers after they have used our products telling us about how it has changed their lives. They feel great about themselves, they are taking time out for self-care; they have a spark of conversation with their mums, sisters and friends to tell them how great our products have made them feel and you can’t put a price on that. The support and sense of community is also incredible - we know there wasn’t always the same level of support and community as there is now but we have found some amazing friends through female-led programmes and our online community of women is so inspiring.

How can we include women leaders who are also mothers and balance their time? I think flexibility and understanding are key here. A few years ago most events were late in the evening or early in the morning and that can continuously exclude people who have children. Incorporating the use of online spaces and zoom for meetings has brought a huge amount of flexibility to our lives. If you needed to be in Dublin for a 10am meeting this used to mean a 5am start and a 6am train as well as juggling and prep at home but now we can meet people worldwide in minutes and I think this change over the last two years has led to a more inclusive and adaptable work-life balance.

What would you say to women who are hoping to pursue a career in business? Mind your acorn! If you have a dream, your own gem of an idea, mind it and pursue it without others opinions until you can make up your own mind about it. So many dreams are crushed by well meaning comments and feedback from people who have never walked the entrepreneurial path. Once you’ve done this, go for it! Surround yourself with likeminded people and connect with people who encourage you and give you advice that is in your best interests. Make sure to contact your local enterprise office to see what supports are available in terms of training, mentoring and innovation. There are also incredible female entrepreneurship programmes like EmpowerHer, Going for Growth and Acorns available, plus you can connect with local or online women in business networks. Last of all, remember to always believe in yourself! We have a podcast ‘See Her, Be Her’ where we discuss this in much more detail, it’s worth a listen.

How can women support other women in their organisations? Celebrate their successes and acknowledge their accomplishments both online and in person. Likewise, if you see a woman struggling, ask yourself can you offer your services or skills in any way, can you give them an hour of mentoring or just meet for a coffee to allow them to express any challenges they are facing. The true act of a good business woman is one that will give opportunity to another woman when she’s not in the room. Remember, another woman’s success is not your failure. Always be kind, we are all human with home lives and lots of things going on and it’s not realistic to think that home won't creep into the workplace at certain times, so always put kindness first. Finally, If you see inequality happening in the workplace, speak up.

How have you built confidence over the course of your career? Confidence comes in waves. Sometimes you believe you could take over the world and other times you have severe imposter syndrome. Taking time to look back at your achievements or getting into the habit of jotting down both achievements and struggles so that you can reflect on all that you have overcome can really help. Set goals throughout the year and practice pitching, public speaking and video creation. The more you do it the easier it gets, and don’t compare yourself to others, stay in your own lane and work at your own pace.

Lisa & Vanessa Creaven Spotlight Oral Care

@spotlight_oralcare_ spotlightoralcare.com

What is the most rewarding aspect of running your own business? It is extremely important to enjoy the work you do and the environment you work in. We have always had an entrepreneurial spirit and running your own business gives you the opportunity to do what you love on a daily basis. There is nothing more satisfying for us than getting feedback from our customers and growing with them. Even at our dental practice we always strived to offer the latest in oral care advances to our patients so being able to create our own range of solution driven products with our customers in mind was very exciting and incredibly rewarding for us.

What has been a career highlight for you? There have been a number of career highlights over the last five years! We now have seventeen products in the range, all of which are clinically formulated and tailored to target specific oral health needs using clean, active ingredients. We also identified that in our profession there is a lack of sustainability with billions of toothpaste tubes sitting in landfill each year. Our aim was to revolutionise the oral care industry by creating a range of oral care products that are cruelty-free, vegan friendly, free from toxins, ocean safe and 100% recyclable and we are proud to say we are continuing to do that.We have expanded, grown, and developed our brand even with the difficulties faced during the pandemic. We have built and maintained a team across three regions; Ireland, the UK and more recently, the US. Our US launch has resulted in us being available in 12,000 Ulta stores, 3,000 CVS stores and on Target. com. This launch meant setting up a US office and employing a team of people over there which was a massive step forward. On top of this, the investment we received from Irish development and growth capital fund manager Development Capital was a pinnacle moment and we have experienced rapid business growth in the last 12-18 months. The financial support and expertise that comes with this investment will allow Spotlight Oral Care to expand further and continue to revolutionise oral care.

Are there any challenges you’ve faced specifically as women in business? I think that the financial world is still predominantly controlled and driven by men and we believe more women should be leading and making decisions in these spaces. It is especially important that women are represented in this industry given that most of the purchasing of health and beauty products and services is made by women.

What are the benefits of having women in more leadership roles? There needs to be much more diversification in leadership. Diversification brings new perspectives and ideas to every industry. Having more women in leadership roles, we believe, leads to a more collaborative and diverse approach. Women can be excellent mentors and they are also amazing team leaders. Women are often criticised for being sensitive but we believe that sensitivity is a positive trait in leadership.

Who has been your biggest female mentor or role model? We are truly inspired by all Irish women! There are so many positive Irish role models out there for us to learn from. This industry is hard but we are really holding our own as entrepreneurs and women in business which is absolutely great to see.

Sharon Connellan & Aoibhín Garrihy BEO Wellness @beowellness.ie beowellness.ie

What has been the most empowering aspect of running your own business? To have survived the past two years during the pandemic has been incredibly empowering! It was the best thing that could have happened to our business. We learned the hard way that business is about survival. You fall, you learn, and you get back up stronger – that’s what being in business is all about. We are learning every day that yesterday’s answer is often out of date. We continue to monitor, review and adapt. During a sink or swim period we had to adapt fast in order to remain relevant in the current economy and focus our offering on what was relevant to our customers' mindset and new realities. Despite so many variables, roadblocks, and challenges, we successfully opened our very own bricks and mortar store in our hometown of Ennis in Co. Clare in November 2021 which brought us a unique level of pride, empowerment and further ambition to grow.

Is there a particular woman in your life that inspires you? When we think of inspirational women, we don't think immediately about those who have achieved success in a leadership role, as great as these women often are. We instead think of the women who have taught us about respect, compassion, honesty and humility - and without knowing it these are the women that make such an incredible difference to our lives. Inspiration comes from our everyday heroes and these are our sisters, mothers, aunts, teachers, colleagues and friends. As a woman it is important to always allow yourself to be the best you can be and to never underestimate your influence on others.

Women are expected to perform multiple roles; what advice would you give to other women who are trying to find a balance? Today's world has put pressure on women to ‘have it all’ - get your steps in, drink your water, reply to texts, be a ‘girl boss’ and remain positive while doing so. We are expected to work like we aren't mothers and mother like we don't work. The sad reality is that there is an increased level of perfectionism and heightened excessive expectations which has led us to being obsessed with continually achieving bigger and better things. If we aren’t achieving what is perceived as ‘life goals’, some part of us feels like we are failing. When your personal and professional lives collide, be prepared to delegate. Delegating is key in achieving a work-life balance and it is crucial to learn the importance of saying, “No." It's OK to rest, recharge and stop trying so hard. For many women, it can seem impossible to find that sweet spot between work and home. Remember you're already doing your best, and that's enough. The next time someone asks you how you manage to do it all yourself, just smile when you tell them, "I don't."

What do you believe is the key to staying motivated as a business owner? Motivation plays a huge role in business. It can be easy to run out of ideas or steam and sometimes things just don't work out the way you want them too. You need to be able to pick yourself up again and get back on track. Having a clear strategy, purpose, and vision helps. Motivation comes from remembering why you are passionate about your business. Knowing what drives your determination to get up in the morning and make things happen is key. What advice would you give to aspiring female entrepreneurs? Starting a business is challenging but if you can dream it, you can do it! Go with your gut, believe in your own ability and listen to yourself. Find a mentor, network and surround yourself with the right team. If you have people to bounce ideas off of you’re probably going to make more informed decisions. Through your network, you might find names of people who can help you cut through red tape. Don't try to start a business without having people you trust and respect advising you. In the beginning, your success all depends on you, so follow your dreams!

Act Balancing by ANGELA BURKE NAVIGATING MOTHERHOOD AND YOUR CAREER

With over 11 years experience working across recruitment & career consulting along with a post graduate qualification in career development & coaching, Career Consultant Angela Burke brings a wealth of experience and understanding of the world of work and careers. Angela uses this insight to help people navigate their career in a very practical, balanced way in alignment with their lifestyle needs.

One shift down, one to go. A familiar routine if you’re juggling career and motherhood as you finish a busy days work and approach a second shift at home where mealtime, homework and house chores await. If you’re feeling the heat when it comes to balancing it all, you’re not alone.

As a career consultant, I have had so many mums get in touch over the past year. They’re tired of running from one priority to the next yet feeling like neither their career or family are getting enough focus. The impact of the guilt and the “shoulding” lingers. Those working different shift patterns to their other halves feel like ships passing in the night. Getting out the door in the morning often feels tougher than a marathon.

There is a strong desire for more balance and in one sense the pandemic has brought about much needed flexibility which is the foundation for balance, yet after a year of homeschooling while navigating business and career uncertainty, that desired balance can feel further away for some. When there is so much to do for everyone else, it’s no longer clear what you need, yet finding clarity can often be the key to finding balance. Have you asked yourself recently what you need at this stage of your life? It’s a powerful question yet one so often neglected. Let’s start with figuring out what you need from your career and whether those needs are being met. Perhaps when you started your business or accepted your current job, life looked a lot different to how it looks today as a mum juggling a busy career and a lively home. There are so many small tweaks that are available to you that could bring about greater job satisfaction and most importantly, balance. They could be tweaks on how you structure your day, how you delegate or how you approach your work. Once you figure out what you need from your career to facilitate your lifestyle, you can then identify the tweaks required to do so.

In order to find balance across all areas of our life, we can apply this technique widely. Identify the key areas of your life such as career, family, relationships, finance or wellness and consider how happy you are in each. You will very quickly realise which areas you need to probe further to identify the changes needed in order to become more fulfilled and as a result, achieve a more balanced lifestyle.

Through conversations with so many mums over the past year, I have noticed how quickly they have been to reject compliments on how incredible they are to simply just be doing it all, regardless of how “well” they feel the job(s) are being done. If you’re reading this during those sacred few minutes before you hear the word “mom” being called again, know that you’re doing it and doing it, is what matters.

For more career advice and support or to avail of online career workshops and webinars, check out Angela’s website angelaburke.ie or follow Angela on Instagram @angelaburke. ie where there are a range of free resources available.