Boss Lady (Part 1)

Odd girls out, huh? We’re talking primarily about business, common approach to business, common questions, concerns, etc. “So, uh, if you’re here for the exciting tech stuff… sorry.” ;}

Q. How do you define success?

A. Alex Beauchamp: Am I satisfied with how I’ve done at the end of the day? A. Vickie Howell: If you can make a living doing something you love, if you can feed and house yourself doing something that you love, you’re successful! A. Jenny Hart: Financial independence, to maintain the vision, keep true to the thing that feels right…

Alex Beauchamp: I basically do anything someone will pay me good money to do. Love that!

Lauren Bacon: Wanted to choose how central work was to our lives… “There must be a way to make a living and still have a weekend to yourself once in awhile…” “We also wanted to be able to control our financial destiny.” Having a satisfying work environment, employees doing work that is fulfilling to them, working with clients in a respectful relationship… Wanted to create a service company that was really about customer service.

Q. What challenges did you face in the early years of running your business?

A. Alex Beauchamp: Structureless confusion! No idea what to do with the sudden freedom… LONELINESS was a huge challenge, she says, WOW do I agree with that! A. Vickie Howell: There’s a certain level of guilt at stopping working… ha! Everything turns into business…

Jenny Hart talked about actually structuring her business like a business, despite the business being at home—separate office space, specific hours of work, no checking email on weekends, etc.

Alex was really concerned with financial success, with making money—but it was tough, skills and confidence are important, but the freedom doesn’t make the change—you have to make the change.

Jenny Hart: It’s really hard to find people to sympathize with you, oh boohoo, you work at home in your pajamas… but they don’t really understand the stresses that come right along with this whole thing.

On Networking:

Vickie Howell: Networking is the absolute next step… Women networking, women working together. For me (Megan) networking is a bad buzz word but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing. Swapping tips, helping each other, that moves us on, moves us forward.

Lauren Bacon: Group of women decided to just go out for drinks once a month instead of worrying about traditional professional networking meetings—grey suits, very formal, stodgy, blah. This is exactly what I’ve found, too, actually.

Alex Beauchamp: As women we are social creatures but there is always a fear of being not good enough, not prepared enough. We can also be the hardest on each other. But Austin Craft Mafia is a great success in these terms, not being afraid of talking about it and being who you are and learning and growing.

(So that makes me think: Who would I go out for drinks with once a month? Hmm.)