I'm Emma, the co-founder of Shocken Foods, and I've had the privilege of thriving in several male-dominated industries, even while grappling with lifelong ADHD without medication. I've ventured into various sectors, creating award-winning businesses. My journey has been a testament to my determination in the face of adversity at every turn.
My entrepreneurial spirit can be traced back through four generations of female entrepreneurs in my family. My great grandmother defied the odds and built a successful business at a time when women didn't even have the right to vote. With my background as a head chef trained to Michelin 3-star level, I now utilize my culinary expertise to craft sustainable vegan products that are causing a stir in the food industry. Shocken Foods has earned accolades such as the Great Taste Award and the title of Food StartUp of the Year 2023.
With 25 years of experience as a successful businesswoman, I'm excited to share some valuable lessons during Global Entrepreneur Week. Here are six tips that have guided me throughout my entrepreneurial journey and can help you create and launch a successful business, garnering the attention it deserves:
1. Pick a lane you're passionate about
Let's be honest, it's a dog eat dog world out there. To be successful as an entrepreneur, you're going to have to operate in the top 10% of your chosen field. That requires you to be kind of obsessed with your sector. Through the long days, you'll only be able to keep up your enthusiasm if you're genuinely passionate about the area you're working in. Don't go into an area unless it gives you a fire in your belly. If you don't know what you're passionate about yet, find it. Make a list of specific sectors, less than 5, and start exploring those as hobbies while you're still in your full time job.
2. The devil is in the details
It's important you understand everything your chosen sector entails before you jump into it with gusto. That's why you should dip your toe into a few sectors in your spare time before you settle on one. By testing the waters in a few areas, there's lots of small things you'll find out that will help you make the right call on which area to move into long term. Understanding which sector suits your skillset best, leads to a higher likelihood you'll create a successful business.
3. Embrace change
Understand the world of business is continually evolving, in every sector, some moving faster than others but no area stands still. Keep your core values and integrity rock solid, but be willing to be flexible and open to incorporating new skills, methods or innovations as your sector evolves and changes, as it invariably will. It's the people that aren't willing to adapt to change that get left behind.
4. Have a plan
Planning is a cornerstone of success. Whether it's charting your personal growth, defining your business's ultimate goals, or mapping out your business's value proposition for the market, putting your plans on paper can free up mental space for creativity and reveal unexplored possibilities. Individuals with well-structured plans, regardless of whether they achieve their exact goals, have a higher chance of overall success.
5. Believe in yourself
Being an entrepreneur is a constant sell. To sell yourself and your business you have to be confident about what you have. If you don't believe in yourself, no one else will. Both your words and your body language carry weight. You might talk a good talk, but if you don't believe it, people see through it. If you have good attributes, understand their value and get that across when pitching either yourself or your business. Seeing your enthusiasm lights other people up. It's a far easier sell when people are already warmed up by your infectious belief in yourself or your business.
6. Work hard
Don't kid yourself by thinking luck is what makes successful people. Some people might like you to think that, but actual work is what gets results. It's basic maths. If you're willing to do more work than other people you'll get better results than them. If you're at the top of your field, people seek you out. Naturally you get noticed and stand out from the pack.