How do you measure SUCCESS in business?

For Jinous Nouri, president of Stick-With-Us/MOOM All Natural Beauty Products, "SUCCESS" is measured in many forms, beginning with happy customers. "The most satisfactory part of the business is when a customer calls or writes, expressing appreciation for our work and products – telling us they like it, will use it and recommend it to friends. That's what is best about my business – creating something that someone is happy with," she says. For Nouri, customer and employee satisfaction, along with life balance define her success story. Read full article here

BC-Wide Survey of Women Business Owners

Results of our April 2006 Survey reveal how some women entrepreneurs are defining SUCCESS. (Good news: 80% of respondents think they are successful in their own terms.)

 Some of your important measures of success 

"Taking my own idea from concept to successful business, that's true success."

"Learning to delegate more which translates into more free time to: (1) overview my business (rather than doing it hands on); (2) take time with my family; (3) maybe finally take a vacation."

"To have a team of successful women supporting each other in our successes."

"Pride in accomplishments, good role model for children."

"Loving what you do."

"Staying physically healthy and mentally happy."

"Another measure of success for me would be how much I am able to use the talents and strengths I have to achieve a balanced, productive lifestyle, where I can afford to donate time and finances to community and non-profit organisations that interest me."

"Being able to contribute to the community, help people be happy, aid my own growth and have fun all at the same time."

 Some of your insights about success 

"Being self employed has given me the opportunity to create my own job, to mold it into something that suits my life. I am able to adapt myself and my work to what interests me, what is available, and what works best with my family. I am beginning to look to the future and see changes i can make to enrich my work-life, rather that simply running along with my head down. That has taken a long time."

"I have learned that success is Hard Work and there is no way around that. During the process one must learn to balance, make mistakes and grow. Having a strong sense of commitment to what makes you happy, contributes to being successful both in business and home. Share that dream believe in others to help build it. Getting there cannot be done singularly."

"We should look to our "elder babes" and women of distinction in our midst and give them the opportunity to tell us their story and let us be uplifted by their example."

"My business partner and I have both experienced personal growth since we began our business. We are both creative, and very hard working, but have little else in common. We compliment each other well, because we recognize our own strengths and weaknesses, and each one can rely on the other to complete the areas that we personally lack. Most of all, though, we are both very caring people....and I think that much like a marriage, a business partnership has to build on these basic attributes."

"I measure success in the aspect of making contacts that can help each other down the road."

"I have been self employed for over 23 years. It is about keeping a balance and being proud of yourself no matter where you are in your business."

"Are you reaching your "Life" goals and are you happy. Can you look yourself in the mirror every morning. These are some of the measures I use."

"I believe that it must be about personal achievement and a sense of doing what you love, which is usually what you are good at. If it is all about money it just isn't going to work. If you are doing what you enjoy and dedicated to the process the money will come. Money is the by-product of running the business right, which you will only do if you are having fun at it."

"If a person has a serious desire/dream to forge ahead into self employment, they should take the time to research all aspects of their idea for feasibility, seek out professional assistance, surround themselves with a network of supportive people and take the plunge."

"I thought success would come quickly - very quickly. I have learned that it is a slower process and sometimes a puzzle - each piece I put in place builds on the larger picture. There are many more pieces to this puzzle then I initially suspected but I've been having a great time putting it together!"

"I finally have the courage to follow my dream to be an entrepreneur because I know that nothing in life is guaranteed and whenever you step out to be a success fear will always be apart of that. Do it in spite of the fear!"