How to Get a Product Out of a Lab and Into the Real World

Amy Sheng, co-founder of CellScope created a smart-phone attachment for diagnosing kids' ear infections and brought it into the real world.  She and fellow co-founder Erik Douglas, now help the modern family access healthcare more conveniently.

Move Beyond Discussing Barriers to Achieving Success

Female entrepreneurs are showing they are a force to be reckoned with despite barriers and challenges that could get in their way but don't.

“What they see is what they’ll be,” said Iyadunni [founding partner of V-Rock Productions] “Everything I do, they [her daughters] want to do it. We’ve had lots of conversations, and I’ve encouraged them to create their own life using the gifts and talents that have been given to them. They haven’t encountered the same obstacles that I did 12 years ago.”

Many women entrepreneurs encourage other women to get out there early and learn the ropes because starting a business.

Learn a few other tips here.

Anything Can Spur You Into Starting a Business

What typically spurs a woman into starting a business?  It can be anything from wanting control over a one's destiny to divorce or even death of a loved one.

In Aoife Doherty's case, her motivation for starting Derry, Ireland-based Sass & Halo, which specializes in bespoke handmade floral crowns (as shown) for discerning fashionistas, came by accident.

I was bridesmaid for my brother’s wedding last May and for the ‘craic’ [craic is the atmosphere and fun surrounding an event] decided to make some special floral crowns for the hen party. When we posted photos on social media, friends asked me to make crowns for birthdays and other special occasions but it wasn’t until I started getting online enquiries from people I didn’t even know, that I thought I might be onto something.

Since then, she has had a lot of business (HQ shown at left). But the remarkable thing is that Aoife is starting her business just months after the sudden loss of her dad.  She must have that fighting Irish spirit and knows her dad will not only be proud of her but will be wishing her tremendous success.  Just like we are.
 

Run Everyday

As a regular runner, I speak from experience.  Regular exercise isn't just good for your body, it's great for your mind too -- from clear thinking to creativity.  It really helps me do a better job running my enterprises.  Even CEO of Lifeway Foods, Julie Smolyansky, feels the same.

“I try to run every day, and science now shows a positive correlation between running and creativity.  It has helped me maintain a sense of balance. It grounds me and offers an outlet on my most stressful days, and allows me to lean into risk and uncertainty.”

What else enables success for winning entrepreneurs?  Taking chances, following your passion and staying on course, are just a few common mantras that many successful young entrepreneurs practice.

Below are a couple of other secrets from Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg to Spanx founder Sara Blakely who insist their paths were paved with ups and downs, and, most of all, perseverance.

Here they share some of their secrets.