Show courage. Grow. Rays: Women entrepreneurs under power

Full of energy, laughter and eager anticipation: 60 (aspiring) female entrepreneurs came together at the first live event organized by selbstaendigefrauen.ch in Zurich. Together, they let go of their fears and gave their business ideas a voice. Visibility, smart growth and setting your own pace characterized the afternoon.

Right at the beginning, founder Lisa Burth asked everyone to close their eyes and raise their hands if they had ever been afraid to walk out with an offer. Almost everyone’s arms shot up. A collective, invisible confession: we all know what it’s like. “This is a safe space,” says Lisa. A place where fears can be expressed and released.

Visibility is not a fair-weather project

Perfect logo? A fully developed offer? Forget it, Lisa Burth and Jana Berger know from their own experience: if you wait until everything shines, you lose valuable time. Visibility doesn’t start with high gloss, but with the courage to be seen. “Create a community first,” recommends Lisa, “and gain their trust with real added value before you sell.”

The silent brakes in your head

What holds many back? “Fear of failure and fear of what others will think,” says Jana. Then there’s often the thought: I’m not expert enough yet. Her counter-suggestion: “You just have to be better than your customers, not better than the competition.”

All images ©Alessia Schönenberger

Online. Offline. Wherever your customers are.

Instagram, LinkedIn, newsletter, Google profile: yes. But also the regulars’ table in the neighborhood or a presence in the local trade association. “It’s no good if your target group is 70 and you only post on TikTok,” says Jana. “Find out where they’re looking and be right there.”

Money counts and so does time

Calculating prices without making a profit: “Have you factored in vacations, sick days and time for administration?” Lisa asks the group. If you plan wisely, you build in buffers and outsource tasks. “Outsourcing is not a luxury, but a growth tool,” emphasizes Jana. Planning tools such as Trello help to protect resources.

Scaling means earning money, even when you’re hiking

Whether it’s an online course, digital templates or a product shelf in the hairdressing salon: passive income decouples turnover from working hours. “That’s the key to not working more, but working smarter,” says Lisa.

A break is compulsory, not optional

Many nod when Lisa explains how she has avoided panic attacks with clear evenings and days off. Jana swears by “Slow Monday”. “You’re the heart of your company,” she says. “When you’re off, everything comes to a standstill.”

This afternoon was more than just an event. It was a reminder that growth is not just about sales curves, but about courage, networking, clear boundaries and a willingness to put yourself out there. Even if it’s not perfect yet, no matter how old you are and no matter what industry you want to start your own business in.

Binci Heeb

Read also: Women’s Day – Climbing the career ladder