Ladies Who Launch

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Power Moms

BY: Victoria Colligan

There is no comparison between that which is lost by not succeeding and that which is lost by not trying.
~Francis Bacon

Even before I had my own children, I was inspired by the beauty of the lifestyles created by women entrepreneurs. For years I had been working in the corporate world, first as a lawyer and later, after obtaining my MBA, as an investment banker. I felt desperately uncreative and I kept thinking that there had to be more to the real world of work. Having come from a family of business owners, and being a lover of academics, I felt completely let down. After working for a few start-ups, I began to notice how different work was for women who ventured out on their own. Rather than compartmentalize their lives, they were building their passions, lifestyles and businesses together in a holistic way. So I decided to start my own business -- a magazine that would showcase these courageous women.

I began putting together the pieces and learning the media business as I went along. But then I became pregnant with my first child. My husband and I decided to move to Cleveland, Ohio, which made the chances of launching a magazine that much more difficult. So I went online. On my own, and full of doubt as to how I was going to do this and make money with a small child, I started slowly -- building my subscriber base by word of mouth. Most of this was done during nap time, those few precious hours when I could work on my passion, adding layers into my life beyond being a stay-at-home mom.

Ladies Who Launch was a one-of-a-kind website when I started it in 2002, which amazed me. Women were launching businesses at twice the rate of men, were making choices based on their need for freedom and flexibility, and were reaping excellent returns by redefining traditional business models. I was floored that no one was addressing this astonishing fact.

There were so many female success stories out there that my entire goal for Ladies Who Launch at the time was to showcase these triumphs as well as the passions that brought them about.

The concept for my weekly e-mail success story was simple. It highlighted women who built businesses on their own terms along with the off-the-beaten paths they took to get there. Some women went to business school, others had no experience whatsoever, some started on a hunch, others wrote elaborate plans -- but the bottom line was, there was no single foolproof process that worked. My newsletter, with its sincere words of advice, inspiration and shared stories created momentum among women far and wide, encouraging them to give their dreams a shot!

As the weekly e-mails continued to circulate and the website grew in scope, it became clear that women were craving community, tools and education. They wanted an outlet for sharing information, ideas, experiences and resources. Ladies Who Launch quickly evolved to offer local and worldwide workshops in addition to an enhanced array of accessible tools online. My mission evolved as well -- making entrepreneurship a viable option for every woman became the main goal.

I am and will always be personally invested in this goal. I know that by providing solid roadmaps, start-up and growth packages, workshops and access to expert seminars on everything from phone systems to online marketing, my company can make women's dreams reality. The truth is, every woman has a project, a passion, a dream or a creative outlet that she would like to explore more deeply. By removing the intimidation, fear and hardship from the process, we can make it fun by connecting women with each other and giving them tangible tools and resources they can really use.

Now, six years after I started Ladies Who Launch, women are still driven by the same lifestyle desires and still derive as much pleasure from picking up their kids at school as they do from running million dollar businesses. The idea of working from home, growing a business organically, taking small steps and testing plans as they go, still outweighs for many women the security of a corporate job, the perks that go with it and the chance to enjoy predictable financial rewards.

As the mother of two small girls, my life is never easy, but never dull. I'll admit there are times when I wonder if I'm doing it all wrong and missing out on something special. Am I there when it matters, am I having fun? Do I feel joy on a regular basis? Can I define joy by the moments in between the planning and executing? Am I in the "flow" of my life, my work, my family and love? Rather than let myself be consumed by guilt, I have learned to let go of it and live in the moment.

One thing I know for sure is that every day I demonstrate commitment, hard work and passion that make me an unparalleled role model for my little girls. It is my hope that they will find their own joys and passions and develop self-esteem by trying things, failing, succeeding and overcoming. I have failed many times in my life but my motto is "never give up on your dreams." Whether you want to build a multimillion dollar business or take up gymnastics in your forties, anything is possible, and often we learn more from failure than success.

Each of us has a purpose. Interestingly though, as the Founder and CEO of Ladies Who Launch, I don't think mine is to be a leader. I'm more of a master facilitator and communicator. I believe that I was meant to inspire and awaken possibility in others. However, for one person to inspire another she must first be inspired herself and be actively living her dreams, parallel tracking both, which I am.

Every day I try to be aware of my choices then decide how I want to live my life and adjust my strategies accordingly. The only constant in this world is that everything is always in flux. The sooner we realize this inevitable fact, the sooner we can play the game of life the way we want, taking full responsibility for our choices and diving head first into them with enthusiasm.

I have many more ideas and passions up my sleeve and many more dreams to play out. I would like to try opening a restaurant, buying a ski house or traveling with my girls and my husband to exotic and fresh, new places. I feel optimistic about the future both personally and with respect to Ladies Who Launch. Optimism, I believe, is the ultimate mindset for success!

http://www.beliefnet.com/Inspiration/Chicken-Soup-For-The-Soul/2011/03/Ladies-Who-Launch.aspx?source=NEWSLETTER&nlsource=49&ppc=&utm_campaign=DIBSoup&utm_source=NL&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_term=mail.ru