Its Virgo season and although I am an Aries, I decided to study one of my favorite celebrity Virgos, and the business habits she exhibits. Beyoncé Knowles is known for her awesome music, style, and famous relationships, but there is so much more. She is the ultimate businesswoman and her business principals should be considered as we build our own empires! In celebration of her birthday, here are some business principles we can take from Queen Bey.
Know what you want and go after it. It does not matter if you are starting a business or career; you have to know what you are chasing in life. At a young age Beyoncé was confident in her talents and abilities so much so, that her parents invested in them. You must have a clear vision so that people know how to support you, recommend you, and connect you to the right people. Trust in your abilities the way Queen Bey does and you will begin to see opportunities open up before your very eyes.
Don’t do what is expected create anticipation. In business never tell someone your next move. Move in silence, and let your actions speak. Beyoncé broke the record industry mold in how you market and drop albums, and now we all wait in anticipation for what she will do next. Creating anticipation within your fan base and clients, will keep them emotionally invested in what you are doing and lead to high rates of engagement for your projects.
Trust your Gut, you know that little voice in you. Beyoncé knew as her career grew that things must change. She constantly has to re-create herself as an artist, but also in the business moves she makes. She trusted her instincts and let her long-term manager, her father, go. What gets you to one place will not necessarily get you to next place. People believe that most business decisions are made strictly by what the numbers say, but you must always listen to your inner self. This becomes critical when determining if certain business relationships are healthy for you. In business, it’s tough to say ‘no’ sometimes or make a difficult decision, but you have to trust your instincts.
Women Empower Women – You are your sister’s keeper in life and in business. Beyoncé is the queen of making female anthems. We need to practice what we hear. Who runs the world… collaborate, support, and recommend them. Beyoncé stresses how important it is that women work together and look out for one another. In your endeavors be sure to have your sisters back!
Being Polite and Business Do Not Mix – Women often times are overly polite in business because they do not want to come across as angry or overly aggressive. Queen Bey tells us “You can be fair, but being polite was not me being fair to myself,” Make sure you are being fair to yourself when you are dealing with people. No one will treat you better than you treat yourself in business. If you want to get anywhere in your business or career, you have to know when to be polite, and when to be fair to yourself.
Collaborate to expose yourself. If you utilize cross promotion the way Queen Bey does, you will expose your personal brand and/or products to a larger market share. Collaboration is a critical component in your business strategy and Queen Bey knows this. If you are in business of any kind, you should be strategically cross collaborating with other brands. You have seen Beyoncé perform and create awesome music with artist such as Coldplay, Shakira, Prince, Drake, Bruno Mars, and countless others, all helping her to expose herself to new markets that she might not have been exposed to alone. Collaborative opportunities provide scalability, disruption, and connectivity on a higher level.
Always Be Humble and Authentic. As you begin to hit your career and business goals in life, remember to stay true to whom you are and what you believe in. In life, business opportunities, endorsements, and various ways to make money may test what you believe in. You will be tempted to do what is popular, and maybe stray away form your brand message and what you believe. When these times come, and they will, remember what Beyoncé has told us, “Always stay grateful, best revenge is your paper”! Stay true to yourself.
Happy Birthday Beyoncé! These are my takeaways from evaluating Beyoncé and her business principals. What is you opinion on how she has become a mogul money making machine? Feel free to share!
Demishia Wright, The Corporate Entrepreneur
See You At The Top, The Bottom Is Crowded.