Show Notes
Welcome to Be True, Be Happy, Be Yourself show, I'm Yuki Miyaki. In this episode, I will be sharing with you how to start up a business with a determined mindset.
When it comes to women’s entrepreneurship, some people will start comparing it with men, is it harder for women to startup a business? In fact, the difficulty to startup a business is not related to gender, but is related on how they are reaching their goals and determination. When I was 21 years old, I opened 3 beauty salons on my own. I was not born with a silver spoon and did not have a rich boyfriend, I had to rely on my own ability. Perhaps, on the journey to entrepreneurship, my experience may give you some inspiration and help. Hence, the theme I want to share with you today is "Is it difficult for women to startup a business? Your will determines everything"
After graduating, my father arranged me to work in a travel agency, but within three days I decided to give up. As I couldn’t bear the environment and time arrangement. So I concealed my father and found a job in Sungei Wang Plaza as a handphone seller. Perhaps you will feel that I’m silly for choosing to work in mobile phone shops. Even my father thought so too. When he discovered that I was working in a mobile phone shop, he was actually disappointed but he did not stop me from continue working.
I am very grateful I chose this path, as I started my beauty career with the money I saved from selling mobile phones. By the way it also made me met my husband. I am always a girl that knows my directions in life and clear with each move I make. Since I started selling phones, I knew very well from the beginning that it is just a stepping-stone. After my savings was enough, I enrolled into a beauty course which especially mastered one of the killer tricks to squeeze acne. I know that you must have your own expertise and uniqueness to stand out among the many beauty services.
Even though I was working in cosmetology industry later, my father did not give me much support. Until later, I gradually made achievements and reputation. I rented a small space from the hair salon and started doing facials for my customers. After the business gradually stabilized, I started to have my own store under the advice of my father. When I was 21, I was already the owner of 3 beauty salons. Yes! I am really happy to make money. Every time I serve a customer, whenever I saw a change in their skin I had an indescribable sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. Later, I got married, had children, and when I became pregnant with my second daughter, due to health reasons, I ended my 6-year beauty business. Let me share with you the story of my cross-field to real estate business.
Over the past few years, I have joined the real estate industry with my husband. I am also responsible for team training. As I am just a high school graduate, communicating in English is my weakness. In addition, I have no experience in the real estate industry at all. Maybe even you will feel it is too difficult and impossible at this time. However, I did it. I accepted and admitted my shortcomings. I was not afraid of being laughed at for being weak in English, and I let my ego away. I dare to use English to communicate with the team and give training. I just kept learning, practice until I succeed. Last year, among the thousands of real estate agents I trained, more than half of them were trained in English.
Is it difficult for a women to start a business? Actually, it has nothing to do with gender, it has to do with your determination. As the saying goes, if there is will there is way.
As long as goals and directions are determined, no matter how big the challenges and difficulties are, we can definitely overcome. Thinking back, if I followed my father’s arrangements in the beginning and worked in a travel agency. Or maybe continued being a salesperson without any direction or ideas about the future. Or gave up when I faced language and experience problems when I started real estate business. There will definitely be no YUKIMIYAKI today.
If you want to start a business today, bear in mind with these four points at all times:
1. You must know what you want to do.
You need to know exactly what you want, not what others want. Wanting me to work in a travel agency is what my dad expects of me, but we cannot live under the expectations of others, even though they only want the best out of you. Only by knowing what you want can create your own true business blueprint and dream. Without a firm and clear goal, it is easy to be affected by word of others, and as a result you will always still be on your way to achieve the goal.
2. How to reach your goals?
Now that you know what is your target, you must plan the way and think of how to get there. Finding ways and methods, or start to think out of the box. Trials and error and never ever give up will lead you to your goal.
3. Let down what must be let down.
Yes, we need to put down many things on the road to entrepreneurship. It may be your ego, self-esteem, or other people's expectations of you. Only when you put it down, you can have more space to equip the weapons you need on the road to entrepreneurship and go all out to advance your dream career.
4. Sacrificed what must be sacrificed.
Nothing comes freely and you can't predict what you have to pay on the road to entrepreneurship. Many sacrifices must be made including the most important things in your life. So are you willing to pay for your patience, your time, your principles or your responsibilities?
During the entrepreneurial process, many people will give you advices and reference from their life experience. However, know that you are not responsible for the opinions given by others, but you must be responsible for your own choices. Therefore, is it difficult for women to start a business? For me, it is not difficult, because I know my goals and I am willing to make all my efforts to achieve them. What about you?
I hope that through my story sharing, you can get more inspiration, gifts of life, and to start your own business.
Connect with me on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn and the links will be in the show notes.
I look forward to seeing you in my next episode where I will be sharing with you more stories about my life and how you can Be True, Be Happy and Be Yourself !