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Resilience and Persistence – Women Founders’ Advice - Part 55
In the Resilience and Persistence Series, we feature the insights of 10 women founders who share lessons on trusting your vision, taking action before you feel completely ready, and staying consistent through uncertainty and setbacks. Their advice also highlights clarity and focus, continuous learning, meaningful relationships, authenticity, adaptability, and building purposeful businesses through patience and perseverance.
Featured Women Founders
Kristin Marquet Build with clarity and focus, not excess.
Michelle Claudio Stay confident in your abilities and never let challenges discourage you from pursuing your goals.
Mariana Agness Francisco Eria My advice to aspiring women entrepreneurs is to start before you feel completely ready.
Milena Isabel Manjate Barroca When I speak to early stage women founders, I often share that entrepreneurship is one of the most beautiful journeys in life.
Yanara Tavares Manuel Carlos Viana Believe in your vision, even when the path is uncertain.
MERCIA FIRMINO BIE Believe in your vision and start with what you have.
Allison McNamara I would also encourage founders to trust their vision, especially when others don't immediately understand it.
Inez B. Ferreira Perseverance
Sapna Gupta My advice to aspiring women entrepreneurs is to start before you feel completely ready.
Shrutishree Sahoo Keep yourself updated and Consistency is the key of Success.
Kristin Marquet – Build with clarity and focus, not excess.
Company– One Quiet Morning
Website: https://www.onequietmorning.com
Advice
Build with clarity and focus, not excess. The strongest brands are not the ones doing the most—they are the ones doing the clearest work.
Focus on developing a point of view that is evident in everything you create, from your visuals to your messaging to your client experience. That consistency is what creates recognition and trust.
And avoid overexpansion early. Depth creates authority far more effectively than breadth. A focused, well-defined studio will always outperform a scattered offering trying to serve too many directions at once.
Michelle Claudio – Stay confident in your abilities and never let challenges discourage you from pursuing your goals.
Company– Fortress Roofing and Construction
Website: www.fortressrc.com
Advice
Stay confident in your abilities and never let challenges discourage you from pursuing your goals. Build strong relationships, continue learning, and remember that consistency, resilience, and hard work create long-term success.
Mariana Agness Francisco Eria – My advice to aspiring women entrepreneurs is to start before you feel completely ready.
Company– The House Of Agness Limitada
Website: www.thehouseofagness.com
Advice
My advice to aspiring women entrepreneurs is to start before you feel completely ready. Confidence often comes from action, not the other way around.
Build a business around a clear purpose, focus on delivering genuine value, and commit to excellence in everything you do. There will be challenges, setbacks, and moments of self-doubt, but resilience and consistency are often more important than talent alone.
Do not be discouraged by those who underestimate you or your ambitions. Let your work, integrity, and results speak for themselves. Invest in continuous learning, seek mentors, build meaningful relationships, and never stop improving your skills as a leader.
Most importantly, remember that success is not built overnight. Sustainable businesses are created through patience, discipline, and a long-term vision. Stay true to your values, trust the process, and keep moving forward even when progress feels slow. Every small step compounds over time.
Milena Isabel Manjate Barroca – When I speak to early stage women founders, I often share that entrepreneurship is one of the most beautiful journeys in life.
Company– WH IMPACT
Advice
When I speak to early stage women founders, I often share that entrepreneurship is one of the most beautiful journeys in life. It shapes not only our businesses, but also our personal growth, our mindset, and the way we see the world.
It feels like discovering new inner strengths, the power to dream big and the discipline to turn those dreams into reality.
However, it is important to understand that entrepreneurship does not come ready made. It requires continuous work on self belief, resilience, and the courage to keep moving forward even when things are uncertain. Along the way, there will always be obstacles and unexpected challenges.
What matters is how we respond to them. We learn to turn challenges into opportunities to build, improve, and grow.
There are moments when it feels like navigating a dense jungle, where we become our own strongest support system through mindset, discipline, and focus.
My advice is to keep going, even when it feels difficult, and to never underestimate your capacity to adapt and rebuild. With time, persistence, and learning, you develop the strength and confidence needed to truly thrive and create your own path.
Yanara Tavares Manuel Carlos Viana – Believe in your vision, even when the path is uncertain.
Company– Vila Viana Sustainable Housing Initiative
Advice
Believe in your vision, even when the path is uncertain. Start before you feel fully ready, invest continuously in learning, build strong networks and remain resilient through challenges. Success is rarely a straight line.
Consistency, integrity and perseverance often matter more than perfection. Most importantly, create value for people and communities, because sustainable businesses are built on meaningful impact.
MERCIA FIRMINO BIE – Believe in your vision and start with what you have.
Company– SABOR CASEIRO 2A
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mercia-bie
Advice
Believe in your vision and start with what you have. Stay consistent, resilient, and open to learning. Build a strong support network, embrace your uniqueness, and remain focused on your purpose.
Allison McNamara – I would also encourage founders to trust their vision, especially when others don't immediately understand it.
Company– MARA
Website: themarabeauty.com
Advice
I would also encourage founders to trust their vision, especially when others don't immediately understand it. Building something new often means pursuing opportunities that don't yet have an obvious roadmap. Some of the most successful companies exist because a founder was willing to believe in an idea before anyone else did.
Resilience is equally important. Entrepreneurship is rarely a straight path. There will be setbacks, rejection, unexpected challenges, and moments of self-doubt. Success is often less about avoiding obstacles and more about developing the ability to adapt, persevere, and keep moving forward when things become difficult.
I also encourage women founders to build strong networks and seek mentors who can provide guidance, perspective, and support. No one builds a successful company alone. Surrounding yourself with people who challenge you, champion you, and share their experience can accelerate both personal and professional growth.
Finally, don't underestimate the value of authenticity. Consumers, employees, and partners are increasingly drawn to founders who lead with purpose and transparency. Building a business that reflects your values not only creates a stronger brand but also provides the motivation needed to navigate the inevitable challenges of entrepreneurship.
As someone who built MARA from an idea into a nationally distributed skincare brand, I've learned that courage often matters more than confidence. You don't need all the answers to begin—you simply need the willingness to take the first step and the determination to keep going.
Inez B. Ferreira – Perseverance
Company– IF Property Solutions (Pty) Ltd
Website: https://ifpropertysolutions.co.za/
Advice
Perseverance
Sapna Gupta – My advice to aspiring women entrepreneurs is to start before you feel completely ready.
Company– Ladoos with Love
Advice
My advice to aspiring women entrepreneurs is to start before you feel completely ready. Confidence is built through action, not before it.
Build a business that solves a real problem and stay connected to your purpose. There will be challenges, self-doubt, and setbacks, but resilience and consistency matter more than perfection.
Don't be afraid to think differently and create your own path. What started as a traditional homemade ladoo became a nutrition-focused wellness brand because I chose to innovate rather than follow convention.
Most importantly, believe in your vision, keep learning, build strong networks, and take the first step. Small, consistent actions can create extraordinary results over time.
Shrutishree Sahoo – Keep yourself updated and Consistency is the key of Success.
Company– Heal with Shruti
Advice
Keep yourself updated and Consistency is the key of Success.
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