Women Entrepreneurs and unconventional business models that work

July 29, 2012 - PRLog -- Toronto, ON

Working with small allowances and large families, women have been getting creative to achieve miraculous results with next to nothing since time began.  This ability to pull gold out of thin air has continued to reveal itself through the many success stories of women entrepreneurs.

Cookie cutter business models may work in the corporate world, but they are unlikely to keep you motivated or suit your business goals and resources.  Every one of us is unique in our abilities, offerings and passions.  These are the assets that should drive your method of operation and, therefore, your success.  Don’t pursue the cookie cutter model if you have one that works better for you.  Stay true to your model, staying focused on how it fits your goals.

Senay Johnson – “Do what you love…let me take care of the rest.”
In short, this is the Senay Johnson business model.  We’re all doing what we love, our specialties, and so we remain focused and deliver great work on time.

People
I’ve been lucky to come across a lot of amazing people who share my dream, to focus on doing what they love. That’s why I have such a vast resource of talented people passionate about their area expertise.  We’ve got Social Media Gurus, Communication Mavens, Graphic Design Gods and WordPress Wizards, to name a few.
It’s all about finding the right team, the right fit.  Collectively, our two biggest values are sharing our talents and being authentic – true to ourselves about who we are. We interact with one another on a deep level of respect, gratitude and positivity.

Passion
At Senay Johnson, where everyone is groovin’ along, having fun at what they’re doing and genuinely wanting to contribute to the success of the company, it’s not about the 9 to 5.  It’s about getting the job done and doing it well, because the passion keeps that fire lit under you.

I’ve had 15 years to experience the grind of the corporate world, so now I’m all about the hustle of entrepreneurship, and so are the people in my realm.  As many of you know, running your own business is not for the faint of heart.

Principles
We value massive creativity, drive, attention to detail, fast response time, heart, unwavering commitment to an outstanding customer experience and a laser-like focus on efficiency and bottom line results.

Genuine appreciation and awe at what each person brings to the table is the way to get the best out of everyone.

Team Hustle Without Borders
I love that Team Hustle comes from places near and far, as well as different walks of life. There are MBAs, Engineers and regular ole’ corporate and agency folks, making things happen here. Have laptop, will travel … and work. We truly are Team Hustle Without Borders.

Senay Johnson is not alone in creating an untraditional, flexible model around a unique team.

Be ambitious, but patient – sometimes slow and steady wins the race
In “You go girl: the lure of your own business”, Leah Eichler of The Globe and Mail  and Femme-o-Nomics , spoke of both the beauty and reality checks we must prepare for in starting out on our own.  The sense of freedom and empowerment to truly achieve more and the elimination of complacency were the beauties that she focused on.  Leah’s recommendations:
•   Salaries are not glamorous,
•   Hours are long and
•   Take stock, honestly, of resources required.

This model worked for Leah, and her examples of success, but this model’s not for everyone.

Grow at your own pace – no need to be a workaholic
Citing Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg in her article “You don’t need to be a workaholic to succeed” , Leah demonstrates that leaving work at 5:30pm is also quite acceptable, if you work on the results-only work environment (ROWE) principle.

At Senay Johnson, and with Facebook’s COO, this principle means we work smart, not hard.  Once results and deliverables are clear, workers and freelancers decide the method, hours and location, and deliver high quality work on time.  Senay Johnson, like Mr. Milstone of Cognition LLP says of his law firm , does not “hire associates at a fixed cost and ‘squeeze them like a sponge’”.  Loving what you do is great, but having balance is key to preventing burnout.

Streamline your expenses – no ramen noodles, thank you
Not everyone can achieve Heather Payne ’s feat, but if you’re debt-free and have a business model that can achieve what she outlines in A Note to Young Treps: Put Down The Ramen, then you’re off to a great start.  She recommends:
•   Start young – this gets debt out of the way and ‘lengthens your runway’,
•   Lengthen your runway – streamline and cut costs as far as possible, and
•   Live lean – even on the homestretch, continue to streamline; no excesses.

Heather does not sacrifice her mid-up market lifestyle for business success; she prioritizes.  She makes a point of saying she lives on her own, in her own condo, on her business’ salary.

Women and finance in general
Shortly after the 2008 economic crisis, even Wall Street’s Intelligent Investor  had to agree that we, as women, know what we’re doing when it comes to money.

Contact
To find out more about Senay Johnson and our story, contact Senay at senay@senayjohnson.ca and visit our website http://www.senayjohnson.ca.

Sources
About the company. Home. SenayJohnson.ca.
“You go girl: the lure of your own business”. Leah Eichler, The Globe and Mail. May 25, 2012.  
Femme-o-Nomics. www.femme-o-nomics.com.
“You don’t need to be a workaholic to succeed”. Leah Eichler, The Globe and Mail. May 4, 2012.
A Note To Young Treps: Put Down The Ramen. Heather Payne. May 9, 2012.
The Wall Street Journal. The Intelligent Investor. "For Mother's Day, Give Her Reins to the Portfolio". May 9, 2009.