Half of Female Entrepreneurs Held Back in Business by Comparison on Social Media

New research has found that nearly half (47%) of female entrepreneurs cite comparing themselves to others as a major factor holding them back in business.

The results were collated by the founders of Female Entrepreneur Week, who surveyed business owners from around the world*.

Further to this, 85% of respondents said that use social media for their business on a daily basis, yet a third find it overwhelming.

London-based entrepreneur, international business coach and author Nadia Finer, who conducted the research explains:

"It’s so important for us to stick together; to support one another. And yet, it seems we can’t help comparing ourselves to others, it’s not that we’re competing, as many would suggest, it’s more that we feel like we’re not good enough.”

Finer also refutes the research by Facebook that there are not enough positive role models for female entrepreneurs. Her first book ‘More To Life Than Shoes’ was published by Hay House in 2011,when she set out to interview a host of inspiring female entrepreneurs. Finer explains:

“At the time, there was a real lack of information about the inspiring women in business, and so we set out to change that. I have seen a real shift in perspective in the following years, with a host of inspiring leaders out there in the public eye, influencing and changing lives. People can use the power of the internet to create a business from nothing, but the danger lies when they are lured into feeling like the need to present an unrealistic image of their life and business to succeed.

"We’re presented with an Instagram friendly image of female entrepreneurship; it’s all flippy hair, cocktails and bikinis. But the truth is far more gritty and real. It’s blood, sweat and tears. Our results clearly show that although social media is one of the main ways for business owners to make connections and reach more of their ideal clients, for many it is in fact holding them back. We spend so long comparing ourselves to the unrealistic images that others put out, that the danger is we become paralysed by ‘comparisonitis’ and fail to grow our businesses as a result. This needs to stop.”

Jess Baker, a Chartered Psychologist who also run her own business explains:

“We use social media to engage and connect with people, but we rarely do so in an emotionally honest authentic way. Instead, we prefer to broadcast just the best bits, our “ideal self”, and never the bad bits. We parade the best bits because we know others will judge us (as we judge them. The irony is that we tend to judge ourselves unfavourably in comparison to others, so we all end up feeling like everyone else is doing better and that we are not good enough.”

Finer agrees, and has made it her mission to empower a new generation of female entrepreneurs to build their businesses in a more honest, open and collaborative way.

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To arrange an interview with Nadia Finer contact Rebecca Miller on hello@writeandreach.com

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*185 female business owners were surveyed in July 2017.

Bio – Nadia Finer

www. nadiafiner.com

Nadia Finer is one of the UK’s foremost business coaches with ten years’ experience supporting female entrepreneurs in her own unique style. She has helped hundreds of clients around the world to start and grow their businesses and specializes in helping clients to work less and make more money. Nadia is a published ay House author, renowned speaker and podcaster. She has been featured in numerous publications including the Huffington Post, Marie Claire and The Telegraph. Nadia lives in London with her husband, son Jacob and fuzzy dog, Bobby.


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