Posts Tagged ‘woman’

Another Empowered Woman – April from Going GreenHouse

March 21st, 2019 | By Claudia Moreno

We hope you enjoyed our feature on Moxie Girl founder, Amanda Thomas, last week. International Women’s Day may have come and gone but we’re still celebrating over here! Last year we introduced you to Going GreenHouse, Moxie Girl’s personal recommendation for your residential cleaning needs. Since we’re still feeling the girl power though, we thought it might be fun to have April, founder of Going GreenHouse to share some of her insights and experiences (so far) as a female business owner.

The Challenges of Being a Boss Lady

Being a business owner presents a bundle of challenges and a female business owner will experience all of them – and more. April says one of her biggest challenges is participating in networking groups.  While the premise of these groups is to help you grow your business and make helpful connections, “Some networking groups are still ‘good ol’ boys clubs’ and I have trouble fitting in,” says April.

“It’s also been a challenge for me to recognize what and who I’m comfortable or uncomfortable with in business, and adjust accordingly,’ April says. Effectively setting boundaries and standards can be difficult, but it’s actually much easier in the long run than compromising your integrity or trying to do business with people or in situations that just aren’t cutting it.

Leadership and Tough Decisions

“I do think I’m a born leader, but some aspects of leadership are not natural to me – such as setting boundaries and making uncomfortable decisions,” says April, echoing the voices of many women in business today. Many of us find it difficult to stifle our nurturing, people-pleasing tendencies – even when it’s necessary to do so in order for business to be at its best.

Without revealing details, April admits that she’s had to make at least one tough decision in the past. “It was best for the company but it did some damage to an important personal relationship for a time. Thankfully, everything has worked out personally,” says April.

Help Along the Way

As women in business we are often reluctant to reach out for help because we fear being perceived as weak. But in fact most successful upstart businesses – regardless of ownership gender – can certainly benefit from the experiences of others. April says she’s “sought guidance and camaraderie from many – and definitely a few key people at certain times” noting that she’s had one “coach” on-going for about 5 years, and others she’s spent a year or so with along the way.

Balance is Everything

“Any uncommitted time I have, I tend to fill up with work-related tasks,” says April, adding that she also enjoys hanging out with family, watching Project Runway and, of course, getting some much-needed sleep. “I built my business to suit my lifestyle, 100%. It just took 5 years to get it that way!”

Congratulations on all your accomplishments to date, April! Moxie Girl wishes you all the best on your continuing journey!

How Can We Help?

By choosing Going GreenHouse for your residential cleaning needs and Moxie Girl to care for your Phoenix-area vacation rental home care, you can be assured you’re receiving top-notch service while supporting a local, female-owned businesses. Both Going GreenHouse and Moxie Girl take great pride in our reputations and our teams. Click a link and find out how we can help!