Lea Woodford

SmartFem Guide For Entrepreneurs Lea Woodford

I am truly honored to share with you the SmartFem Guide for Entrepreneurs. I hope this book will inspire and propel you to follow your entrepreneurial dreams. To help you understand the purpose of this book, I feel it is important to tell you why I feel so passionate about creating my own business. SmartFem Media Group is not my first business. It's my fourth, and it's almost eleven years old. I am watching so many people who live for the weekends because they hate their 9 to 5 careers. A recent global poll conducted by Gallup uncovered that only 15% of the world's population is happy with their jobs. This means 85% of people are unhappy and unfulfilled with their careers. I've witnessed many friends and acquaintances deal with this despair, but unfortunately, aren't sure how to start their businesses. I learned business in an unconventional way. I didn't go to school for business. Journalism was my passion, but sadly, it couldn't sustain my lifestyle as a single mom with daycare and a mortgage. I needed a plan B. I became a copier salesperson as a newly divorced mom because it let me determine my salary. I learned a lot about the copier industry and big business. When the company filed for bankruptcy, I could see the holes in their business. I learned that big business was often top-heavy and couldn't easily navigate the changing technology and buying preferences of their customer. I went on to resign from that company and started my own company that competed with them directly. That company was fun, taught me a lot, and I made decent money. While the business model was great, I ended up selling shortly after personal copiers made their way into Price Club, now known as Costco. Salespeople transition well into business owners because they are accustomed to sales and realize that their income is based solely on their efforts. Unfortunately, one of the biggest challenges I see with entrepreneurs is not following clues. Technology changes and not all business models are sustainable. Over the years, I've learned that in sales and business, mindset is everything. Before you hop on a call, go see a client, or attend an event with your target demographic, make sure your head is in the game. Success and failure start in your head!