What Defines a Woman Social Entrepreneur?

Women entrepreneurs committed to making a difference in their communities, their country, and the planet are being called to create solutions to meet the needs of humankind.  These powerful women see opportunities for change and innovation and devote themselves to making it happen.  They understand that it is through teamwork and powerful collaboration strategies that their vision will be manifested.  They are ready to set aside their personal, ego-based needs in order to express fully their gifts and talents.

Women social entrepreneurs use their intuition and wisdom to make informed choices regarding the management of their business and their personal finances.  They understand that they need a healthy body, mind, and spirit to experience life at its fullest.  They are committed to taking care of themselves as a prerequisite to taking care of others.

Women committed to personal and world transformation live by the following core values:

1. They are grounded in passion to make a difference in the world.
2. They practice authentic and honest communication.
3. They collaborate, respecting each other’s contributions and holding themselves accountable for their commitments.
4. They create extraordinary teams in order to create extraordinary results.
5. They trust themselves and other members of their team.
6. They express fully their commitment to service towards humankind, animals, and nature.
7. They are committed to their own personal and spiritual growth and development.
8. They manage their financial resources wisely in order to take care of themselves and their communities.
9. They are committed to self-care, taking care of their bodies, minds, and spirits.
10. They embrace technology as a way to leverage their message and achieve greater social impact.

ASK YOURSELF:  Are you living these values as you build your business and transform the world?

Most entrepreneurs have not learned how to market online.  We at Sabia Partners, Inc. are committed to motivating, empowering and teaching women social entrepreneurs how to use the power of technology and social media to achieve greater impact with their message, products, and services.  The opportunity to start a business and build it as a profitable and sustainable enterprise has never been better for women.  As leaders committed to social good and ethical business values, we need to learn from the best and adapt the “new” marketing approaches to align with our core principles of honesty, fairness, and respect for our prospects and clients.

Learning how to make sales online is one of the most critical skills that all women entrepreneurs must master in order to create a profitable business.   Here is a summary of the top 10 strategies we all need to know about and implement in our conscious e-marketing plan:

1.  Connect with Your Passion – Conscious marketing starts with our passion.  First we identify a product, service, or message about which we are passionate.  As Warren Buffet always tells us:  find something you love to do and how to make money doing it.  That is the first step in building an ethical business and a conscious marketing plan.  This step includes clarifying your vision and mission and most importantly, the WHY of your business adventure.  If you are not clear on WHY?? you wish to start this business, you will not have the motivation or determination to continue when you face difficult challenges and choices.  This vision and your WHY?? must be bigger than you.  Women social entrepreneurs have very big Whys, as they strive to make the world a better place through their businesses and their own personal lives.

2.  Build a Tribe – In order to create a profitable business of honesty, fairness, and respect for our prospects and clients, we must build a tribe (build a movement) and LEAD.  In traditional marketing we talk of market niche, in the “new Marketing,” we talk about Tribes. Become a leader with an inspiring heart-centered message about which you are passionate, and people will follow you.  We need to show up as leaders, own our gifts and talents, and take action to make a difference in others.  When we do this, we will naturally build a group of clients ready to purchase from us.

3.  Promote your message, products and services from love and your commitment to service – Social entrepreneurs do not need to use fear-based competitive marketing strategies.

4.  Be authentic – when you present yourself and your business.  If you are offering quality products and services that increase the quality of life of your clients, then you can afford to be authentic and honest in all your marketing communications.  You do not need to pretend to be someone else.  I remember when I acquired my first financial planning client in 1986, he asked me how much experience I had and I answered:  “The five minutes I have spent with you is my only experience,  but I assure you that you will not find another advisor that will care more about helping you achieve your financial goals.”  He became a very happy client and we never forgot that conversation.

5.  Charge what you deserve – based on value and revenues your business will earn from the sales of the specific product or service.  For example, if you are using a technological platform to present a 60 minute webinar, and 500 women register at $50 each, you will earn $25,000 in one hour.  If you invested  five  hours to create the seminar, then you will have earned $5,000 an hour. (Total time investment = five hours).  Conscious marketing offers fair pricing, including refunds and payment plans.   An example of this is the e-marketing and social media certification courses offered by the VAClassroom™. These courses are outstanding, very educational, and empowering.  In addition, their prices are fair and affordable.

To Continue to part 2, click here

We are facing very challenging times; people all over the world are suffering as they struggle with one or more of the world’s top four crises.  Evolutionary women are being called to take a stand and make a difference.  One of the most powerful ways to impact society is through entrepreneurship.  If you have been experiencing the evolutionary impulse and wish to start your own business or not-for-profit organization, you may consider creating or distributing products and/or services that empower individuals and communities to better manage one or more of the following crises:

1. Social – crime, illiteracy, hunger, domestic violence, abandoned animal(s), teenage pregnancy, unemployment, high school drop outs, divorces, dysfunctional relationships, wars, and many other social challenges that urgently need solutions.
2. Health – obesity, chronic diseases, malnutrition, mental illness, Alzheimer’s, etc.
3. Ecological – global warming, excess consumption, poor quality water supply, etc.
4. Economic – high levels of personal debt, lack of savings, decreased value of investments, foreclosures, bankruptcies, insufficient retirement assets, etc.

As women entrepreneurs facing the largest economic crisis of our lives, we have the awesome opportunity to transform our lives and the world as never before.  I am reminded of the wise message presented in a YouTube video by Lynn Twist, author of the Soul Money, where she states that we can get through this economic crisis by “moving towards a more simple life rather than accumulation; appreciating what we love and not being afraid of losing what we have;  focusing our attention and intention on what we have that we value and cherish and not on what we are losing; and taking care of what we already have and stop pursuing what we do not need.”

As business leaders, women worldwide are choosing one of these crises and are creating solutions.  They are also deciding which segment of society they would most enjoy serving (children, women, animals, the elderly, persons with disabilities, etc).

Once you decide to follow your heart and its evolutionary impulse,  the Universe will conspire to provide you will all the resources you need to manifest your vision of a  fulfilled life and a business that will make this world a better place.

Note:  click here to view part 1

6. Build a list of prospects and people who appreciate and trust you – This list of members of your tribe, with names and e-mail addresses, will represent the most valuable asset of your business.  You will be able to promote  proprietary products and services, as well as affiliate links to products owned by others that align with your message and mission.  It is critical that you continuously nurture your list with valuable content, making the difference in their lives without charging them.   They will appreciate you and will be prepared to reciprocate by purchasing products and services you recommend.

7. Reach for the greatest impact – Social entrepreneurs are on a mission to transform the world, delivering a message through their products and services.  We are being called to leverage the power of technology to reach the greatest possible number of people with our solutions to their problems.  This is why as socially responsible business owners, we have no choice but to embrace technological advances, appreciating what is now possible because of  social media tools such as Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook, and new platforms such as Skype, iPhones, mobile phone applications, teleconferencing, and online webinars.

8. Know and care for your customers – Most entrepreneurs do not fully understand the problems and needs of their clients and prospects.  A conscious e-marketer will invite prospects and clients to participate in surveys that will reveal exactly what they need and want.  Your list can then be segmented wisely, and products and services can be tailored to the needs and wants of that specific segment of your list.  We recommend www.mysurveyexpert.com as a great resource for your surveys.

9. Attraction Marketing – When you are clear about your message and become an authority who people respect, you will attract those who are seeking your message.  You will become a magnetic force and ideal clients will find and appreciate you.

10.  Become an authority in whatever your passion, vision, and mission may be – Commit to learning about yourself and about your products and services.  Take courses, read books, review websites, attend live meetings, join communities, forums, and groups of like-minded persons.  In conclusion, you are your greatest asset, and thus you need to grow and learn every day.  The more you know about yourself and your business, the more profitable your business will become and the greater the social impact you will make in the world.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Top 10 Mistakes made by boomer women entrepreneurs and practical tools to avoid them.

FREE AUDIO: Who else wants to finally learn how to avoid the biggest mistakes made by boomer women entrepreneurs, and how to save time, money and aggravation by following the basic principles of business success in today’s economy.

http://freeaudio.sabiapartners.com

Click here to view the embedded video.

Women social entrepreneurs are invited to listen to and participate in the weekly online radio show at http://www.sabiatalkradio.com.  The show presents the personal and business stories of women that are changing the world and creating profitable, heart-centered businesses.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Women social entrepreneurs are invited to download free audio on the top 10 mistakes made when establishing a business in today’s economy.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Women entrepreneurs are encouraged to engage in the new online Ning community, bringing together women who want to change the world through social entrepreneurship.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The vision and mission of Sabia Partners, Inc. the Alliance of Wise Women Entreprenuers, is presented by its founder, Dr. Carmen D. Ortiz.  Women are invited to listen to the company’s online radio show by visiting www.sabiatalkradio.com.  The show inspires and empowers women to start businesses that serve as agents of social change to transform the world.

As a woman building your own business or company, you want to make it powerful and successful.  So you pay attention not only to its goal, service/product lines, and target audience or “niche”, but also to its symbols and representative forms.

These symbols or logos called “trademarks” or “servicemarks” are designed to succinctly tell the world what your business is about.  They are placed on your business cards, your letterhead, and your website, if you have one.  And, that is the primary reason why they are so important: they represent your dream.

Designing one for your business can range from using a simple commercial application or designing a customized representation.  After over forty years of experience in business, we knew that Sabia Partners™ was to be a business with extraordinary possibilities and a lofty goal: to guide women in building businesses that have positive impacts on their lives and on our world’s communities.  This is possible because of the ever-expanding computer technology innovations and the introduction of new platforms involving Social Media such as Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, and Twitter.

As we looked for a logo which would carry our message, we believed that it had to represent the heart of our business and our desire to share what women have most: our WISDOM built on years of experience as mothers, daughters, wives, professionals, teachers, and business owners.  And thus, we came upon the story of Athena, the Greek goddess of Wisdom, who represents Wisdom, Intelligence, Intuition, Knowledge, Independence, and Power.  It is the ideal model for today’s Renaissance Woman: Experience, Knowledge, Strength, Self-Awareness, Foresight, and Commitment.  And Athena and all those qualities, we found, are exemplified by a unique and powerful creature of great lore: the Owl.

But there was one more attribute that we believed needed to be included.  After all our years of hard work, study, and application, we have realized the importance of having FUN in our lives.   To be most successful finding balance between the challenges of owning your own business and having a personal life (family, relaxation, hobbies) is basic.  That is why our logo is a very colorful, whimsical, and light-hearted owl in flight named “Saby”™ (from the words “Sabia Partners”).  She is ready to fly towards the heavens, imbued with the attributes of a wise and successful woman, full of joy and capable of seeing all the colors of the rainbow.  That is what makes a SABIA PARTNER!  Our idea of this modern woman, from teens through seventies-plus, is a person filled with love for herself, her community, and her world.  She is open to learn, as well as to teach.  She is filled with experience, but also has her dreams.  She is a mentor to younger women and a coach to other business owners.  In short, she is a SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR.

Where she is on the road of Life depends on what she has taken away from her experiences.  But she is definitely in action and moving towards her goals.  And joining forces with other “wise women” is her next step to self-realization and development as an agent of change in this new economy.