This is about ACCELERATION for start ups (note the Stones reference we’re milking here) and seasoned entrepreneurs.
After reading tech.co’s 15 Top Accelerator Programs in the US, I realized I am a big fan of Accelerator programs for women-owned businesses for three reasons.
Accelerators provide access to:
1. Structure
2. Support, and often,
3. Capital
Second, as you’ll see in our women’s business fact sheet, there are many facts supporting the need for most-bang-for-buck, strategies including:
- While things are changing, women are more likely, still, to be the primary caregiver in child and eldercare situations.
- Women now earn the majority of Masters and PhD degrees. And, guess what, they are putting them to use. Women comprise half the work force and 40% of wives out-earn husbands compared to 5% in the 70s.
- Women spend less time on leisure each day than our male counterparts. So, if you are starting a business, you better make the most of it and step into an organized, structured program. Why not? Your time is valuable.
Got that? Your time is VALUABLE. Hmmm, yet we still find ourselves doing the stuff and *&$% in the middle saying, “Why am I doing this?” You know this is you. 🙂
- NOTE: If you are a low-income or single mom, it’s even more valuable. You can’t just drop out of work. Ask the accelerator what scholarship programs they have. After all: They’re in entrepreneurship – they might have a creative solution. ASK.
- If you’re in start-up phase, accelerators are a natural match.
- As a seasoned entrepreneur it can pay to come up with a new business model or idea just to get in one of these accelerators for momentum. You can then apply the principles, and often the support group and mojo, to your original business.
- Finally, if you have higher revenues and are not in a group like EO, Vistage, WPO, YPO, CEO, etc. Check them out. Their roundtables, forums and learning events can serve as mini accelerators, but less structured and without deliverables.
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