| Clare Lancaster Interview |
| Articles - Entrepreneurial Inspiration |
 Entrepreneurial Inspiration with Clare Lancaster of www.womeninbusiness.com.au A website purely for women in business and female entrepreneurs, we chat to founder of www.womeninbusiness.com.au Clare Lancaster to find out what inspired her successful online venture.. The Womeninbusiness Website launched last year, can you explain your inspiration and motivation behind creating it? I wanted to create a website to share my experience and knowledge of working online in an accessible way – and to encourage women in particular to embrace doing business online. I also wanted a place that was friendly but frank – there’s so much misinformation that can lead women down the wrong path when it comes to online business. I’m a big believer that the internet will be a catalyst to change the way that women can build their business and earn an income without sacrificing a flexible lifestyle. It’s the ultimate level playing field, has a low barrier to entry and I want to help women feel confident working online so they can make the most of these opportunities. What is your own background? My background is in web design/development and online marketing. I studied Communication Design at QUT – it was the first course of its time (1998) that focused on communicating through New Media (the internet). After graduating in 2000 I went to work full time as a search engine optimisation specialist – I had no idea what that was at the time but found it translated into attracting visitors to our client’s websites through search engines (Google was a new kid on the block then!) I became the Web Development Manager – responsible for creating and making money from our in-house websites. I later moved to another company that specialised in website traffic monetization, affiliate marketing and domain management. By 2008 I felt ready to start a consultancy and work for myself full time and at the end of 2009 I launched womeninbusiness.com.au. Having worked in the UK and US internet industry my entire career, it’s been a thrill getting involved in the industry here in Australia. We are still a young market and the opportunities that are available blow me away. It’s a great time to be involved. I love the diversity in information on the website from business resources to recipes, how many people work on the site and how much time per day would you say you spend on it? I'd say anything from 6 to 12 hours depending on what needs doing. I break those hours up during the day and evening. Womeninbusiness.com.au is a one woman operation. I’m lucky that I had the design/development background to create the entire thing myself – from concept to design to the build. I didn’t want to create just another business resource – there are plenty of those available – I wanted to inspire and give women the tools to embrace online business – and the lifestyle that goes with it. Women who choose to go into business are individuals, often carving their own path through business and life, I wanted to celebrate that with well rounded content that they would enjoy. Are there any particular women in business who you have been inspired by? Naomi Simson – she’s a pioneer of Australian online business (www.redballoondays.com.au) who also works to improve the causes she cares about. Anthea Paul - creator of the Girlosophy brand. She's creating positive media for girls and young women (www.girlosophy.com)The women around me who have started online businesses in a variety of industries. They inspire me with their belief and drive.The women around me who have started online businesses in a variety of industries. They inspire me with their belief and drive. What would you recommend as your top 3 business inspiration and guidance books? 1.Losing My Virginity by Richard Branson. www.randomhouse.com.au So much of an entrepreneur’s journey is about believing in yourself and saying “Why not?” It’s a great story that tells how you can combine successful business into helping other people and the causes that are close to your heart. 2 The Richest Man in Babylon by George Samuel Clason. www.amazon.com Finance basics written in a quirky and accessible way. 3.50 Great eBusinesses and the Minds Behind Them by Emily Ross and Angus Holland. This book tells the story behind some great online businesses including netaporter.com and wotif.com. Great for analysing online business models and getting a boost of inspiration! So many women are trying to find a way to balance their lives better so that they are able to find fulfilment equally in work and personal life. Is there any advice you can offer on finding this balance? Figure out your passion and start an online business based on it! You’re able to run your business from anywhere, from your kitchen table to another country, at a time that suits you - there really isn’t a more flexible way of doing business. Like any business, you’ve got to be in love with your product/service/industry for it to be fulfilling. Match your personal values to your goals, decide on your business model then go after it. How would you describe your own typical day? I check my emails and Twitter from my iPhone in bed, then get up and publish the first post of the day that I’d prepared the previous evening. I’ll respond to my emails, go for a walk, do a bit of housework and have breakfast. If I’ve got competition prizes to post I’ll do that and any errands for the day. When I get back I’ll network a bit on Twitter and Facebook, check out what’s happening in the world of online business then prepare my next post for the day. After that I work on the strategic side or marketing of the business – developing training products or creating more features for members of the website. What do you do to relax and unwind? I love to read, I’ll take a walk by the river if I need to clear my head. Actually, I find that exercising first thing is a great way to start the day in a peaceful state of mind! Can you offer any tips or advice to anyone thinking about starting their own online business? Research your market before you do anything – is there a need/want for what you’re going to be selling? Read Tim Ferris’s 4-Hour Work Week for good tips on how to do this. Start a blog – it can take 5 minutes to jump on Blogspot.com or Wordpress.com and get your blog up and running. It doesn’t have to be flash, just start writing – and then start getting known by commenting on other blogs in your industry. This can work well as a pre-launch to get people excited about your business. Read www.womeninbusiness.com.au daily! Top 3 websites you visit daily? http://www.twitter.com http://www.facebook.com http://www.bom.gov.au |
| Last Updated on Thursday, 04 February 2010 17:39 |
