I have been reflecting about what it means to be a business owner in America ever since I started Luumu in 2017, but aside from a few conversations with other women who are frustrated by our hyper-competitive system and a few men who, although may think they know what goes on behind the scenes in female-female professional relationships, are really unable to truly understand – and no, the movie Mean Girls hardly scratches the surface!

Instead of posting the very personal narrative I first typed up about my situation this morning, I will save that instead for another time – maybe even a book – who knows?! What you will find below is a wholly unemotional guide to succeeding in business – ok, so I tried. May you find it insightful!

1. Believe in yourself. Be the #1 fan of your business. Go beyond what your best friends and parents supply (if you should be so lucky to have supportive people at all) and make sure you LOVE what you are doing. The business is for you, no one else. Create what you want. Burn brightly.

2. Create your pitch. Make it clear and full of passion. Stories sell – especially if you are trying to sell “non-essential” and historically undervalued products like cultural education or food. 

3. Don’t ask for permission to take up space – just do it. You don’t need to be invited to the various tables. I am a DIY girl, so I tend to prefer to build my own, but when I get invited along to other intellectually stimulating or soul-cleansing events, I try to be there. I don’t beg to be anywhere. I just do my thing and my people find me! If I am not invited to something I need permission to attend, I don’t weep about it or get resentful. I usually spend a few minutes analyzing why I wanted to take part and how I can create that for myself in the near future. There have been very few of these situations, because I have recognized FOMO to be counterproductive to living a happy life — thanks Brené Brown!

4. Know when to ask for help. No (wo)man is an island – see our post about collaboration. You actually can’t do business without the involvement of a vast network of others – customers/clients and even perceived competition. 

5. Only allow so much energy for listening to the doubters. Just as steel sharpens steel, toxic mold and gas are fast-spreading. Don’t fill your inner circle with decaying bananas. They will only make everyone there rot – and rapidly so. If you feel like you need to keep some speckled and over-ripe bananas around, make sure to set boundaries that are impermeable to the constant ethene they emit and remember that banana bread with cardamom and a healthy amount of sugar is delicious, so no need to cut anyone completely out, just because their presence is getting a little old.

6. Find out who your competitors are and befriend them. Steel sharpens steel – bake them cookies or bring them squeaky baked bread cheese — whatever seems appropriate and on brand with your business and personal brand. It will make you a much better business person, if you can get to know your industry early on and get to know your competition early on as well. Not for nefarious purposes – do not be a backstabber – but rather to be a professional in the industries you run in. Trust me, it is much easier to be friends with the competition, than to be at war all the time, simply because you think the pie is only so big. There is plenty of pie for everyone – now how is THAT for a Millennial statement? Save the warrior energy for your social justice and political causes. It is needed there more than ever.

7. Be selective about what advice you take. Although usually well-intentioned, I am sure, I have received a lot of unsolicited advice as a young entrepreneur. And look at me now, I am dishing it out! Only a fraction of the advice I have received have I used to improve my business. I have known from the beginning that the only person in charge of my business is me. It starts with me and it ends with me. My parents told me early on that they wouldn’t have any business advice for me. Not surprising at all, as neither them nor their parents were entrepreneurs. So, even if another business person approaches me with advice, I always do a gut check on it and do my own research. If I followed the advice of others, Luumu would likely already be dead because I would have started a bakery in 2017/2018 and I have no doubt that we would have had to shutter during COVID, if I would have even lasted that long chained to the counter. I am not one to be tied down at this age. I don’t necessarily see that changing. So when anyone suggests I open a bakery, I let them know I am not interested, but encourage them to do so!

TLDR: you don’t have to mow anyone down on your way up. In fact, it is better for everyone, if you don’t. Let the haters hate — just bake it off [clearly inspired by Taylor Swift, I know].

So there it is – advice – take it or leave it, in full or just nibbles. If you find it helpful, drop us an email or comment below. We always enjoy hearing from our readers. Thanks for reading!