Julie Hanna, executive chair of the board at Kiva and named by President Obama as a Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship, has this advice for how small-business owners, especially those who are women, can meet challenges that face them.
Become aware
As a woman entrepreneur, Hanna faced many barriers. At times she wasn’t daunted by them because she wasn’t even aware of them, but naiveté isn’t necessarily the best way to get past roadblocks.
Talk to others
Once you know a barrier exists, ask yourself what you can do about it proactively and create a respectful conversation about it, Hanna advises. It’s the only way to get help from other people.
Keep learning
Entrepreneurs need to be “learning machines” because they constantly face steep learning curves, says Hanna. She also argues that both passion and dispassion are important.
