Why do we start businesses?

The Australian Businesswomen’s Network conducted some research recently to gather some insights into “why did you start your business?”.

According to Suzy Dafnis, who heads the group: “What I have noticed is that many women leave the corporate world, working for someone else, and start their own business for similar reasons. These reasons include:

• Freedom to choose work hours and work location.
• Working around raising children.
• Being your own boss.
• Setting your own salary.
• Utilising your creativity to create something new.
• And of course, financial freedom.

Recently I was challenged by a male entrepreneur (it was just after our listing on the BRW Fast 100; only three women made the list). He said: “Let’s face it, women don’t set out to create an organisation – they tend to work in ‘cottage’ businesses to give them more lifestyle choices. Women don’t start real businesses!”

Needless to say that created some lively discussion with me. But looking at the results of this survey, he does in fact appear to have a point – and is there anything wrong with that?

What would men’s reasons be for starting their businesses? Perhaps:

• Making a fortune.
• Being an industry luminary.
• Creating an institution.
• Creating a legacy for family heirs.
• Bossing other people around.

As a speaker I get to meet very many and various groups of people – many of which are women’s groups. I am consistently asked “how do I create a bigger business?”. Many have designed their businesses to suit their lifestyles – or are turning a hobby into a business. And simply they were never meant to be scaled.

We have some amazing female entrepreneurs in Australia (many I have had the privilege to get to know); Suzy Dafnis being one, Diana Willams of Fernwood, Janine Allis of Boost Juice, Kristina Karlson of Kikki K. But as I did a straw poll around the office spontaneously they struggled to name many more… though there are many.

So I pose the question – does the size of the game matter? If you play a small game, and deliver upon it – fantastic. But what if we dared to create a big game, a massive game and it drove us relentlessly – what difference could we make. How could we influence our communities – the next generation of young women to have more role models?

I’m driven by changing gifting in Australia forever… and I will know I have achieved this if by 2015 two million people have had a RedBalloon experience. And to deliver on this I must have a significant organisation to achieve it.

I encourage you to dare to dream big – but then relentlessly with a never ever give up attitude, implement.

I’d appreciate your thoughts on this one.

Naomi is the 2008 National Telstra Women’s Business Award winner for Innovation. Naomi was also a finalist for the Australian HR Awards and a finalist for the BRW Most Admired Business Owner Award in 2008. Also in 2008 RedBalloon achieved a 97% Hewitt employee engagement score.

One of Australia’s outstanding female entrepreneurs, Naomi regularly entertains as a professional speaker inspiring middle to high-level leaders on employer branding, engagement and reward and recognition. Naomi writes a blog and has written a book sharing the lessons from her first five years.