For most entrepreneurs, starting a business from scratch is both exciting and scary. Starting a business means uncertainty and with so many different options and paths to take, anxiety is sure to creep in. Every business has its ups and downs. This can be a great motivator or a great fear that hampers growth. How do you overcome the fear of starting a business? And if you’ve already launched your own startup, how do you create an inspiring environment that fosters your talents, skills and growth? Mirella Sula, journalist, author, CEO and founder of Global Woman Club and Global Woman Magazine, took to the stage at Elite Business Live 2024 to talk about empowerment, personal growth and overcoming challenges as a business owner.
Mirella spoke about her journey of overcoming self-doubt as a single mother and pursuing entrepreneurship. She initially arrived in the UK with her then 6-year-old son with only a handbag and some personal belongings. With sheer hard work and determination, Mirella launched Global Woman Club, a platform that empowers women around the world to start their own businesses or side hustles. Every business starts with a great idea, says Mirella. But how do you find the courage to turn your idea into reality? “How did you feel when you first had your business idea?” Mirella asked the audience. “Once you had the idea, what did you do? Did you think about it? How long did you think about it? Sometimes when you have a great idea, you wonder why you didn’t come up with it sooner. Imagine what would have happened if that idea had come to you 20 years ago. But often you have a great idea, and you think it’s not a good idea. Every idea is a great idea!”
Is it better to play it safe or take risks? Playing it safe, or “being smart” as Mirela puts it, means staying in the same place instead of acting on your ideas. After all, taking risks is about embracing the unknown and pushing yourself to be the best version of yourself. Fear inevitably prevents you from seeing the wealth of opportunities that are right in front of you. “In our culture, they say that while smart people think, stupid people act,” says Mirela, who is originally from Albania. “And then one day I decided to be stupid. And now I ask entrepreneurs: do you want to be smart or stupid? Now is the time to act on your ideas and not be afraid to jump in with conviction, because you will learn, grow and improve.”
The entrepreneurial journey has its ups and downs. What if your business idea fails? Learning from failure is an integral part of the entrepreneurial experience and can be a valuable stepping stone to success. Mirela spoke about the “dark zone” in the business journey, where the hurdles and obstacles become too tough and it seems impossible to continue. The negative voices around you get louder and it feels as if the world is falling apart. But it’s important to stay strong and keep going forcefully, Mirela said, because a breakthrough may be just around the corner. “In the dreaded ‘dark zone,’ you start to run out of resources, you lose friends, and you feel angry that you failed and didn’t achieve your vision,” Mirela said. “You might start thinking maybe the naysayers were right. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea. Maybe I’m not good enough. Maybe this isn’t for me. And you might give up on your goal completely and start doing something else. I’ve been in that dark zone so many times. And it’s the greatest blessing I’ve had. Every dark moment you go through in life is a lesson. They help you become stronger and reach your destination. There is no successful person in the world who has reached their destination without going through the dark zone.”
