Renia (pronounced R-EE-n-a) Carsillo hates business silos and marketing hacks. So, she spends her days working with mid-size and small companies to integrate their business strategy with their impact strategy, design sustainable marketing frameworks, and find a growth cadence that works for their team and their lives. Renia believes founders are uniquely positioned to create a kinder, more equitable world. She is passionate about bringing C-level strategic support to the small and mid-size companies shaping their communities every day. Renia says, "Sustainable marketing is built on a solid business strategy. A solid business strategy is built on values-driven habits. Values-driven habits are built on healed/healing leaders. We can’t do these things separately. They’re all interconnected. ”
2 Ways to Get Better at Business Finances [Two on Tuesdays]
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Happy Tuesday, Reader! As we continue our discussion of ways to break through that $250K glass ceiling holding back women entrepreneurs, today I’d like to focus specifically on managing your finances. My background as a small business banker and my years in helping small and micro businesses scale sustainably have taught me two key lessons. Business Financing Lesson #1: Migrate to a Profit-First Business Model I’ve talked several times about how game-changing this mindset shift was for me. Most women-led companies, like most women, put everything else before their own income and the company’s profit. This leads to burnout, frustration, and stagnant growth. When we think profit-first, we give our companies (and our finances) the oxygen they need to expand. Business Financing Lesson #2: Get Serious About Outside Funding It is easier than ever before to get access to capital, and you need capital to grow. It’s exceedingly rare for an entirely self-funded company to grow to over $250k, despite what the media coverage might make you think. Most scaled and scalable companies rely on outside investments and/or credit. It’s time to get some for yourself! If your personal credit is good, start with a small business credit card. You can also explore locally available micro-funding and small business grants for women. These include the…
Taking on debt or asking for money can be scary, but business growth does not operate like personal finance. Debt isn't always bad, and asking for money is usually part of what we signed up for. And, don't overlook your personal network. While many women entrepreneurs hesitate to approach friends and family as potential investors, this is a common growth strategy for men-led businesses that successfully break through this revenue barrier. It might feel uncomfortable at first, but remember—you're not asking for a favor; you're offering an opportunity to be part of your success story! Your Next Steps The path to breaking through the $250K ceiling often requires rethinking our relationship with money and funding—both in how we manage it and how we acquire it. Take some time this week to assess your current financial model. Are you truly putting profit first? And, what's one step you could take this week toward exploring outside funding options that could fuel your growth?
Until next time, |
Renia Carsillo
Renia (pronounced R-EE-n-a) Carsillo hates business silos and marketing hacks. So, she spends her days working with mid-size and small companies to integrate their business strategy with their impact strategy, design sustainable marketing frameworks, and find a growth cadence that works for their team and their lives. Renia believes founders are uniquely positioned to create a kinder, more equitable world. She is passionate about bringing C-level strategic support to the small and mid-size companies shaping their communities every day. Renia says, "Sustainable marketing is built on a solid business strategy. A solid business strategy is built on values-driven habits. Values-driven habits are built on healed/healing leaders. We can’t do these things separately. They’re all interconnected. ”
Happy Tuesday, Reader! This week, I am challenging you to sit with a question that I ask each of my clients: If your company’s goal is to scale (your sales, client base, etc.), why? I frequently find myself sitting across from founders who assume that scaling should be the goal of every company, but experience has taught me that this is not always the case. Way too often, the Why is the result of lazy thinking, relying on what all the other “cool kids” seem to be doing, or—at worst—ego...
Happy Tuesday, Reader! This week, we’re continuing our discussion of what you can do to break through that $250K glass ceiling holding back women-led businesses. Our central value at Realign Consulting is putting people first. We know that no one achieves success on their own, and we help companies like yours invest in the communities that support them so everyone thrives. Traditional marketing and business practices often feel manipulative and gross because they put numbers—data and...
Happy Tuesday, Reader! Last week, I talked about the $250K glass ceiling that has existed for women in this country for over a decade. Today, I’m sharing two things you can do about it. Breaking Through Tip #1: Bigger Dollars, Fewer Clients The top sectors for women-led start-ups still include retail, health, beauty, food, and support services. These industries often share a common problem: small margins and/or a need for scale to be viable income earners. The way to combat this issue (in the...