For Women’s History Month and to celebrate International Women’s Day (March 8), we asked some of our industry friends to share their top advice based on their experiences and what they’ve learned along the way. Don’t miss this special series featuring women-owned and operated businesses throughout March!
Kristine Shreve / Women + Business Podcast
Kristine Shreve is the founder of the growing Facebook group Women in Garment Decoration. She also hosts the Women + Business podcast, where discussions center around being a woman business owner. She writes for various apparel and engraving trade magazines and was the marketing director for Ensign Emblem for 14 years. She currently works for Applique Getaway as the director of marketing and outreach. Her top tips for women business owners:
- Know the worth of your work and set prices accordingly. So many times, women who want to be successful and earn a living wage and who talk about those issues are treated like they’re doing something wrong. There’s nothing wrong with knowing the value of the work you do and expecting to be compensated accordingly. Don’t hold yourself back from charging the prices you should for the work you do. And don’t hesitate to or feel bad about admitting that you want to make a profit and that one of your goals is to support your current lifestyle and secure your future through your earnings.
- If you don’t ask, you don’t get. One of the things women are taught, both individually and culturally, is that nice women stay quiet and don’t push. We’re taught to delay our needs, wants, and to be of service to others. Some women may spend their entire lives waiting for someone to tap them on the shoulder and tell them it’s their turn. That’s no way to live a life. As women, we need to use our voices, individually and collectively, to pursue our goals and change the world. Be bold, ask for what you want, and push for what you need. The more women who speak up, the more the world will get used to women who use their voices and advocate for what they want.
- It’s not wrong to promote yourself. One of the things I hear most often on my show, Women + Business, is how much women hate promoting their own accomplishments. As women, we’re great at showcasing the achievements of others, but many women were taught not to brag or that no one likes a pushy woman who’s always talking about what she’s done. The truth is that promoting yourself is necessary in today’s world if you want to get ahead and to get the recognition you deserve. So don’t be afraid to post about your latest award on social media or throw a party to celebrate your newest accomplishment. If you’ve done something great, take pride in it, and make sure those around you know what you’ve done. Take some of the skills you use to promote others and devote them to yourself.
Check out more from the Women in Graphics series here!
