Meet Natalie MacNeil, the female entrepreneur extraordinaire behind the blog,She Takes on the World, one of the top blogs in the world for career-minded women.  Natalie is also an Emmy-award winning Media Producer and Partner atImaginarius, a boutique digital media company that develops interactive experiences and innovative online marketing strategies.  Whew!  She’s one amazing lady!  That’s partly why I was floored when Natalie agreed to do a little interview for you today!  I was doubly floored by her responses and I think you will be as well!

According to the Center for Women’s Research recent study, 32% of women surveyed believed being a woman was beneficial to their business.  I’m curious if you could share some of those benefits.  (Many of us know about the ability to multi-task but I know there are bigger reasons, such a better relationships with employees and the focus on success and happiness vs. money.)

For me, one of the biggest benefits was the support system and people who reached out a helping hand to me as a young woman entrepreneur. There are a lot of resources, grants, and mentorship programs just to help women succeed in business and those are invaluable support systems to tap into. I hate to say this but I think women who have a strong sense of style, are well dressed, and confident, attract even more people and opportunities for their businesses. Like it or not, your image is part of your personal brand and people buy into that!

Many of us are juggling work and family life, whether that be with a spouse or kids or cats.  Do you have any tips for entrepreneurial women who wish to grow their business while maintaining their family life.

First, set your priorities and create a schedule AROUND YOUR LIFE. Schedule time for important things like taking care of yourself and exercising, spending time with family and friends, and simply doing things you enjoy doing. Second, let go of the crazy idea of “balancing” your life and creating a perfect equilibrium. We put too much pressure and stress ourselves out trying to keep everything perfectly balanced! I love the concept of strategic imbalance, where you shift your focus and priorities based on what feels best for you at any given time.

As entrepreneurs, many of us feel guilty about our successes, not spending enough time with our family, not keeping up with the dishes, etc.  How can we give ourselves the OK to be successful and proud of our businesses?

This starts with the point I made in the last question -you don’t have to keep your life perfectly balanced! Know that you are worthy of all the opportunities and success coming your way. Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise and most importantly, don’t sabotage your own success by thinking otherwise.

By nature we women are social.  What benefits do you believe come from meeting up with other entrepreneurs or attending classes on business?

Networking is EVERYTHING in business and yes, it’s something many women are naturally good at. When you’re building a brand you need to get yourself out there as much as possible by attending events, conferences, workshops, and networking online! Connect with people on social media and turn those online connections into offline connections too whenever possible by arranging a phone call or scheduling an in-person meeting when you’re in the same city. Entrepreneurs have a certain energy and I feel like when we’re all in a room together, magic is guaranteed.

You can get more business advice from Natalie at her blog, She Takes on the World!

**If you know someone you would like to see interviewed here, or if you’d like to be interviewed yourself, please leave a link in the comment section!**