It has been eight years since the CEO and Founder of the Wonderbag, Sarah Collins had her light bulb moment and the Wonderbag idea was born. The Wonderbag is a revolutionary, non-electric, heat retention cooker that allows food that has been brought to the boil by conventional methods, to continue to cook for up to 12 hours, without using any additional energy source.
Ever since then Sarah has dedicated her time to travelling around Africa introducing the Wonderbag into various homes, families and disadvantaged communities. Not only is she passionate about empowering people, but she also enjoys sharing the secrets to her success with aspiring female entrepreneurs.
Here are Sarah’s top five tips and secrets that every female entrepreneur should know:
1 Be courageous
Firstly, always trust your gut and believe in yourself! I was told so many times Wonderbag would fail or I wouldn’t have the courage to take it into the marketplace. It is so satisfying now to see the success and meaningful impact Wonderbag has already achieved since the idea was born.
2 Think out of the box
There is a famous saying by Mahatma Ghandi that I try live by, which is “be the change you wish to see in the world”. I am driven by a deep sense of purpose and I believe that everyone is born to make a difference in the world. When you are thinking of starting a new business or designing a new product ask yourself these two questions: What exactly do people need in the world? And will my product or business help improve their lives?
3 Invest in a business or personal mentor
It’s important to have a business or personal mentor – someone who understands you and your business and will give you objective advice. There will be stages in your life that you are uncertain or even begin to doubt yourself. During those stages, your mentor will be able to boost your confidence and give you that extra push to continue your quest.
4 There are NO rulebooks or study guides
There are NO study guides for success and the only advice that I can give to upcoming female entrepreneurs is to believe in your plan and be patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day, therefore your business will not be successful overnight. Use your time and resources wisely and eventually you will start to see the fruits of your labour.
5 Word of mouth
Start off by networking – this is another great place and starting point to tell people about your product. Identify conferences that are in line with your business and attend those events. During the event introduce yourself to the key speakers and attendees. Tell them about your product and who you are. Perhaps they will be able to give you advice that can help nurture your business. The “word of mouth” certainly works wonders.
Want more tips for making it in the business world? Here are 7 tricks to keep in your career survival kit and 5 top career hacks from a Tech Exec.
