Entrepreneurs over 70 that have defied old age (2025)

Entrepreneurs over 70 that have defied old age (2025)

by | Feb 1, 2024

Business Insights

Entrepreneurs over 70 that have defied old age (2025)

February 01, 2024

Entrepreneurs over 70 that are defying old age

Some of us dread getting old and we are constantly on the lookout to postpone admitting to ourselves that getting old is a part of the life equation. On the other hand, thankfully there are people for whom age is just a number and it doesn’t stop them from going after their goals.

Once we fill our cakes with the magical number 70, we could enjoy the comforts of life or casually blow out our candles and go work on our business and personal goals. If you are looking for some inspiration from entrepreneurs over 70  who have been in the business game for a long time you’ve come to the right place.

7 entrepreneurs over 70 are breaking the boundaries

Here are nine entrepreneurs over 70 who will inspire you to get off your coach:

Colonel Sanders

By now the world-famous fast food chain KFC has been the realization of a dream that one 65-year-old Harland David Sanders had almost all his life. After building the foundation of KFC in his 60s Colonel Sanders continued his active role in making KFC an international icon using his own brand as a huge part of the success that KFC has these days. He is a timeless example of perseverance, resilience, and going after your goals hard when people are doubting you because of your age. 

Warren Buffett

Warren Buffett is about to hit that sweet 100 billion dollars net worth in the incoming years and he is not backing from business and investments in his 90s! Being part of the financial for almost 60 years now, he has a unique perspective and experience that without a doubt allows him to see financial opportunities that others would miss. He is a prime example being an entrepreneur over 70 gives you experience and gives you an edge over all those young and upcoming entrepreneurs.

Radha Daga

Just as she was about to hit 70, at the age of 69, Radha Daga founded her company Triguni Eze Eats.  It is a company that sells ready-to-eat boxed meals on trains and planes such as IndiGo and Air Asia, as well as on Amazon and in retail outlets across the country. Today at 79, Radha is still going strong and after dealing with the blowbacks from the COVID-19 impact on the travel industry, her company is back on track to crushing its business goals.

Richard Branson

Of course, serial-entrepreneur Richard Branson is on our entrepreneurs over 70 years list because we are all lucky that Branson is still heavily invested in his business endeavors and sharing his wisdom with all of us along the way. More than 50 years have passed since Branson founded Virgin Group, which today consists of more than 400 companies in various fields all across the globe. He is a great example of keeping the entrepreneurial spirit that many of us have at a young age, well into our old age, and continuing to build and grow businesses no matter where we find ourselves on the age scale.

Ben Van Praagh

Ben Van Praagh started his first company in London when he was just 19 years so without a doubt he has a place on our entrepreneurs over 70 list as a hard hitter. Ben grew up with dogs, so they have always been just part of his life. Later, when he started trialing his dogs, he realized that ordinary dog food was just not enough. This is when his company Benyfit Natural was born in 2014 when Ben was 74.

Ernestine Shepherd

Ernestine “Ernie” Shepherd, in her 80s, is a personal trainer and a professional model. She was the oldest competitive female bodybuilder in the world, as declared by the Guinness Book of World Records in 2010. She provides a burning motivation for anyone at any age that wants to get in better shape. If Ernestine can do it in her 80s for sure many of us that are younger than her can get ourselves in a gym and get into shape.

Elizabeth Isele

Elizabeth Isele, the co-founder of Senior Entrepreneurship Works, is on a mission to promote senior entrepreneurship around the world. She is a great representation of people who are looking to enter the murky waters of business endeavors at an older age. In her words – “Seniors often make good entrepreneurs since they’re generally not risk averse and so willing to try new things – having “nothing to lose”; they have significant life experience and often have higher motivation, given this is seen as being in the final stages of their career. “

Conclusion

These seven entrepreneurs over 70 can help provide inspiration and motivation for anyone that is contemplating starting a business or someone in his 40s or 50s that is perhaps overthinking that they might be too old for starting a business. With the right mindset, age can really be just a number and we can use the business knowledge and experience of old age that can make us great leaders and entrepreneurs. So stop googling “ is XX age too old for starting a business” and go chase your dreams – who knows, they might even come true!

More must-read stories from Enterprise League:

Related Articles

See All Categories

7 entrepreneurs over 60 who have started successful business stories

7 entrepreneurs over 60 who have started successful business stories

by | Jan 31, 2024

Business Insights

7 entrepreneurs over 60 who have started successful business stories

January 31, 2024

Many entrepreneurs start their businesses before they turn 40. But some entrepreneurs over 60 have the guts to run a successful business in their third age.
Although at first glance when we see the word entrepreneurship, the first thought that comes to mind is young and ambitious people in their 20s,30s, and 40’s who are eager to prove themselves among the business elite, but that only gives part of the truth. That’s because the media sells us business stories only from teenage entrepreneurs and young millionaires. 

Many businesspeople discovered their “great ideas” later in life and founded businesses that, in some cases, endure for a very long time. In this blog post, we’ll show you the 8 entrepreneurs over 60 who dared to start a business journey at 60 or older.

The most pleasing aspect is that they showed that starting something new can never be too late. Their common message is “Age should not be a barrier to setting big goals!”

List of entrepreneurs over 60 with a winning spirit

Although many people, when they reach a certain age, think about retiring and starting a quiet and secluded life. However, a small part of them doesn’t share that opinion. They still have a winning spirit and think they are too young for retirement. We highlight 8 entrepreneurs over 60 who started successful businesses in honor of their steel will and spirit.

Jaswant Kular

Jaswant Kular, who is 60 years old, sought a way to meet a personal need. She wished to impart traditional Indian cooking knowledge to her daughters. Her experience led her to believe that none of the products were up to traditional Indian standards. Jaswant created her product called, Jaswant’s Kitchen Indian Spice Blends, due to her dissatisfaction with the artificial ingredients, including fillers, and too much fat.

In the beginning, her first clients were her relatives and family. But later, her business expanded exponentially, and now her products are sold in more than 100 stores after going online.  The company, which Jaswant and her three daughters own, is a prime illustration of the adage “necessity is the mother of ingenuity.”

Harland David Sanders

Nobody had Colonel Sanders in mind as a successful businessman when he first started. He doesn’t have an easy life, but he was stubborn, ready to fight, and not give up. 

He lost his father when he was a young child, often fought with his stepfather, and was sacked from several professions, including his position as a lawyer following a confrontation with his own client in court. But he was determined to keep trying, and it pays off in the end.

Sanders started a business in the neighborhood while working at a gas station in Corbin, Kentucky, because of his delicious chicken dish. Sanders had the Corbin station rebuilt as a motel and a 140-seat restaurant after it was destroyed by fire. Sanders initially franchised his “Kentucky Fried Chicken” in 1952, when he was 62. KFC now has 118 countries and over 18,800 locations with a net worth of 4.5 billion dollars.

Alexandra Dunhill

At 60, Alexandra Dunhill launched her female-focused health company Lady A. 

The company creates CBD-based goods that are made for women by women. When Dunhill first encountered CBD, she found that most goods didn’t explain the significance of CBD and that women and appropriate for female requirements produced few.

Dunhill set out to build a company that would overcome these constraints by producing goods that would maximize the health advantages of CBD for female consumers. 

The goal of Lady A is to promote the health advantages of plants and clean products, creating goods that promote CBD’s therapeutic properties and reduce stress. Lady A has so far secured £167.000 in equity money from a single funding round.

Carmen Hijosa

Carmen Hijosa, who had been looking for an eco-friendly replacement for leather since the 1990s, founded Ananas Anam in 2013 at the age of 60. Hijosa developed Piatex after being inspired by plant fibers in traditional weaving, such as in Barong Tagalog clothing. 

Ananas Anam was created while Hijosa finished his Ph.D. at the Royal College of Art and guided the business through the InnovationRCA incubator program. Ananas Anam has raised £3.05 million in investment through eight funding rounds and earned four grants totaling £276,000. Additionally, Hijosa has received recognition for her originality and ingenuity, and she has seminars at various events, including TEDx talks.

Lady Amanda Feilding

76-year-old Lady Amanda Feilding was one of the founders of Beckley Psytech when it was established in 2018. 5-MeO-DMT is a hallucinogenic substance that Beckley Psytech studies to turn into a treatment for mental health conditions like addiction and depression. Beckley Psytech has completed three finance rounds totaling £75 million to date. The business is dedicated to making patients’ lives better.

With more than 50 years of experience researching psychedelics, Feilding is confident that you can use current science to comprehend, validate, and maximize the therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugs. She started her own company, co-authored more than 50 peer-reviewed scientific articles, many of which had ground-breaking findings, and started the Beckley Foundation.

Charles Ranlett Flint

Although long deceased, Charles Ranlett Flint deserves to be on the list of entrepreneurs over 60. Before achieving his greatest success, Flint had already started several businesses in the shipping and wool industry.

At the age of 61, more specifically In 1911, Charles Flint combined four businesses to form the Computing Tabulating Recording Company. Later he changed its name to IBM in 1924. Flint also brokered the Wright Brothers’ first overseas aircraft sales. Up until his retirement in 1930, Flint was a member of the IBM board of directors. When comparing the ages of successful entrepreneurs at their founding, this is unquestionably on the higher end.

Jim Butenschoen

Jim Boutenshon is a lesser-known entrepreneur, but he deserves to be on the list because his story is quite inspiring. Jim spent 22 years in corporate sales and marketing. At 65 years of age, he no longer wanted to be in that sector. 

Jim Butenschoen didn’t give up even though he had to decide what industry to enter. After five years of research, he ultimately decided to purchase the Career Academy of Hair Design, a beauty school. A total of four schools have now been opened by Butenschoen, and the first two have been relocated to larger buildings to allow future development. Undoubtedly it’s about a beautiful business.

Mary Tennyson

Another inspiring story where the mother’s health problem was the main reason for the daughter’s business idea to grow into a valuable fashion business. 

At 63, Mary Tennyson created and began marketing stylish, stroller-friendly purses. Mary developed this company concept when her aging mother broke her hip in a fall. Due to the accident, Mary’s mother used a walker to go around. Still, she insisted on carrying her stylish bags even though none of them were walker-friendly.

Mary Tennyson decided to make her mother a bag, so she pulled out an old sewing machine. This marked the start of the StashAll bag collection and the rest is history.

Conclusion

Countless myths exist around entrepreneurship, such as the age limit, and what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. The people who made it to the list of entrepreneurs over 60 proved that age is just a number and that the entrepreneurial spirit never dies. You can establish a highly successful business at any age, whether you’re 12 or 70; it’s the vision and encouragement that drives you forward, not age. So, it’s time to discard age restrictions and prejudices about older entrepreneurs and give them space to develop their business ideas.

More must-read stories from Enterprise League:

Related Articles

See All Categories

What do employers look for in a resume in 2025

What do employers look for in a resume in 2025

by | Jan 23, 2024

Business Insights

What do employers look for in a resume in 2025

January 23, 2024

What do employee look in resumes

Most of the time we tend to create and build our resumes according to what we feel and what we think is the best to mention. However, employers and hiring managers might have a different perspective on what information is the most important for them to read in a resume. To avoid any hiring mistakes they pay attention to every detail in the process, so being remarkable takes doing some hard work crafting your resume.

While it is good to mention skills and qualifications you believe to be necessary, it is also good to make sure to mention points that the potential employer might find to be significant as well. But how can you know what do employers look for in a resume? How to get in their head and make sure you got the chance to present yourself better during the interview?

The truth about what do employers look for in a resume

Following are some pointers on what employers look for in a resume. Including them will steal the recruiter’s attention and will significantly increase your chances of getting an interview.

Keywords

Potential employers and hiring managers tend to skim through resumes and look for specific keywords that match the job description. By doing so, they manage to shortlist many applicants very quickly, after which they can be thorough with the selection. Because of this, you need to make sure to read the job posting in great detail and note down any keywords that might seem important and closely connected to the job itself.

For instance, if the job posting is a retail-related job and requires you to have at least 2+ years of job experience, then you must highlight your previous retail experiences above others and also make sure to point out the ones that meet the ‘2+ years’ requirement.

If you do not meet any of these requirements or you do not meet the 2+ years requirement then it might be better to look for other job positions that are open to accepting those with fewer years. This way you might have a higher chance of being selected.

Resume formatting

One thing that hiring managers might strongly dislike, according to Walden University, is when your resume formatting is disorganized and not an easy read. If your resume is not tidy and does not clearly state your previous and current job experiences along with other details e.g., skill set, then it might just end up in the toss-it pile

With so many other people competing to land the same jobs you are going for; you must make sure to appeal as much as possible in order to be a higher quality candidate. If you do not know how to properly format a resume, then a good resource to go for resume formatting is ResumeBuilderPro.

Resume Builder guides you on how to not only create and build a resume successfully but also provides countless free templates along with constant advice on how you can improve certain parts of your resume while building it. Not to mention, you are able to create and store countless different resumes meant for different job postings. 

Career timeline

Potential employers tend to consider how your professional life has progressed and what kind of timeline you have gone through. The career story you portray to your employers must be a coherent one, not a fabricated one with plot holes because hiring managers will always be able to sift through the embellished resumes.

It is of the utmost importance that you first list job experiences that are relevant to the job posting you are applying for.

However, job experiences that might be 10 years old or so, are better left off from the resume because this will convey a rather large gap between your job experiences. And a big gap in unemployment might be something that hiring managers would be concerned about. So, it might be better to primarily list your recent and current experiences in order to create a more coherent and concise story to appeal to employers. 

Skillset

What skills you possess and how you have utilized them in your previous and current job experiences tend to be an important factor that potential employers and hiring managers look at. The professional skills you state in your resume should be relevant to the job posting you are applying for, and especially highlight your existing skills that were specifically asked for in the job description.

Having matching skills as in the job description bumps you up as a higher quality candidate as you have exactly presented what the employer is looking for. Indeed mentions how two different types of skill sets exist: soft skills and hard skills.

Soft skills refer to your interpersonal communication, organization, and attention to detail, whereas your hard skills are more related to specialized skills and knowledge of a particular industry e.g., graphic designing, software, business management.

Therefore, when mentioning the specialized skills asked by the employer and those which you possess, along with complimentary soft skills, it will surely aid you in landing a job.

Exaggeration

What do employers look for in a resume is an exaggeration of a candidate’s skills. Many times, people tend to embellish and exaggerate their skills, work experience, qualifications, etc., in order to come across as a high-quality candidate, and this is something that potential employers pay close attention to. Such exaggeration does not sit well with hiring managers and might land your resume in the ‘rejected’ pile without a second look.

It is always best to appeal to your employers with your true skills and experience presented in the best way possible. As hiring managers are experts in their field, they will be able to figure out embellishments and weed out those applicants without much effort, so always tread carefully and truthfully in this respect.

Revise

It is never a wrong move to revise your resume a few times over because we, at times, skip over mistakes without even noticing. These mistakes then come forward after having read your resume a few times.

Another good method of revising is to read out loud what you have written. By doing so, it will help you easily spot spelling and grammatical errors, not to mention, it will also help you spot awkward sentences that might need to be rewritten.

Conclusion

It can get confusing thinking about what do employers look for in a resume, and trying to create the best resume possible, can cause a bit of stress. It is always best to take your time, and carefully build your resume and do loads of revision in order to hand in your best and most satisfactory version of your resume. Always advisable to remain calm and be persistent.

More must-read stories from Enterprise League:

Related Articles

See All Categories

22 ways entrepreneurs pull through the ups and downs of business

22 ways entrepreneurs pull through the ups and downs of business

by | Jan 16, 2024

Business Insights

22 ways entrepreneurs pull through the ups and downs of business

January 16, 2024

Taking a look at some ups and downs of running a business

Do you ever wonder what it feels like to be an entrepreneur and experience all the ups and downs of running a business, including the inevitable entrepreneurship obstacles?

From out there it might seem like all it’s sunshine and rainbows with occasional rainfalls and you feel like an all-mighty deity that has the ultimate power over everything. Еxcept not. All you get is a one-way ticket to the emotional rollercoaster of entrepreneurship that almost never stops. You’ll be rolling up and down, feeling excited, scared, happy and overwhelmed, all at once.

Jump directly to:

 1. Celebrate the little wins

 2. Measure and analyse

 3. Concentrate on going forward

 4. See the silver linings

 5. Create a work life balance

 6. Write a daily journal

 7. Being equanimous

 8. Remember your roots

 9. Know that everything passes

 10. Don’t stop learning

 11. Talk to other business owners

 12. Have an accountability partner

 13. Take long walks

 14. Focus on the process

 15. Physical exercise

 16. It’s about perseverance

 17. Eyes on long term goals

 18. Don’t put all eggs in one basket

 19. Structure focus and consistency

 20. Circle back to your why

 21. Don’t let emotions overwhelm you

 22. Build a passionate team

How to cope with the ups and downs in business?

Yes, the ups and downs of business will make you sick to the stomach at times. You’ll want to give up, unfasten the seat belt and just quit. But you won’t do it, and you shouldn’t. You know why? Because you become addicted to it, and going back to how things were before looks scarily boring. And most of all, because what differentiates a winner from a loser is that the winner tried again after losing.

So if you’re struggling with the ups and downs of business and don’t know how to pull through it, take notes from the following examples. Twenty four entrepreneurs are sharing their secrets.

Celebrate the little wins

I have learned to celebrate even the little victories. Small wins come much more frequently than those big milestones and recognizing them keeps the energy positive and optimistic. Burnout is not so much the absence of milestones as it is the interval between them.

There’s a lot of good things that happen in business on a smaller scale and learning to celebrate those small wins is important. Thriving is maintaining momentum through difficult times – focusing on good news, good times, good outcomes no matter how big or small builds a positive mindset.

Ryan Novak, Owner of Chocolate Pizza Company, Inc.

Measure and analyse

For me, the biggest challenge of running a business is keeping calm during the ups and downs in revenue. My company’s daily revenue jumps around quite a bit – and this can lead to some serious stress. Our daily revenue generation is the cumulation of a number of upstream activities.

Thankfully, we have built analytics on our company’s metrics. So I can quickly check the upstream metrics to make sure that there is nothing wrong or broken. If the top of the funnel is still working well I know that a dip revenue is no big deal. And if the top metrics are off, I can dig in and figure out how to take action.

Healy Jones, Co-Founder of Fin vs Fin

Concentrate on going forward

I consider running a company to be similar to running a marathon. There will be ups and downs, so you must mitigate both to remain energized throughout. Have your energies concentrated on going forward and constantly progressing when you’re in an upswing, and keep your energy focused on the same position when you’re on a downswing. You’ll exhaust yourself with all of the ups and downs if you let yourself get wrapped up with your own hype.

Will Cannon, CEO at Signaturely

See the silver linings

While difficult times make businesses’ survival incredibly difficult, keep in mind that every coin has two sides, so focus on the positive aspects of being a business owner. I have seen many businessmen become nervous in such situations that they pack their bags and leave the market, making it difficult for them to try out new avenues and business models. 

I would strongly suggest trying to bank your savings and policies to avoid a crash in your business. To get through such difficult times, continue to focus on the old-fashioned approach of community outreach to get the word out.

Such circumstances also compel us to innovate and refresh our business model, as well as look for ways to change stuff. Take difficult times as an opportunity to reflect and develop as a business.

Thilo Huellmann, CEO at levity.ai

Create a work-life balance

Getting through the ups and downs of running a business comes down to having a really great routine outside of the workplace. Make sure you have balance in your home life, and do daily activities that you know de-stress you. If yoga or meditation works for you, make time for it throughout the week. Everyone is different, and it’s really about tending to your own personal needs for a healthy mind.

Jim Beard, COO of BoxGenie

Write a daily journal

I’ve developed two consistent habits that keep me grounded through the ups and down of business.

One is writing a daily journal. This allows me to vent, reflect, pause and analyze situations. There have been times when we have lost customers, had technical problems or team member conflict. All through this my daily writing has helped me regain perspective and allowed me to get back in balance.

The second is my exercise routine. Sticking to an exercise routine, no matter what’s happening in my business has kept me fit and healthy. I have a Google Tracking sheet for my exercise and that helps me customize and update my routine.

Samir Penkar, CEO at Simulation Powered Learning

Being equanimous

I think the coping mechanism that has best served me over the years has been an ability to be equanimous, which is to say, being able to experience negative emotions without being overcome by them. 

Equanimity is a Buddhist principle which stresses that a person should basicallyintellectualize their emotions and try to focus on what it feels like to experience that emotion, being present in the moment, rather than dwelling on the thought or issue that provokes it. What you end up doing is disempowering the negative emotions associated with the downs and you avoid the distractions of the ups.

Bryce Welker, CEO at CPA Exam Guy

Remember your roots

Remembering where we began, how far we’ve come, and what our current objectives are. When trying to develop a business from a vision to a global brand, it’s easy to get discouraged and exhausted. We began the organisation with the belief that art should be accessible to all people, and it’s so important to remember the mission during difficult times — maintaining the same excitement and zeal as when we first started is crucial.

Julian Goldie, CEO at Goldie Agency

Know that everything passes

My number one coping mechanism for navigating business is the phrase “We will see.” I’ve found that what initially looks like good fortune can actually be bad, and vice versa. Keeping a level head that looks toward the uncertainty of the future is a great stabilizer in dealing with this. 

For example, last year our business crashed overnight from $2.8 million per year to nearly zero. On the surface, this event seemed very bad (and it was), but it also lead to good fortune — we pivoted our business model, recovered our revenue and started to grow again. Now, in what feels like an era of good fortune, I remain mindful that “we will see” and that it could all shift again.

Michael Alexis, CEO at TeamBuilding

Don’t stop learning

Many company owners lack a curiosity for learning that expands beyond their industry-leading to difficult times in their business. They aren’t investing as much in themselves as they should be. Although staying on top of your industry is crucial, it’s also important to stay on top of what’s going on in other areas.

Coaching, workshops, books, and mentoring are all good ways to learn new skills. You can’t stay the same forever, and if you don’t develop with your company, you’ll ground to a standstill and lose momentum.

The more knowledge you have, the better choices you will be able to make and overcome the ups and downs in your business. So, never stop learning and filling as much information as you can into your brain.

Daniel Foley, SEO Manager at Considered Content

Talk to other business owners

I have found that one of the best ways to cope with the ups and downs of running a business is to routinely talk with other business owners. I have a group of business owners that I speak with on a regular basis, and it really helps keep everything in perspective. Some are in the same industry, while others are in completely different ones. It also helps that a lot of us are in different stages of our businesses. It’s nice to have people that you can bounce ideas off of as well as share your wins and losses.

Michael Cohen, President at Bering Insurance Partners

Have an accountability partner

One of the primary relationships I advise small business owners to establish early on, is an accountability partner. I’ve started four businesses and could not have succeeded without an outside source of support. When the roller coaster of emotions and business situations inevitably happen, it’s important to have (and to likewise provide yourself as) a sounding board and support system. In addition to an accountability partner, I’ve also been lucky to have a mentor in my armamentarium. Both provide a stabilizing presence. 

Sandra Holtzman, Co-Founder of MarketingCures.GPS

Take long walks

I lean on my exceptional leadership team, advisors and friends. Talking through successes, ideas and challenges with others of varying backgrounds helps maintain perspective and find solutions. Sometimes it’s as simple as a weekly phone call with the friends I had as a teen!

In addition, I take at least two long walks a day, aiming for 4-7 miles daily. This is the time I chat with friends, listen to music, podcasts or an audio book. Depending on my mood, I may choose something that helps me find new marketing ideas or grow as a leader, or I’ll tune out and listen to my favorite songs.

Antonella Pisani, CEO at Eyeful

Focus on the process

The biggest challenge has been to stay consistently adaptive. Looking for a way to develop a complicated, deep technology takes thinking outside of the box and lots of adjustment. That said, pioneering a new business sector from the ground up isn’t an easy task. It has the hurdle of introducing an innovation to the market that you’re hoping other companies will buy into without precedent.

I’ve learned the value of being experimentative while remaining highly disciplined. Results come from focusing on your business and minimizing distractions. By focusing on the process rather than the outcome, you gain the knowledge needed to make the necessary changes for success.

Dan Widmaier, Founder of Mylo

Physical exercise

Exercise is one of the best ways that I handle the ups and downs of business. Exercise gets me out of the house and breathing fresh air, while also letting me get a lot of frustration that I might have throughout the day out too. Setting aside just 30 minutes of your day to work out can go a long way in helping your mood.

Steve O’Dell, Co-Founder and CEO of Tenzo

It’s about perseverance

My favorite business quote is: “If you’ve ever had bacon and eggs for breakfast, the hen contributed, but the pig was committed!” Entrepreneurs have to be committed to their companies in order for their business to be successful. Your idea will take more time and money than you anticipated, and you’ll encounter failures. But if you fail quickly and never give up on your company, you’ll keep pushing through until you finally find success. It’s all about that perseverance. 

Elias Janetis, CEO and Founder of Squeeze

Eyes on long-term goals

As a business owner you must be still thick skinned. I often joke to friends that I have calluses all over my body. Resiliency is a must if you’re going to be successful. The best way to pull through is to stay focused on long term goals. Business owners who work on their business and not in their business are able to maneuver the ups and downs of daily operations.

The best coping mechanism I have is to surround myself with like-minded people. Other business owners that understand the stress and constant maneuvering that occurs in our lives on a daily basis.

Lisa Carter, President of Drinkwater Marketing

Don’t put all eggs in one basket

How I pull through the ups and downs of business is not putting all of my eggs in one basket. So, when things get slow in one area, I rely on my other sources of income or place my focus into learning something new that will benefit me and my business moving forward. 

I cope by understanding that all things are temporary (even in business) and things happen as they should. What many may consider as being down, I consider it as being a time to reflect and strategize. Other times I do absolutely nothing. I simply relax and that is a coping mechanism that feels great too.

Jasmin Willams, CEO at The Notary Network

Structure, focus and consistency

With a structure in place it doesn’t matter whether I am in a peak or trough, I know what to do and when to do it and as long as I follow the structure I can help alleviate some of the peaks and troughs into a more consistent workload. Focus helps reduce any panic during quieter times. It’s so easy to forget that downtimes aren’t forever so having focus alleviates that fear. Remaining consistent in what I do and when I do it, day in day out ensures that when good times return I am prepared for them.

Vanessa Bird, Director of The Aesthetic Consultant®️

Circle back to your ‘Why’

I think being a true entrepreneur always needs to circle back on their “Why”, why put yourself through these huge highs and lows with sometimes minimal ROI. I always work outwards from a moment that gives me an up or a down, from that split second to the minute to the week and so forth until I see that that brief moment doesn’t distract me from my macro why. The little things can distract you at the time, but if you take a breath and think into the macro, it all becomes easier.

Shawn Soole, Owner of Soole Hospitality Concepts

Don’t let emotions overwhelm you

Do not let your emotions decide what you do next. Take a look at the bigger picture and be objective. Just because you failed today doesn’t mean you can’t succeed tomorrow. Or just because things are going so well today you can already get ahead of yourself without thinking. It doesn’t mean you should take your emotions out of the equation, just saying you shouldn’t make decisions based solely on them.

Mark Valderrama, Owner and CEO of Aquarium Store Depot

Build a passionate team

Build a team that is just as passionate about the business as you are. When you have people who want to succeed as much as you do brings you together and keeps you striving for success. Having it be a group effort makes it all worth it.

Bari Medgaus, COO of Stabili-Teeth™

Conclusion

Running a business is not a small feat, and now you know that it comes with its fair hair of ups and downs. Thanks to all the people that shared their experiences with running a business you are now aware of the alleys and peaks that you will need to go through to achieve success.

More must-read stories from Enterprise League:

Related Articles

See All Categories

10 traits of a successful businesswoman in 2025

10 traits of a successful businesswoman in 2025

by | Dec 18, 2023

Business Insights

10 traits of a successful businesswoman in 2025

December 18, 2023

Superpowers of businesswomen

Being a woman is hard, being a woman entrepreneur is even harder. So it leaves us with a big question – what are the crucial characteristics of a businesswoman? 

Even though there are many successful female entrepreneurs today, we are a long way from professional gender equality in every industry. Us being us, and us being all for gender equality – decided to make a list of characteristics of a businesswoman. Why? To inspire women (regardless of their gender) to reach for the stars, whether the stars are a higher-ranking position or starting a business on your own. How? Best believe this list will convince you that all women possess the necessary skills of a business woman. 

 1.Emotional Intelligence

 2. Adaptability

 3. Multitasking

 4. Perseverance

 5. Intuition

 6. Collaborativeness

 7. Eagerness for self-improvement

 8. Having mission and purpose

 9. Seeing the big picture

 10. Never satisfied with status-quo

10 characteristics of a businesswoman 

Let’s get one thing clear – everyone can be successful in business no matter their gender. Having said that, it is scientifically proven that women have certain genetic predispositions that can be used as strengths in business.

We wanted to explore and get to know the strengths of a business woman in detail. With that in mind, we asked both female and male business experts to share their opinions on what makes women more unique business leaders than men.

Emotional intelligence

The one characteristic that I believe is the greatest distinction between the two genders is emotional intelligence. Empathy, awareness, adaptability, and inspiration are all areas of emotional intelligence (also known as ‘soft skills’) that women in leadership excel in compared to their male counterparts. 

These types of skills of a business woman can foster relationships, coaching, and general rapport in the workplace community and lead to better employee retention. Also having well-developed conflict resolution and teamwork skills tend to fall under this umbrella of emotional intelligence as well. Generally, women continue to hone and develop these skills with age so they just naturally grow into more effective leaders.

Tara Dupuis, Founder and Owner of Tara Dupuis LLC

Adaptability

I believe women bring the right level of teamwork, adaptability and collaboration. Those are the fundamental characteristics of a businesswoman. Women display the same gender-based attributes as males, and vice versa and many attributes are reflections of perceptions and biases in our society. 

These softer skill sets that translate from friends and family to the office can be harnessing relationships to achieve solid business success. As an entrepreneur, I found I could often be authentic and build familiarity with my partners quickly which is one of the secrets to a good partnership.

Liz Kwo, Deputy Chief Clinical Officer at Anthem

Multitasking

One strength that female leaders have that men typically don’t is the ability to multi-task while remaining effective and efficient. There are opinions on both sides on whether multi-tasking is a good thing or bad. One camp feels that if you are multitasking then you are never giving anything your 100% undivided attention. I happen to think this is an excuse men give for not being very good at it. 

The other camp, and the one I happen to fall into, believes that multi-tasking brings out my best work. I am a female entrepreneur and work best under pressure. Multitasking brings on a unique level of pressure but also relieves it at the same time.

Jaclyn Strauss, CPA and Founder of My Macro Memoir

Perseverance

Female entrepreneurs are a force to be reckoned with in the world of business today. A skill they possess that is an advantage compared to their male counterparts is their perseverance. Women are mentally tough, which is an asset for an entrepreneur. Females have persevered throughout history despite limits placed on them by men in power. This trait serves a female entrepreneur well in her endeavors.

David DiLorenzo, President of Valentino Beauty Pure

Intuition

One of the biggest strengths women have that men generally do not possess is intuition. Strong female leaders not only rely on facts and data to make decisions, but they can tap into their intuition to guide them as well. Often, intuition is what guides them through the ups and downs of business. 

Women are also excellent at reading their teams and understanding where there may be trouble spots. For example, they can sense when a member of their team is having trouble outside of work or someone is struggling on a project. By leveraging this skill they are able to build teams of loyal followers because their employees feel valued and understood. 

Intuition can be honed over time and developed, however, some women may ignore their intuition if imposter syndrome is at play. Women who seek to improve their intuition will need to overcome imposter syndrome and limiting beliefs first. Fortunately, intuition is something we’re all born with and no one can take away from us.

Karin Freeland, Founder of Karin Freeland Life Coaching

Collaborativeness

Women tend to be highly collaborative, so collaborativeness is one of the greatest characteristics of a businesswoman. In my experience, we see the competitive landscape as less of a zero-sum game and are open to exploring formal or informal partnerships. In other words, they are masters of all forms of networking. This leads to an edge in cultivating strategic alliances, both with vendors and even with competitors.

Whitney Hill, Co-Founder and CEO of Snap ADU

Eagerness for self-improvement

They are more conscious of looking for ways to improve themselves and finding things they can improve in their everyday business operation. Many will be more willing to learn from other women entrepreneurs before them and ensure they are doing everything they can to make sure they are as good as they can be in business.

Women in business may not be able to get by just by working hard and being talented – they need to be as impressive as they possibly can be by gaining as much business knowledge as possible. Self-growth is something I really focus on during my time in business and, especially, since I became a founder and that’s why I consider it to be one of the best characteristics of a businesswoman.

Lindsey Allard, CEO and Co-Founder of PlaybookUX

Having mission and purpose

What I really admire about women in business is that they often attach a mission to their business. They have a true purpose for their work and what they want to create and an even stronger ‘why’ behind it. Being mission-driven is a big leadership quality that so many successful high-achieving women possess.

Ali Brown, Founder and CEO of The Trust

Seeing the big picture

One of the characteristics of a businesswoman, that all women possess but men usually don’t, is being able to see the big picture. Women are often steps ahead of their competition, not only solving what’s in front of them but picturing hurdles that will have to be faced due to the original solution. We are always thinking ahead. We communicate effectively and efficiently, can lead others and give criticism with grace, and are the brainpower behind the most important decisions. That is why we are leaders.

Kelly Shoul, Owner of In Love and Adventure

Never satisfied with status-quo

Female leaders are both empowering and inclusive, and – in my experience – more so than their male counterparts. Also, while women have been historically viewed and stereotyped as emotional leaders by men, I believe they are just passionate explorers in pursuit of excellence. 

When women leaders are not satisfied with the status quo, they want to make things better. Whether they are looking for ways to increase their business growth or to increase online sales – they will certainly find one. These women leaders get things done and avoid procrastination by using their tenacity to feed their passion for success and equity.

Andrea Heuston, Co-founder and CEO of Artitudes Design

Conclusion

Isn’t it obvious by now? All the characteristics of a businesswoman prove that women can be superheroes too. And not just any superheroes, but superheroes in business. Therefore, if gender was your obstacle to success we just proved the opposite. And yes, it takes a lot of work, you have to dedicate yourself fully and more times than not you have to sacrifice something for achievement – but it is worth it if it is your dream. Now go and reach for the stars.

 

More must-read stories from Enterprise League:

Related Articles

See All Categories