Thanks to our digitally advanced society, we now have the ability to work from just about anywhere and still maintain a portfolio of international clients.

Whether you’re fresh out of university, a mom, or just a woman wanting to build her career from scratch, the Internet allows you to achieve just that, especially if you aim for an industry that is in demand, such as graphic design, creative writing, or fitness.

In fact, you should be further encouraged by the fact that a growing number of women are striving towards the same goal of business independence, and the opportunities are still vast.

The number of women in the US alone has doubled over the last two decades, and no matter your location or your current employment, there are several key steps to consider on your journey to business stardom.

Leave your comfort zone

This doesn’t mean that you should instantly invest in a company you know nothing about, but you should definitely consider your own mindset before taking the business leap.

Are you ready? In truth, no one is ever really ready for everything that’s about to happen, to accept a certain level of unpredictability, as well as a lack of control.

Are you good at failing? Failure is a lesson waiting to be learned, and not a scarlet letter on your resume, so you’ll need to love your ups and downs equally.

There will be plenty of setbacks, challenges, limitations, and obstacles you’ll need to cross, which is precisely why you shouldn’t be one of them. Don’t make it even harder for yourself to succeed by imposing a negative mindset – defeat the fear by facing it, and your business will have a fighting chance.

Tackle the learning curve

You will, of course, choose a field that best suits your skills, but that is no reason to stop looking for ways to improve your existing knowledge. In fact, for ladies planning to take the business world by storm, it becomes essential to continuously build up your expertise in order to stay at the forefront and build a strong reputation.

Look for various online courses you can take, visit workshops and seminars, attend conferences, do your best to fill the holes of your education with as much diversity as possible. Treat it as an ongoing process and not something you should only do while still building your website or working on a marketing plan.

Learning is a state of mind, one that all women of business need to succeed.

Earn your way to success

Although there are numerous ways to find reliable investors for your online endeavor, there are other routes to consider that will help you not end up in debt. If possible, financial independence is a better choice, and it can be achieved in time and with a little extra effort on your end.

For example, there are many ways you can earn money online to support your company and avoid the intricacies of investment-hunting. From freelance writing all the way to filling out paid surveys, the Internet is filled with endless opportunities.

Become your own investor by making your nest-egg of finances dedicated solely for your future company. That way, funding your own business grants even more flexibility and a peace of mind you’d otherwise not have.

Spread your wings

Even though a great portion of your time will go into brand-building, pulling all-nighters to make sure all your finances are in order and social media posts are ready for the launch, you cannot afford to spend every hour behind closed doors.

Long before launching said business officially – and for the entire duration of your newly-established career – visit networking events that will connect you with the right people in your niche as well as potential clients. A one-on-one conversation is always much better than sticking to emails, so keep your eyes peeled for mingling opportunities to build a solid business reputation.

Set your milestones

When real life intervenes and you end up with a sore throat or your computer crashes, it’s too easy to get sidetracked into other priorities, of which you probably have plenty.

There will be various “tests” that will tempt you into putting off segments of your work – it could be a writer’s block for the next brilliant piece on your website or a particularly hard part of the website design process.

Whatever the reason may be, don’t delay your business plans with no start date in sight. Take a break, restructure said plan, but by all means, do your best to create and stick to any and all milestones.

Instead of having one major goal as your guiding star, having daily and weekly milestones will help create the structure you need to kickstart your business.

Stay inspired

Last, but certainly not the least important for your career, there are already impressive women out there who have established successful business models you can learn from and look up to.

No matter your field of work, it’s the journey and the struggle that matters the most, and they have all been in your shoes.

From various women-owned blogs to online platforms that help women connect and learn from one another, leverage numerous online communities designed specifically to help women all over the globe make their dreams come true.