Most business owners can define their “type,” based on the characteristics, mind

sets and habits they have developed during their entrepreneurial lives. While so
me business owners undoubtedly are pleased with their situation and feel persona
lly satisfied, others may crave an entirely different type of business ownership
. They can attain any type of business ownership imaginable – with the right inf
ormation.
Jane Out of the Box, an authority on female entrepreneurs, reveals there are fiv
e distinct types of women in business – five “Janes”. Based on professional mark
et research of more than 2,500 women in business, this study shows that each typ
e of business owner has a unique approach to running a business and therefore ea
ch one has a unique combination of needs. This article outlines those five types
, and provides tips for becoming a whole new Jane.
Jane Dough represents 18 percent of women in business. She is a “natural-born” e
ntrepreneur who is financially successful and enjoys a satisfactory balance betw
een her work and personal lives. Go Jane Go represents 14 percent of women in bu
siness. She, too, is financially successful and she is so great at taking care o
f her customers that she often struggles to keep up with their demands as well a
s the demands she places on herself. Merry Jane, who represents 19 percent of wo
men in business, runs a part-time or “flexible time” business. She has myriad ot
her commitments and responsibilities and enjoys the balance she strikes between
her company and her other constraints. Accidental Jane represents 18 percent of
women in business and has set out to create her own ideal job. She may struggle
with prioritizing what she needs to do next in business, but overall enjoys what
she does and makes decent money. Tenacity Jane represents 31 percent of women i
n business. She is extremely passionate about what she does, and struggles with
cash flow despite the long hours she works. She is bound and determined to make
her business work.
Some entrepreneurs may relate to more than one Jane, and some may believe they f
it strongly into one specific group. Entrepreneurial type can change over time,
and for a variety of reasons. Industry transformations, personal growth, increas
ed demand, and new life circumstances may prompt the entrepreneur to evolve a d
ifferent approach to business ownership.
Entrepreneurs hold the power and the opportunity to change types intentionally.
Some of the changes will seem small and easy, and others will seem big and diffi
cult, depending on the differences between an entrepreneur’s current situation a
nd the one she strives toward achieving. However, the good news is that during t
his process, the business owner has control over whether, when, and how much to
change. This freedom of choice is one of the greatest advantages of business own
ership.
Here are the five main steps for making the change:
Step One: Choose a Jane. Remember that each type comes with tradeoffs; no one ty
pe is better than another. Business owners should choose their desired type base
d on their values and their needs. For example, an Accidental Jane or Merry Jane
has the flexibility to spend more time with family, whereas a Go Jane Go makes
more money and often has less personal time, and a Jane Dough makes more money,
and works long hours managing a team of people. Business owners should determine
which type they’d most like to become, and they can base that determination on
the tradeoffs associated with the type’s lifestyle.
Step Two: Assess the gaps between current type and desired type. Consider the ke
y attitudes and behaviors the desired type exhibits. A business owner should com
pare her own traits with those of her desired type, as well as the size of the d
isparity between where she is and where she wants to be. That way she can effect
the greatest change. As an exercise, she can write down all of the habits, prac
tices and viewpoints she needs to change to become her ideal Jane type.
Questions to consider:
• “What do I need to start doing that I’ve never done before?”
• “What am I already doing sporadically that needs to become consistent?”
• “What do I need to stop doing?” (Example: “I need to stop saying yes to
opportunities that don’t move me in my desired direction.”)
• “What attitudes or beliefs do I need to change?” (Example: “I can never
turn clients down no matter how difficult they are – I need the business!”)
Step Three: Determine strategies for closing the gaps. Some of the necessary cha
nges can begin immediately, if a business owner focuses on them and chooses to a
ct or think differently than she has in the past. Other changes may require more
work or a decision to manage the business differently. For example, some change
s will require a business owner to ask for help, or to invest in training or oth
er resources. Writing down specific steps to take to get from her current Jane t
ype to her desired Jane type is an excellent way for a business owner to decide
which area to focus on first – remember, the idea is not to create an overnight
change, but to evolve from one type to another. If the changes seem overwhelming
(in size or in number), focus on one step at a time. Choose first the action th
at is easiest to complete, or the one that will have the single greatest impact.
Step Four: Be true to self in the moment of choice. During the evolution from cu
rrent Jane to desired Jane, tough times will arise. A business owner may feel he
lpless, not strong enough, or pulled back toward her old habits. During those ti
mes, it is crucial to stay true to self. That means choosing between the way the
current Jane would react, and the way the desired Jane would react. Every time
the “old ways” win, progress is arrested, and backslide is possible. Every day,
a business owner will have dozens of opportunities to be true to her goal of bec
oming her desired Jane. Whether she stays true to her goal during each of these
opportunities will determine the speed and efficiency with which she is able to
complete her transformation. This holds true for the process of making any chang
e in life.
Step Five: Monitor progress until goal achievement is complete. A business owner
should periodically step back and monitor her progress toward becoming her desi
red Jane. Keeping a journal or a to-do list is a good way of monitoring what has
transpired during each monitoring period. Small setbacks or changes of directio
n are par for the course during a Jane type transformation, so business owners s
houldn’t get discouraged if they run into roadblocks along the way. Each step pr
ovides valuable lessons, so business owners must be sure to think about not only
what they are achieving but what they are learning every time they encounter a
roadblock.
Many people say their business results are determined by factors outside their c
ontrol. They blame the economy or their competition. They say it’s just luck or
fate that determines how life ends up. However, at Jane Out of the Box we believ
e that results are determined by goals, determination and willingness to take ac
tion.
Interested in learning more about the five Jane types and which Jane you are? Ch
eck out www.janeoutofthebox.com.
Michele DeKinder-Smith is the founder of Jane out of the Box, an online resource
dedicated to the women entrepreneur community. Discover more incredibly useful
information for running a small business by taking the FREE Jane Types Assessmen
t at Jane out of the Box. Offering networking and marketing opportunities, key r
esources and mentorship from successful women in business, Jane Out of the Box i
s online at www.janeoutofthebox.com.