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Professional Networking Essentials – Women Founders’ Advice - Part 17
In the Professional Networking Essentials Series, we feature the insights of 10 women founders who share lessons on starting with the resources and skills you have, building confidence, and taking action without waiting for perfect conditions. Their advice also highlights the value of mentorship, strong networks, collaboration, continuous learning, consistency, and building genuine relationships that support long-term business growth.
Featured Women Founders
Tumelo Tshwagong My advice to aspiring women entrepreneurs is to believe in your vision, start with the resources you have, and remain consistent even when progress feels slow.
ATUHURRA ANGELLA MARJORIE My advice to aspiring and early-stage women entrepreneurs is to believe in themselves and start with the resources and skills they already have.
Juli Rogers Surround yourself with people who are better than you, know more than you and are willing to mentor you.
Benedita Marlen Verlopes Macuácua My advice to aspiring women entrepreneurs is to start with a problem they genuinely care about solving and remain committed to learning throughout the journey.
Eleanor Terlecki I would tell young women entering the restoration industry to own your knowledge, don't shrink yourself to fit the room and set your standards early.
Lauren Folks Adams Get a good business coach.
Erika Michelle Montgomery Don't wait until you feel ready.
DANIELLE MARIE HENDRICK Join forces with other women as mentors and resources.
Tumelo Tshwagong – My advice to aspiring women entrepreneurs is to believe in your vision, start with the resources you have, and remain consistent even when progress feels slow.
Company– Tshwagong Farm
Advice
My advice to aspiring women entrepreneurs is to believe in your vision, start with the resources you have, and remain consistent even when progress feels slow. Building a successful business is a journey that requires patience, resilience, and a willingness to learn from both successes and setbacks.
Do not wait for perfect conditions before taking action. Start where you are, build gradually, and focus on creating value for your customers. Every small step contributes to long-term growth. Invest in developing your skills, seek mentorship, and surround yourself with people who support your goals and challenge you to grow.
Access to funding can be challenging, especially in the early stages, so it is important to maintain good records, understand your finances, and build a business model that demonstrates both sustainability and impact. Opportunities often come to entrepreneurs who are prepared.
I also encourage women founders to embrace collaboration rather than competition. Strong networks, partnerships, and community support can open doors to markets, funding, and new opportunities that may not be accessible alone.
Most importantly, do not underestimate the value of your voice, ideas, and leadership. Women bring unique perspectives, creativity, and problem solving abilities that are needed in every industry. Stay focused on your purpose, be adaptable when challenges arise, and never allow setbacks to define your potential. With determination, continuous learning, and persistence, it is possible to build a business that creates both economic success and meaningful impact.
ATUHURRA ANGELLA MARJORIE – My advice to aspiring and early-stage women entrepreneurs is to believe in themselves and start with the resources and skills they already have.
Company– GEJJA WOMEN FOUNDATION
Website: www.gejja.org
Advice
My advice to aspiring and early-stage women entrepreneurs is to believe in themselves and start with the resources and skills they already have. Every successful business begins with a small step, consistency, and determination. Women should not fear failure or challenges because obstacles are part of the learning and growth process.
I encourage women entrepreneurs to continuously learn, seek mentorship, and build strong networks with other entrepreneurs and organizations that can support their growth journey. It is also important to remain disciplined, patient, and focused on long-term goals rather than expecting immediate success.
Women should embrace innovation, maintain quality in their products or services, and prioritize good customer relationships, as trust and consistency help businesses grow sustainably. Financial discipline, proper record keeping, and reinvesting profits back into the business are also key to long-term success.
Most importantly, women should support and uplift one another. When women collaborate, share knowledge, and create opportunities together, they become stronger and are able to create greater impact within their families and communities
Juli Rogers – Surround yourself with people who are better than you, know more than you and are willing to mentor you.
Company– r design & printing co
Website: www.rdesignandprinting.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/juliprogers
Advice
Surround yourself with people who are better than you, know more than you and are willing to mentor you. In turn, there are people you are better than, know more than and you could mentor in return. Become a community leader - volunteer and create goodwill for both you and your brand.
Benedita Marlen Verlopes Macuácua – My advice to aspiring women entrepreneurs is to start with a problem they genuinely care about solving and remain committed to learning throughout the journey.
Company– Abegreen Mz
Advice
My advice to aspiring women entrepreneurs is to start with a problem they genuinely care about solving and remain committed to learning throughout the journey. Building a business takes time, resilience, and the willingness to adapt when things do not go as planned.
Seek knowledge, mentorship, and partnerships, but do not wait for perfect conditions to begin. Start with the resources available, listen to your customers, and continuously improve your product or service. Small, consistent steps can lead to meaningful and lasting impact.
Eleanor Terlecki – I would tell young women entering the restoration industry to own your knowledge, don't shrink yourself to fit the room and set your standards early.
Company– PuroClean of Auburn, ME
Website: Www.PuroClean.com/Auburn-ME
Advice
I would tell young women entering the restoration industry to own your knowledge, don't shrink yourself to fit the room and set your standards early.
This industry can be fast-paced, technical, and still very male-dominated, but competence and consistency speak louder than anything else. Learn the work, understand the processes, ask questions, and don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself. You earn respect by being prepared, following through, and holding firm to professional standards.
I’d also encourage them to find mentors and build a strong network. The restoration industry is built on relationships, and having people who support your growth makes a real difference. Most importantly, remember that you belong here. Your perspective, leadership, and professionalism strengthen the industry, and there’s plenty of room to build a successful, impactful career on your own terms.
Lauren Folks Adams – Get a good business coach.
Founder – Guarantee Maid Services
Website: www.guaranteemaidservices.com
Advice
Get a good business coach. You will have days where you just want to throw in the towel, call your coach and work through it. It is so important to have support you can call at anytime and get help or just talk to. I also suggest to get into a networking group. This will help you feel more comfortable with speaking in front of people as well as network to get new leads.
Erika Michelle Montgomery – Don't wait until you feel ready.
Company– Three Girls Media, Inc.
Website: https://www.ThreeGirlsMedia.com
Advice
Don't wait until you feel ready. I didn't feel ready when I started Three Girls Media, and I definitely didn't feel ready when I had to tear the business apart and rebuild it during the 2008 downturn. Readiness is a myth we tell ourselves to justify staying safe. The founders who last are the ones who move anyway, and figure it out as they go.
Stay close to your work for as long as it makes sense to. There is a lot of pressure on founders to scale fast, hire fast and step back into a purely executive role as quickly as possible. I never did that, and it has been one of the best decisions I made. Staying hands on with clients kept my instincts sharp and my business grounded in what clients actually needed, not what I assumed they needed from a distance.
Build relationships, not just a client list. Some of my strongest business growth has come from investing in real community, through consistent, genuine networking rather than one-off transactions. People do business with people they trust, and trust takes showing up consistently, not just showing up once.
And when the ground shifts under you, and at some point it will, do not be afraid to rebuild. My business today looks nothing like it did when I started it, and that is not a failure story.
Survival isn't the opposite of growth. It's usually the start of it.
DANIELLE MARIE HENDRICK – Join forces with other women as mentors and resources.
Company– HENDRICK ROOFING, INC.
Website: WWW.HENDRICKROOFING.COM
Advice
Join forces with other women as mentors and resources. Don't isolate and dont be afraid to ask the questions, all of the questions. Lean on your resources, they are so important on the journey.
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