7 March 2021|Latest Posts, Meet the Successful Founder
Women in Business Club started in 2017 with a single event in London, as a passion project to bring entrepreneurial women together to support each other in business. One incredibly successful event that turned into a Global community of thousands of women, that is now transforming lives and making a huge impact.
Its Founder, Raimonda Jankunaite, is an expert in online visibility, growing communities and bringing women together in a supportive and positive environment. In just three short years she has built the Women in Business platform to over 250k followers online and a 6-figure business by running events alongside the online membership platform for women. Her mission is to create a support network for women running their own businesses, provide them with tools and resources to grow and succeed in business and life.
What would you love to share to encourage other women to start their own business?
For any aspiring entrepreneur I would encourage you to follow your passion and give your business ideas a try. Some may not work out, but you’ll only know this if you do your research and test them out.
Since a very young age I knew that I wanted to create a business that would align with my values and give me the freedom to live life on my own terms. I never saw myself as one to fit in and follow the rules, and I always wanted to challenge the status quo.
I chose the entrepreneur route at the age of 21 and at times it has been tough, but it also taught me so much about myself, and helped me build stronger determination and resilience. I no longer relied on anyone else and was solely responsible for my own success.
If you are just starting out in business, surround yourself with likeminded go-getter people and don’t lose sight of the bigger picture – the big goal. You will discover that you only need one idea to take off and completely transform your life.
What are your 5 top tips for entrepreneurial success?
Entrepreneurship is a big personal development journey that will uncover everything about your personality, values, traits and self-mastery. Being a business owner exposes all of your mindset flaws and forces you to grow as a person. Without the personal growth there cannot be business growth, and at every stage of your growth you will face new challenges internally and externally. Be willing to go on this journey, learn from your own mistakes and never beat yourself up. This is part of the road you have taken.
Never undervalue yourself. When you start out in business it’s easy to undervalue your services because you are just starting out and you think you need more credentials to start charging your worth. Reality is, you already have what it takes, and if you deliver value to your customer they should also pay for it.
Your value can only be determined by you, and that directly relates to your own confidence in yourself and your products. If you haven’t developed confidence yet, do what it takes to build it up, as quickly as you can, so you can charge your worth. This may be in a form of getting a few lower paid clients so you can get testimonials, getting results for people and using that to leverage further.
Keep learning. I am a huge fan of personal development, coaching and self mastery. If you want your business to succeed you have to invest time and money in your own development. I spent endless hours attending webinars (free at first when I did not have the money to invest) then investing in courses, mentors and coaches. This truly helped me get to my goals much quicker and save me from mistakes that could have cost me more than the actual investment itself. Never assume you know everything, because that is the fastest way to fail.
You need a supportive community around you. It has taken me years to realise that I cannot do it all on my own. When I started to surround myself with likeminded people that is when everything changed. My perception opened up to new possibilities, I started to create more opportunities, collaborate with people and be a part of my own community of cheerleaders. If you are just starting out in business, grow your network early and keep some of the best and most aligned people close to you as they will forever have your back and will only want to see you succeed.
Be willing to be misunderstood. In my personal journey to success, I didn’t always have people who understood what I am doing, or even why. My career path seemed strange to most people who worked 9-5 most of their lives. It seemed risky and at times in sane. But I had a vision in my mind of where I wanted to be, and for me the only way to get there was running my own business and having the creative freedom to live life on my own terms. So I became ok with being misunderstood or not always supported in my personal endeavours. Every doubter became my fuel that lit my fire to want to succeed even more. So remember, you may be misunderstood, and people may not believe in your ideas, but show them otherwise.
Who are the 5 women who inspire you the most?
Sara Blakely – I think she is such an inspiration for women all around the world, not just as an entrepreneur but as a Mum and a thought leader. She has inspired my journey in business and continues to pursue great cause worthy initiatives to support women. I would love to interview her on our Inspiring Women Stories Podcast.
Kamala Harris – No matter which political view women have, we’ve all been able to come together to recognize how monumental it is that Kamala is the first female vice President of the United States, as well as the first African American and first Asian American Vice President. Now, women and girls from all backgrounds, cultures and ethnic groups can look to Vice President Harris and know that they can be just like her. No matter what, dreams are valid, hopes can come true and any girl can be whatever she wants to be.
Emem Washington – I’ve had the honour of connecting with this incredible powerhouse recently as she’ll be speaking at The Women Thrive Summit later this month. Her mission is strong and her belief is high. Her passion lies within fulfilment and helps people to rediscover and reconnect to their purpose and their ‘why’. She has a special way of connecting with and bringing people together from all different walks of life. Being in her energy is infectious and you can’t fail to feel like you’re on top of the world, able to achieve anything you desire.
Edwina Dunn – As the founder of The Female Lead, Edwina started it as a campaign that celebrates women’s stories and showcases the lesser-know successes of women, in order to support and encourage the next generation. She knows the damaging effects that the media has on young girls and how they see their role in society and wants to fight back. To show that there’s another way for women to be recognised for their talents, not just their aesthetics.
It’s something I also feel strongly about, so whenever we host our exclusive events or global summits, we always support charities and this year our chosen charity is The Female Lead. We need more women like Edwina to help amplify women voices. I am all about giving women the stage and opportunity to share their stories.
Oprah Winfrey – There isn’t a business woman on the planet who hasn’t fallen under the spell of Oprah. She has overcome adversity in her life to become one of the most influential women in the world. Unlike many celebrities you see in the news, Oprah always presents herself as ‘one of us’, which adds to her charm. Her many award wins and accolades prove how impactful and infectious this lady is, to billions of women around the world. A true inspiration. Oprah and her work has been a huge influence in the way I run my business.
What is your favourite saying/inspirational quote?
“It’s ok to fail – but when you do, fail fast.”
I spent three years trying to make my first business work, and when it didn’t, I spent a long time feeling stuck and unable to move forward. It was soul crushing, but now I now realise that failing is just part of the process. It’s important to recognise when something’s not working so that you can choose to pivot, let go or start again. Don’t waste time on something that isn’t going to work, wishing that it will. Be objective, get support and move in a direction where there is possibility and faster results.
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