In honor of Women's History Month & International Women's Day, we asked our tribe of women entrepreneurs & business owners about some of the hard earned lessons they’ve experienced building their businesses.

What is one of the most important lessons you've learned as a business owner? And how did it change you for the better?

Here’s what 23 successful women entrepreneurs had to say about success, mindset, failure, mentorship, and so much more!

“One of the most important lessons that I learned as a business owner is that failures are necessary and a vital part of your success. Once I accepted that it was okay to fail in some components, I no longer allowed brick walls that I encountered to deter me from my overall goal. I would use the experiences as lessons for myself and to assist others throughout their journeys. It also taught me the importance of balancing my emotions and personal/professional integrations. Facing my failures strengthened my overall endurance as a business owner and a person.”

~ Latorie Lloyd | Aspire Early Learning Academy

“I learned I can truly make my goals a reality. If I only want to work 4 days a week, I can make that happen. If I only want to take on a certain amount of work and still make "enough" every month, I can. We can choose to make our life how we want it. Just plan and execute.”

~ Adriana Richardson | The Lazy Millennial

“One of the most important lessons I've learned as a business owner is that you cannot do it alone.  Creating systems and hiring people to help you is the most efficient way to success.  As founders, we need to stay in our zone of genius and let others do the things that although we can do, we don't need to do.  Also, surrounding yourself with others at the same place as you in their business journey, as well as learning from coaches and mentors is paramount when it comes to growing and scaling your business.”

~ Alli Elmunzer, Esq. | Influencer Legal

“As a business owner, you have to realize that the buck always stops at you. You have to step up and deliver because you can't pass the blame to anyone or anything else. If you do, then your business doesn't survive. As an employee you can get away by saying that "I couldn't send an email out because the email platform wasn't working so I am waiting on the platform to start working again." As a business owner, you can't get by saying that. If you do,  then you are losing out on sales that your business needs to survive. You will figure out a faster way to get the platform up and running or you will make the move to switch platforms. You will take active actions to get you up and running fast rather than wait for something/someone else to get it up. You have to pivot and problem solve because the buck stops at you.” 

~ Shreya Banerjee | Marketing Counts

“Momentum is the one thing I keep going back to- there was a long time where I was worried about taking the next step because I didn't feel fully prepared...turns out you never really do. The best thing to do is start, create the movement and actions that gets you closer towards your goals instead of burying yourself in the fear of imperfection. I've found even by taking little steps in the right direction and starting before I "feel ready" I have created a lot of positive change and taken my business in directions I never dreamed it could go. I think this lesson has made me a lot more flexible, and a lot more capable to weather any storms to come.”

~ Sunny Dublick | Sunny Dublick Marketing

“My business doubled this year and I owe 100% of that growth to the collaborations I built with other women who were my power partners.  I shifted focus from looking for clients to building really meaningful relationships with women in complimentary services and it changed the ballgame for us.  Not only do I now have these incredible power houses behind me to refer business to, but it's made sales almost effortless because everyone who comes to us now was prequalified by a woman who knows my work, pricepoint, and outcomes. “

~ Whitney McDuff | Whitney McDuff Consulting

“I have learned to know my worth and the worth of my company. We provide exceptional service.and we back up what we offer. CEO coaching has helped me define my space in the market and to work toward goals that help me achieve even more in the short term and the long term.“

~ Katie Throckmorton | Distinct Builders, LLC

“One of the most important lessons that I have learned as a business owner is to trust my instincts. Once I started to listen to my gut, I realized that I actually did know what was best for me and my company and my mission. It gave me the confidence to move forward faster and to jump into new projects and verticals without second guessing myself. Which has led to being able to help more people and to be able to help other women business owners to learn to give themselves permission to trust their instincts!”

~ Dr Cindy McGovern | Orange Leaf Consulting

“Identifying your why and where your passion comes from for your business is essential to thriving, and not just surviving, while running a business. It can be very easy to get caught up in the daily to-do's, so taking a step back to remember why you're doing it is so important. Putting this into practice has changed me for the better because when I'm feeling stuck in the grind of it all, I remember that there is a community of moms that need the connections and resources that we work so hard to provide. “

~ Jody Vitali | Charleston Moms

“Self-confidence and always believing in yourself is the make it or break it in business. Make sure you don't start to see yourself through the eyes of those who don't value you. Know your worth even when they can't see it. “

~ Amanda Sheridan | BagValet

“One of the most important lessons I’ve learned as a business owner is to be the sort of person you want to attract as a client. Desire a client who shows up and does the work? Show up and do the work. Crave a client who lives a full life and cares for her body? Live a full life and care for your body. Your business is often a mirror of who you are and where you’re at in your life. If you don’t take care of yourself, you cannot care for your business. If you’re showing up every day without caring for your body, eating well, exercising, or feeding your mind, how can you expect to attract people who already practice those things? It’s all energy. The moment I truly took that on was the moment I understood HOW to attract the clients I truly desired - the inspiring and motivational kind.”

~ Alexandra Billings | Modern Gloss Studio

“One of the most important lessons I've learned is that you aren't going to get it right 100% of the time.  How you handle those misses is where the leadership and growth happen!”

~ Marielle Klapp | Stellar Bookkeeping & Consulting

“Trust yourself. Do all the research, ask all the questions, read all the books, take all the trainings... and always go back to trusting yourself. Always. This changed me for the better in terms of decision making, letting things go that do not speak to me - listening to that powerful full bodied YES (or else it's a no) 'rule' and simply trusting myself in all aspects of life - business and personal. It's a practice. A necessary one. Trust yourself.”

~ Stacy Peth | Stacy Peth Yoga

“Taking time away from your business is good for you and for the business. As a business owner (especially a solopreneur), we're often afraid to step away. We assume clients will be unhappy. We fear the work will pile up. We worry we'll miss something important. Fact: we all need a day off, a vacation and a work-free weekend. I realized when I take a vacation or a long weekend away, the business doesn't fall apart (gasp!). And I'm better at my work when I'm refreshed and recharged. “

~ Holly Fisher | Fisher Creative Marketing

“There isn’t one type of business owner. You don’t have to fit yourself into a mold of how others do business or lead their company. Show up authentically as yourself and know your own values so you can lead with passion and clarity. “

~ Jessica Nemecz | Two Roads Wellness Clinic

“I have a strip of paper sitting on my writing desk that says: "Not closed doors, my love, but open windows." I wrote this to myself when I encountered gatekeepers to an opportunity I really wanted. It's a way of reminding me that if the direct path doesn't lead to what you want, there's always another option. Most of the major professional milestones I've reached as an author, writing coach, and retreat leader are because I took an indirect path to achieve something that otherwise felt unachievable, or I've reached out to someone instead of waiting to be contacted. Every day that I see that strip of paper, it reminds me to pitch one more publisher and to invite one more guest onto my podcast. I've been amazed at how many YESs and opportunities have arisen because of "open windows."

~ Nadine Kenney Johnstone | WriteWELL

“As a service-oriented business owner, I've learned not to take clients or employees' feedback and input personally. In the past if my client asked for more than I was intending to provide or if they criticized the work I would become anxious, I would doubt myself and in order to make me feel better, I would quickly REACT (lower prices, stay up all night fixing the problem) instead of RESPOND. Today, I'm pretty good at taking a moment, breathing, relaxing and then responding to the client with clarity and focus so we both feel good about the results. “

~ Laurie Bishop | Become Studios

“Trust in your intuition! Your business doesn't have to look like anyone else's. Creativity in our brand is what sets us apart from the pack making a more lasting impact on the clients we serve.”

~ Sonya Jensen | Sonya Jensen Counseling and Coaching

“Lean into your strengths, and delegate what you are not good at. This simple lesson has allowed me to open and operate Boss K9 to the best of MY abilities. “

~ Anna Louise Rencz | Boss K9

“I used to think that working extremely hard and doing everything myself in my business was a badge of honor. And then I learned that building wealth through my business is like climbing Mount Everest: you can't climb Mount Everest alone, you need a good team around you. So I started to hire team members and delegate stuff off my to do list. It felt amazing. So now, I delegate as much as I can: I have figured out that the more support I get, the more money I make and that hiring employees leads to increased revenue. It doesn't have to be hard, I don't have to be the lone ranger (and I shouldn't be).”

~ Cynthia Baloula | CB Media 

“The most important lesson I've learned as a business owner is the power that lies in listening to my own voice. My business and how I show up in my business are just extensions of who I am and I have found that this is key in differentiating my business and making decisions that align with my values. Bringing this practice into my business also changed me for the better because it reinforced that idea that listening to my intuition and acting from this place is truly powerful.”

~ Shoba Bharratt | Blossoming Behavior

“Surround yourself with a team that inspires you, lifts each other up, supports one another, and can do the "job" better than you.  Being able to delegate has given me the freedom to operate as the CEO of the business.”

~ Hope Caldwell | KLH Group

"One of the most important lessons I've learned as a business owner is to ENJOY the ride. The truth is your LIFE is happening now. So while it can be so tempting to bury yourself in your business and put off real enjoyment until later, later may never come. My own scare with cancer brought that lesson to life really fast. It changed me for the better, forever."

~ Hilary Johnson | Hatch Tribe