The Man is Not the Plan. Lea Woodford Shows How Women Can Succeed as Independent Entrepreneurs

A Conversation with Joseph Warren and Lea Woodford

​Growing up in the South, Lea Woodford was told that, “The man is the plan.” She was expected to get married and start a family – not launch a successful media platform for entrepreneurial women. Her dad even refused to pay for her college because he thought she’d just get married and never use the degree.
 
Now, Lea’s glad she broke away from the “man plan.” She lives in Scottsdale, AZ, the divorce capital of the world, and she’s seen so many women “marry well” only to end up divorced and broke. She has a family of her own, but recognizes entrepreneurship and motherhood aren’t an either/or choice.
 
Through her company, Smartfem Media, Lea Woodford empowers women to become entrepreneurs and to step out of stereotypes. And for the men out there, she’s elevating women so that men are no longer seen as ATM machines. Those are her exact words.
 
In this post, Lea shares three strategies and mindsets for women who want to gain confidence and independence as entrepreneurs.

Put the oxygen mask on yourself
 
One stereotype told to American women is that they should serve others. Don’t take this wrong, service is wonderful. Lea even says that successful business owners use their business to serve. 
 
But service does not mean you must shut down your own personality. Your needs still matter. Instead, real service happens WHEN YOU EMBRACE YOUR UNIQUE TALENTS. That’s when you can benefit the world the most.
 
So ask yourself, “Who do you want to be? And who is God calling you to be?”
 
Superman and Prince Charming aren’t coming
 
This is another dangerous mindset Lea’s noticed in her community of women entrepreneurs –  success happens when that perfect someone shows up and sweeps you off your feet. It's a message found in books, movies, and celebrity culture. Nope, says Lea. 

Even if you do get married, your husband WILL NOT BE PERFECT. Success is not about waiting around for someone else to save you. Success requires action.
 
This applies to business, too. You can’t wait around for an angel investor to call you out of the blue and promise a million dollars. You’ve got to go out, work hard, and make things happen for yourself.
 
Take advantage of opportunities during this pandemic.
 
Lea also has business advice for women RIGHT NOW. Most of us are sheltering in place because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Guess what? It’s a perfect opportunity to learn some new business skills. 
 
It seems like everyone is hosting a webinar. You can find great online courses in any subject you can think of.
 
Don’t waste this time. I know it’s difficult, but you don’t want to look back on this time and say you wasted it. While everyone else is pulling back, now is the time to set yourself up for success.

---

Here’s a free, online tool that will help you get ahead during COVID-19. I’ve put together a series of 10 mindset shifts that every entrepreneur needs to understand. It’s the same with my coaching clients – once they put these 10 mindsets into practice, they outperform 95% of the competition.

ACCESS THE TOP 10 MINDSETS