Written by Felicia Shanken, an award-winning Women’s Empowerment and Digital Futures Strategist, entrepreneur, speaker, and Founder of Philadelphia Women’s Network Connection (PWNC), PWNC Foundation, and PWNC Digital Futures. With more than 25 years of professional experience and over a decade in entrepreneurship, Felicia helps women entrepreneurs leverage leadership, innovation, AI, and digital strategy to build sustainable businesses and lasting legacies. Felicia is also a graduate of the Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women: Black in Business program.
When I left my government job at 55 to pursue entrepreneurship, I brought years of experience with me. I also stepped into a chapter that required me to learn, stretch, and believe in myself in a different way. Leaving something familiar takes courage, especially when you have worked hard to build stability. But I knew there was more I wanted to do.
I wanted to help women recognize their value and see what was possible beyond the careers they had already built.
I know there are women reading this who have a business idea they keep putting aside. You tell yourself you will revisit it when life slows down, when you understand technology better, or when you feel more confident. Meanwhile, you continue showing up for everyone else.
At some point, you have to ask yourself, when am I going to show up for me? You deserve to give your idea serious consideration, even if your first step is a small one.
Your Experience Is a Good Place to Begin
Your experience is a good place to begin. Think about the problems people already ask you to solve. What do you understand because you have spent years doing it? What can you explain, organize, create, or improve?
A woman who has managed projects, served customers, trained coworkers, or navigated difficult situations has skills she can bring into a business. The next step is figuring out who needs those skills and what they are willing to pay for.
Before spending money on everything that makes a business look established, get clear about the work itself. Who do you want to serve? What problem will you help them solve? Talk to potential customers and listen carefully to their answers. Then create an offer you can explain in plain language.
A beautiful brand has its place, but you also need a service or product that meets a real need. Give people a reason to choose you that goes beyond a nice logo.
You Do Not Have to Know Everything on Day One
You will also need support. Through Philadelphia Women’s Network Connection and our Foundation, my work centers on helping women see possibilities and access education, relationships, and resources as they move toward entrepreneurship.
I believe in being in rooms where you can ask questions without feeling embarrassed. Find people who will encourage you and tell you the truth. Learn the business skills you need, including the digital tools that can help you work more efficiently. You do not have to know everything on day one.
Starting again does not erase what you have already accomplished. It gives you a chance to use it differently. I am grateful I gave myself permission to pursue this chapter, because it has allowed me to build work around something I care deeply about.
If you are considering your own next step, start by making space for it on your calendar. Have the conversation. Research the idea. Take the class.
Your future deserves more than whatever time is left over. Give it some intention.
For more about Felicia Shanken’s work helping women start and grow businesses, visit her expert profile.
