Entrepreneurship: One of the Hardest Jobs You Will Ever Have by BOSS Founder Cameka Smith

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“I’m the BOSS!”
Sounds pretty cool, right?
For me it is. I can tell you that as the Founder and CEO of The BOSS Network, one of the fastest-growing women business communities, and as CEO and Principal Event Producer of City Global Events, my Chicago-based event planning, marketing and production company, I have heard countless stories from women who share their dreams of starting their own business.
The reasons why some women desire to become entrepreneurs vary. Some are frustrated with their career trajectory and feel restricted. Others are tired of the glass ceiling at work. Then there are those who are actually very happy with being employed, but happen to have a great idea for a product or service and just want to try their hand at doing it themselves.
Whatever your reason for starting your own business, there is one thing that I want you to understand before you take one step further…
Entrepreneurship is probably the hardest job you will ever have.
Before I became an entrepreneur, I had a great career as an educator in my hometown of Chicago, developing student academic programs for more than ten years. In each role, I was able to help young men and women to navigate college life and more importantly, impact their lives. It also gave me the opportunity early on to interact with strong, female leaders—particularly women of color—in positions of power who served as mentors for me. Their dedication and superb management style inspired and sparked a fire in me to really take a closer look at who I would be as a professional career woman. Their example served as my impetus when it was finally time for me to make the transition to entrepreneurship years later.
Follow Cameka Smith on Twitter @iamCameka

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