Four tips for success for women in business with Justine Roberts | BBC Ideas

Summary

The speaker emphasizes the importance of passion in driving success through tough times, sharing her journey with Mumsnet and the challenges she faced as a female entrepreneur. She advises embracing mistakes as learning opportunities, incorporating exercise into daily routines, and not being overly concerned with appearance. The speaker also encourages accepting the chaos of balancing business and family life without guilt, highlighting the value of finding solutions and working with a great team as key motivators.

Takeaways

• 🌟 Passion is the driving force that sustains you through tough times; it's essential to believe in what you're doing.
• 🚀 Persistence is key; Mumsnet took time to gain traction, illustrating the importance of staying the course despite initial challenges.
• 💡 Turning down an investment that compromised her vision, the speaker emphasizes the value of staying true to one's beliefs.
• 🤔 Encouragement to embrace mistakes as they can lead to innovative ideas and solutions, as was the case with the inception of Mumsnet.
• 👟 Practical advice to wear trainers for both fitness and practicality, reflecting a broader theme of prioritizing efficiency and comfort in business.
• 👚 A reminder that women in business should not feel pressured to spend excessive time on appearance, advocating for a balanced approach.
• 🔧 Embracing chaos as a part of entrepreneurship and family life, acknowledging the impossibility of perfection and the importance of not feeling guilty.
• 👶 Sharing a personal anecdote about her child's song, which highlights the acceptance of imperfections and the release of guilt.
• 💡 The speaker's motivation stems from problem-solving and working collaboratively, which is what keeps her engaged and passionate about her work.
• 📈 A call to action for viewers to subscribe, indicating the importance of community and ongoing engagement with the content.

Q & A

What is the key factor that helps one persevere through difficult times according to the speaker?

The key factor is having a strong belief in what you are doing, which is essential for keeping one motivated during challenging moments.

How did the speaker describe her experience as a 30-year-old mum seeking investment for Mumsnet?

She faced skepticism and was even offered investment on the condition that someone else, specifically a young male, would run the business, which she declined.

What was the turning point for the speaker that led to the creation of Mumsnet?

The turning point was a disastrous holiday with her children, which was poorly planned and led to the idea of creating Mumsnet.

Why does the speaker suggest making mistakes as one of her tips for success?

Making mistakes can lead to valuable learning experiences and can be the catalyst for identifying what needs to be done right.

What is the practical advice the speaker gives regarding physical fitness and time management?

The speaker suggests wearing trainers as a way to incorporate exercise into daily life without needing to go to the gym and to be ready to catch up if running late.

Why does the speaker advise against spending hours on appearance in a business context?

She believes that women in business should not feel disadvantaged by societal expectations to spend excessive time on appearance, citing Mark Zuckerberg as an example of simplicity in attire.

What does the speaker mean by 'embrace the chaos' in the context of balancing business and family?

Embracing the chaos means accepting that one cannot be perfect in all aspects of life, especially when starting a business and raising a family, and not feeling guilty about it.

How does the speaker describe her personal motivation for continuing her work with Mumsnet after 18 years?

She is motivated by the enjoyment of finding solutions to problems and working collectively with a team to grapple with challenges.

What is the speaker's perspective on guilt in the context of being a working mother?

The speaker views guilt as a wasted emotion and encourages not letting it affect one's decisions or happiness, especially when it comes to balancing work and family life.

What is the significance of the story about the speaker's fourth child singing a tune to her?

The story illustrates the speaker's point about not feeling guilty and accepting that children will be fine, even if a parent has to work and cannot always be present.

What is the final piece of advice the speaker gives to the audience?

The final advice is to embrace the chaos of life, especially when juggling a business and family, and to not let guilt affect one's decisions.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Believing in Your Passion

The speaker emphasizes the importance of having a strong belief in one's venture to overcome challenges. She shares her experience as a 30-year-old mum seeking investment for Mumsnet, facing skepticism and even a condescending offer to have a younger man run her business. Despite setbacks, her belief in Mumsnet's potential kept her going. The speaker advises finding a passion to prevent giving up easily and to embrace mistakes as opportunities for innovation, as Mumsnet itself was born from a disastrous holiday experience.

👟 Embracing Practicality and Chaos

The speaker advocates for practicality in business attire, suggesting that wearing trainers can serve dual purposes of fitness and time management. She challenges the notion that women must spend excessive time on appearance, drawing a comparison to Mark Zuckerberg's simple attire. The speaker also encourages embracing the chaos of balancing business and family, acknowledging the impossibility of perfection and the futility of guilt. She shares a personal anecdote about her child expressing a desire for her not to work, illustrating how one can grow to manage guilt and find wisdom in the chaos.

🔑 Finding Solutions and Enjoying the Journey

The speaker concludes by sharing what motivates her to continue her work with Mumsnet after 18 years: the joy of finding solutions to problems. She describes the satisfaction derived from working collaboratively with a team to tackle challenges and discover answers. The speaker's passion for this process is what fuels her enthusiasm and dedication to her work, and she ends with a call to action for viewers to subscribe for more content.

Keywords

💡Passion

Passion refers to a strong emotional connection or enthusiasm for something, which can drive one's commitment and perseverance. In the video, the speaker emphasizes that having a deep belief in what you are doing is crucial for enduring tough times, especially in the context of starting a business. The example given is the speaker's own experience with Mumsnet, where despite facing skepticism and challenges, her passion for the project kept her going.

💡Investment

Investment in this context is the act of committing money or resources to a business venture with the expectation of financial returns. The script mentions an instance where an investor was willing to fund the speaker's business, Mumsnet, but only under the condition that someone else, specifically a younger male, would run it. This highlights the gender bias and challenges the speaker faced, but also underscores the importance of believing in one's own vision and not compromising it for investment.

💡Mistakes

Mistakes are errors or faults made in action or judgment. The speaker encourages embracing mistakes as they can lead to innovation and learning. The origin story of Mumsnet is shared as an example, where a disastrous holiday experience led to the idea for the platform, illustrating how a negative situation can be a catalyst for a successful venture.

💡Trainers

Trainers refer to athletic shoes designed for comfort and activity. In the video, the speaker suggests wearing trainers as a practical way to incorporate exercise into one's daily routine without needing to visit a gym. It also touches on the broader theme of not needing to focus excessively on appearance, advocating for a more casual and comfortable approach to dressing in a business context.

💡Appearance

Appearance pertains to the way a person or thing looks, especially in terms of attractiveness. The speaker challenges the notion that women in business must spend significant time on their appearance, using Mark Zuckerberg's uniform of a simple T-shirt and jeans as an example of how men are not held to the same standard, advocating for a more equitable approach.

💡Chaos

Chaos refers to a state of extreme confusion and disorder. The speaker advises embracing chaos, particularly for those trying to balance starting a business and raising a family. It implies accepting that perfection is unattainable and that guilt over imperfections is unnecessary, as illustrated by the story of the speaker's child singing a tune that would have made her feel guilty if it were her first child.

💡Guilt

Guilt is a feeling of responsibility or remorse for some offense, crime, wrong, or mistake. The script discusses the futility of guilt, especially in the context of balancing work and family life. The speaker shares a personal anecdote about her child's song, which could have made her feel guilty, but instead, she uses it to convey the message that guilt is a wasted emotion and should be avoided.

💡Solutions

Solutions refer to the action of solving problems or settling disputes. The speaker mentions that finding solutions is what motivates her to continue her work with Mumsnet. It ties into the theme of overcoming challenges and using them as opportunities for growth and innovation, which is a central message of the video.

💡Collaboration

Collaboration is the act of working together, especially in an intellectual endeavor. The speaker finds joy in working collectively with a group of people to tackle issues and find solutions. This highlights the importance of teamwork and the collective effort in achieving success, which is a key aspect of the video's narrative.

💡Fascination

Fascination is a very strong attraction towards something. The speaker describes her fascination with problem-solving at work, which is a driving force for her to continue her endeavors. It exemplifies the personal fulfillment that can come from engaging in meaningful work and the passion it can ignite.

💡Subscription

In the context of the video, a subscription refers to the act of signing up to receive regular content, typically through a channel or service. The speaker ends the video with a call to action for viewers to subscribe, which is a common practice in video content to grow an audience and ensure continued engagement.

Highlights

Believe in what you're doing to persevere through hard times.

Find your passion as the driving force behind your business.

Mumsnet's slow initial growth and the challenges faced by a 30-year-old mum.

Rejection of an investment offer that required someone else to run the business.

The importance of conviction in your idea to sustain during low moments.

Embrace making mistakes as they can lead to innovative solutions.

Mumsnet was born from a disastrous holiday experience.

Wear trainers for practicality and fitting in exercise without a gym.

Avoid feeling pressured to spend hours on appearance in business.

Mark Zuckerberg's example of simplicity in attire.

Embrace the chaos of balancing business and family life.

Accepting imperfection and the impossibility of fitting everything in.

The importance of not feeling guilty about not being perfect.

A personal story about a child's song and learning not to feel guilty.

The value of finding solutions and working with a great team.

The speaker's motivation to get up and work every morning.

A call to action to subscribe for more content.

Transcripts

The thing that will keep you going through the hard times

is the fact that you really believe in what you're doing.

So my first tip is find your passion.

Mumsnet took a really long time to take off

in any business sense.

In those days, it was all about young guys being invested in by young guys,

and here was I turning up, a 30-year-old mum,

probably with some vomit on my shoulder.

And I remember one guy said,

"I will invest in your business, but only if someone else runs it."

And in fact that someone was a 24-year-old man.

So I turned down his investment, but actually,

you know, when you really believe in something

that's what will keep you going through the low moments.

So choose something you have a real passion about,

because otherwise I think it's too easy to give up.

My second tip is to make mistakes.

In fact, Mumsnet was born out of a mistaken holiday.

It was my first holiday with kids I knew nothing about it.

And I picked the wrong destination, the wrong time zone,

the wrong resort. And it was an unmitigated disaster -

and that was where the light bulb moment for Mumsnet came.

Often the things that go wrong

can be the prompts for what you can do right.

So my next tip is to wear trainers.

I think it's a brilliant way to fit in exercise without going to the gym.

And it's a brilliant way to catch up if you're running late.

There's also another part of this,

so don't feel, as a women in business,

you have to spend hours on your appearance.

Let's face it, Mark Zuckerberg wears the same T-shirt and jeans every day,

and why should women have a disadvantage?

And my final tip is to embrace the chaos.

I think it's almost impossible to fit in everything you want to

if you're trying to start your own business

and you want to raise a family.

You have to embrace the fact that you cannot be perfect.

But more importantly I think, it's about not feeling guilty about stuff.

So my fourth child, I cycled to his nursery,

with him in a seat on the back,

and he started singing this lovely little tune to me.

He sang "Mummy, Mummy, Mummy, Mum, Mummy, Mummy, don't got to work."

And, quite frankly, if that had been my first children

I would have probably been in tears on the pavement.

But you do get a bit wiser, your kids will be fine,

and having guilt is a wasted emotion.

I think the thing that makes me get up in the morning,

18 years on, and love coming and doing what I do,

is I really quite like finding solutions to things.

Being able to come to work and collectively,

with a group of great people,

grapple with stuff and try and find a solution

is something I find fascinating,

and it's what keeps me going really.

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