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On the contrary, the b�answersb� are all b�in here,b� nestled and thriving within the soul and spirit of the entrepreneur. Therein lies the essential beauty of the entrepreneurial-driven enterprise; it is self-defining and reflects the individual makeup of the entrepreneur. At its most raw and pristine, entrepreneurialism is the expression of personal passion, like that found on any artist canvas.

This is not to say that business plans and investment capital do not matter, that talented and candid colleagues are not important, that boards of directors must not be heeded or that market forces can be dismissed as mere distractions or someone elseb�s challenge.

It is to say that an entrepreneur does not think in terms of formulae, business plans, product margins, cash flow or any indicia of the well-run business. The entrepreneur thinks thru the mindb�s eye and sees things not as they are in current circumstances, but what they can become beyond discernible horizons. The artistry of entrepreneurs redefines the world with foresight born of imagination.

More than anything, entrepreneurs operate from deeply planted core personal beliefs. They believe passionately in their business mission, their vision and, vitally, themselves and their ability to birth, inspire and create. These core beliefs fuel their strategic engine, inspire colleagues to great heights and persuade boards and venture capitalists to get behind them.

Entrepreneurs design businesses to give life to the values they covet and the images they foresee for the brands they seek to create. They act without fear of failure and are comfortable with uncertainty. They understand, what many canb�t bare, that failure is a necessary ingredient for success, and that their resolve to push the envelope containing their dream puts more than a business at risk; it puts them at risk, a dice-roll they are prepared to embrace. And, perhaps most intriguing of all, they have an abiding faith in acting based on their instincts.

Sure, entrepreneurs can get lucky. But luck for an entrepreneur is mere pretext for taking decisive action. Some say the real genius in entrepreneurial success is not only recognizing new-found opportunity but, more importantly, taking committed action to realize on the gift. As I like to say: b�When the opportunity-bus arrives, take that front seat!b�

What do failure and mistakes mean to you?

• A bond between two or more girls, not always related by blood. They always tell the truth, honor each other, and love each other like sisters.b

And here yet another:

• bAn association, society, or community of women linked by a common interest.b

Both resonate for me! My personal relationships with women are foundational to my well being. My women friends and I have bonds that bind us in powerful, supportive and enduring ways. I cherish them beyond measure. I know Ibm not alone; the precious ways women relate to each other are unique. The sisterhood is singular and special.

My sisterhood friends share much in common: how we think, spend our time and dress and what we value. We are drawn together not only by gender but also by how we live our lives and value skillful and heartfelt communication. I cherish what we have. It fuels my spirit.

When I was in a treatment center the better part of a year for an eating disorder, however, I discovered an equally powerful sisterhood of a different kind.

In treatment, we worked in groups, all women with different manifestations of eating disorder: scarily thin non-eaters, overweight binge eaters and presumed bnormalb body types. We each looked different, we dressed differently and we had very different lives outside of treatment.B But as I learned well, our problems sprung from the same emotional cloth. We were, down deep, mirrors of one another, a realization that dismantled the delusion our disease was unique to each of us. I learned that this community of women steeped in addiction had curative powers.

Eventually, I surrendered toband then basked inbthe force of my vulnerability, forging a powerful desire to be unmasked and liberated. I became unfettered in sharing how I felt. I saw judgment take leave, replaced by an enduring trust in my new-found soulmates. Often the most troubled times can endow us with penetrating insights and confer lasting gratitude. I would later see my metamorphous captured in the dynamic words of Ai Weiwei, the extraordinary Chinese artist: bMaybe to be powerful is to be fragile.b

Even though our treatment goals were deeply personal to each of us, our collective work found purpose in a unified mission and not individual agendas. The more we suspended superficiality, the more our physical differences melted away and the more successful our work and the more respectful we became of each other. This collective healing became a profound proclamation for the liberating power of community.

It can be difficult to find space where we can trust we will not be judged, where imperfection is not merely accepted but embraced, and where we feel comfortable when exposed. In treatment, I discovered a sisterhood defined by these qualities, a benchmark for a lifetime.

What do you value about sisterhood?[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

The most famous entreaty about fear came from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt when, in his 1932 inaugural address, amid an unprecedented economic depression, he uttered words that resonate powerfully to this day: bthe only thing we have to fear is fear itself.b

In the relatively more pedestrian world of entrepreneurism, fear can be a powerful inhibitor,B especially for us women, as we strive to put our creative mark on the business world, where failure rates exceed 50%. For most of us, looming or perceived prospects of failure frighten and debilitate, and women entrepreneurs even balk at what success might bring. The combination can expose gaps in our confidence and blocks in our self-awareness, stymie effectiveness and sometimes freeze us in place.

There is no easy fix for combating the fear of putting it all out there in business. We can begin with respecting what fear signifies within each of us and engaging its power to fuel the creative process. This commands a healthy infusion of self-awareness and a willingness to own our internal processes. Knowing ourselves is the trail blazer, as we seek to pave a path that will yield success on our own terms and, as we do, relegate the expectations of others to the realm of the unimportant.

I have a fun expression, bwhat you think of me is none of my business, what I think of me is what counts!b For me, it crystallizes the primary importance of knowing what I expect of myself,B and that begins with a deep and persistent look inward.

The importance of reflection cannot be understated.B We do not need studies to tell us we live in a dizzyingly-complex, alarmingly fast-paced, information-overloaded and distracting world.B We each have our self-absorbed moments and our share (and sometimes more than our share) of stress in our dot-to-dot lives.

How we each reflectbwhether we merely ponder staring out a window, seek insight through mediation, spend time outdoors, or employ techniques like making listsbor on what we reflectbwhether (old and possibly new) personal goals, life paths, relationships or familybis much less important than the act of devoting the time to reflect.

Reflection brings perspective and clarity.B It induces re-evaluation and re-assessment.B It helps realign and reinforce values.B It inspires motivation, revives and enhances commitment, and sheds inhibitors of action.

I would love to hear what others do to reflect and find clarity in their lives.

While it is fashionable to talk about giving spiritual attention to our inner voice, it is hard to quarrel with the initiative we should honor what we hear.B The rub, I think, is that we each entertain more than one inner voice. Indeed, I believe that percolating inside each of us is a unique ensemble of voices, not all of which bellow in unison, lockstep or harmoniously.B Nor do most share equal power or standing at our inner conference room table.

In reality, they are more characters than voices per se, and they are not always visible or audible without serious self searching.B Most of us know our bossy voice or, the other extreme, the deferential one who rarely stands up for herself. Another might be as desirous of creating good impressions as another may be disarming and self-effacing.B The challenges, it seems to me, are, first, identifying who are the characters that make up the multi-dimensional busb and then giving them rapt attentionbsometimes no small featband, second, understanding how they interactbor not!bin the process towards action or inaction in particular situations.

At the end of the day, this is all about coming to grips with our core self, trusting our instincts and having the courage to know ourselves.B In that space, we can identify which voices or characters are more vocal or dominate than others, which voice needs more expression and how we may want to re-balance them, which we might want to snuff out entirely, and how we best can monitor the inner ensemble to assure our decisions and actions line up with the person we know ourselves truly to be.

How do you deal with this beautiful human challenge?B What is your experience with navigating this ever-important internal dynamic?

Especially during stressful economic times, so many people need help and support.B And when it comes to giving, it is not uncommon for us to associate altruism with money.B B Indeed, financial giving is ceaselessly important.

We sometimes forget, however, how deep and expansive a reservoir we each have from which to give, well beyond dollars and cents.B We each are blessed with a bountiful fund of giving-wealth.

Think about it, there are so many ways we can show up and give. We can give by sharing our talent, e.g., by giving free professional support; we can offer forgiveness, especially when the hurt we have experienced is fresh; we can make someone laugh, that time-honored best-medicine; we can show someone unconditional affection or love for no other reason than to show it; we can provide encouragement, counsel or a boost right when someone can use their spirits or confidence raised.

Our collective list of ways to give will inspire all of us.B B Please “give” us what would be on your list?B B With appreciation for your gift.

Of course, summoning the power of gratitude when things seem bleak invokes the idiom:B easier-said-than-done.B B It is easy and, dare I say, convenient, to allow the distraction of cloudy days to disconnect us from what is truly important to us and for what we are most thankful.B B Yet, the opportunity to refocus away from the heavy heart and onto the small things for which we can be thankful is aB sheer gift, allowing us to reaffirm and even redefine our core values.

Gratitude is empowering, a veritable game-changer. It increases our happiness, infuses our optimism, incites our excitement and improves our health.B B It humbles, grounds and teaches us.B B More, by releasing us from worry, it clears the way to action.B B Whether shared with others or simply an internal lightening rod for action, it can open up paths that otherwise seem blocked. For me, gratitude is foundational.

The internal process of moving from dark days to bright ones is inherently personal.B Nonetheless, sharing our experiences benefits all of us; we can learn from each other.B B Can you tell us a gratitude experience that moved you?

Networking.B B Women networksbin myriad formsbare proliferating, and for good reason: they strengthen the foundation of the ubiquitous sisterhood, encourage us in what we do, increase our public profiles, hatch new ideas and generate new opportunities. Building networks are part and parcel of community building among women in business.B B They are also practical: our ability to succeed often will depend on relationships.B B Build them; what we water grows.

Mentoring.B B Studies show that women with mentors are more successful in business than otherwise.B While this is not the forum to wax in depth about the values of mentoring, suffice to note that mentor relationships are immeasurably value and vital and, better still, generate symbiotic benefits.

Leadership Support.B B One of the most difficult leadership moments is making unpopular (but necessary) decisions. When that happens, leaders, no matter how courageous and impervious to criticism they seem on the surface, need our support, loyalty and encouragement. This applies especially to women, who operate in a business world where the deck is often stacked against them.B B We can contribute to our overall success by supporting our women leaders.

Can you add to this list?