Every business owner has probably sat back in her chair, eyes closed, imagining what life would be like if she was living her ideal entrepreneurial type. Whether she was a Merry Jane imagining a full-scale business that still allowed her time freedom, or a Tenacity Jane imagining smartly directing a team of people to implement her vision, one thing remains important: before changing her type, every female business owner must consider her own priorities to ensure that she truly becomes her “ideal.”
A recent study from Jane Out of the Box, an authority on female entrepreneurs, reveals there are five distinct types of women in business. Based on professional market research of more than 2,500 women in business, this study shows that each type of business owner has a unique approach to running a business and therefore each one has a unique combination of needs. This article outlines two of the five types and provides ideas they may consider before changing their entrepreneurial type.
Merry Jane is a woman business owner who is building a part-time or “flexible time” business that gives her a creative outlet that she can manage within specific constraints around her schedule (whether she’s an ad agency consultant or she makes beautiful artwork). She may have a day-job, or need to be fully present for family or other pursuits. Representing about 19% of women in business, she realizes she could make more money by working longer hours, but she’s happy with the tradeoff she has made because her business gives her tremendous freedom to work how and when she wants, around her other commitments.
Because time freedom and creative stretch are so important to Merry Jane, she must make thorough examinations of other potential entrepreneurial types before making a change. Most Merry Jane business owners reported high levels of satisfaction with their companies, although most also said they would like to attract new clients and increase their income.
Considerations for Merry Jane:
- Time freedom versus growth: It is possible for Merry Jane to start work with more clients and make more money while maintaining her time freedom – it just may require some juggling. For example, Merry Jane could continue working a desirable number of hours performin