From Setbacks to Growth => How Failure Fuels Success for Women Entrepreneurs
Jo Rawald • April 4, 2024
Women entrepreneur turning failure into success and growth.
Today, I want to talk about something that we all encounter on our journey to success, failure. Yup, you heard me right. Failure. It's not exactly everyone's favorite topic, right? But trust me, it's an essential part of the entrepreneurial rollercoaster ride.
Now, I know what you're thinking. Failure? Isn't that something we're supposed to avoid at all costs? Well, not exactly. In fact, failure can be one of the most powerful tools in your arsenal if you know how to wield it correctly.
Let's face it, as women entrepreneurs, we're often expected to have it all together. We're supposed to be these superhuman beings who effortlessly balance work, family, and everything in between. But the truth is, we…are…human. And humans make mistakes. Lots of them.
But here's the thing, failure isn't the end of the road. In fact, it's often just the beginning. Every setback, every stumble, is an opportunity for growth and learning. It's a chance to reassess, pivot, and come back stronger than ever before.
Think about it this way, some of the most successful people in history have failed spectacularly before finding their stride. Take Thomas Edison, for example. He famously said, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work" before finally inventing the lightbulb. Imagine if he had given up after the first few tries!
So, how can we embrace failure and turn it into an opportunity for growth? Well, for starters, we can change our mindset. Instead of seeing failure as a reflection of our worth or abilities, we can see it as a natural part of the learning process. After all, if you're not failing, you're probably not pushing yourself hard enough.
Next, we can use failure as a springboard for innovation. When things don't go according to plan, instead of throwing in the towel, we can ask ourselves: what can I learn from this? How can I do better next time? By reframing failure as a learning experience, we can uncover new insights and ideas that we never would have discovered otherwise.
And finally, we can use failure as a source of motivation. Instead of letting setbacks demoralize us, we can use them as fuel to propel us forward. After all, there's nothing quite as satisfying as proving the naysayers wrong and achieving success in the face of adversity.
So, the next time you find yourself facing failure, remember this: it's not the end of the road, it's just a detour on the path to success. Embrace it, learn from it, and use it to fuel your journey forward. After all, as women entrepreneurs, we're unstoppable. Failure is just another stepping stone on the road to greatness.
I went to a networking event yesterday at Rosie’s Bar & Grill in Wilton Manors. Tropical-chic to the max. You know the kind of place - upscale casual, strong cocktails, mandatory valet. Now usually, I’m all about valet. But not yesterday. I wasn’t there to sip martinis or hang around all night. I could only stay for 20-minutes. That means - I was on a serious 20-minute mission: say hi, shake hands, peace out. Then, get back in my car to jump on a Zoom meeting! I certainly wasn’t about to drop $20 just to park my car for 20 minutes. No way! I pulled into the valet area, looked the guy dead in the eye, and said, “I’ll be in and out faster than your last relationship. Can I just park it right here?” And bless his heart - he said yes. Honestly, that should’ve been my win for the night. But then I met Sean Gac-Guerrier. Sean’s the Marketing Director at Excel Title, Inc. We started talking about dogs - and **cue the angels singing. We clicked instantly. Not two strangers meeting, more like two childhood friends who hadn’t seen each other in a decade! Sean showed me a photo of his dog, Dottie. I pulled out pics of my girl, Adelaide. Then he pulled out a photo of Dottie that stopped me in my tracks. Sean had a photo of what Dottie would look like as a human. Not a cartoon. Not a filter. I’m talking AI-generated, fully humanized, real-world, cardigan-wearing, intelligent-and-intimidating Dottie. I was mesmerized! It was as if Pixar and the FBI teamed up to design her. I looked at Adelaide’s pic… then looked back at Sean… and blurted out, “I need to humanize my dog!!” And I did. I went home, found the exact AI prompt, uploaded Adelaide’s photo, answered a few fun questions about her personality, and style - then… BOOM. Human Adelaide was born. Tall, lean, cozy-chic, with that unmistakable “don’t-mess-with-me-but-I’ll-still-hug-you” vibe. She looked like she ran Homeland Security and still had time for tacos and espresso martinis on a rooftop. Honestly? I stared at the image for like five minutes. Because it wasn’t just about making something cute. It was about seeing something familiar - something you know - come to life in a new way. Here’s the AI Prompt if you want to try it yourself:
Your business is not a side dish. It’s the main course—and it deserves to be treated like one. In this no-BS blog, I’m calling out “leftover” business strategies that leave women entrepreneurs stuck, stressed, and scaling in all the wrong ways. Discover how to build a business that’s bold, sustainable, and built to outlast trends using my BAMBOO Framework.
Too many women are stuck in the hustle—working nonstop, solving the same problems, and barely seeing the return.
You didn’t start your business to burn out. You started it to break free.
If you’re ready to ditch the stress and build a business that actually pays you back, this is your moment.
Join me LIVE in South Florida at Brains, Brilliance & Bold Moves—where I’ll show you how to scale smart, simplify your systems, and make way more money doing less.
🍷 Dinner, wine, and your profit breakthrough: www.jorawald.com/Brains-Brilliance-and-Bold-Moves
If your business feels like a tornado of to-do lists, dropped balls, and duct-taped systems… it’s not just exhausting—it’s expensive.
Chaos costs you time, clarity, and cold hard cash.
This blog is your wake-up call:
🛠️ Simplify your operations
💸 Stop bleeding profit
📈 Build a business that works for you
Read it. Apply it. Start making smart money moves →
👉 https://siteeditor.thryv.com/home/site/c8e9f361/blog/if-your-business-feels-like-a-hot-mess-its-costing-you-money#preview
You’re not charging too much. You’re not “bad at sales.”
You’re just leaving money on the table—and this blog breaks down exactly how to stop.
If you’re underpricing, over-delivering, or relying on guesswork to grow… you’re leaking profit.
Let’s fix that.
I’m giving you the tools to:
💰 Price like a pro
📊 Package for profit
🎯 Sell with strategy
Read it, bookmark it, share it with your business BFFs →
👉 www.jorawald.com/youre-leaving-money-on-the-table-lets-fix-that
The right clients are watching—but do they actually know what you do?
If your messaging is vague, cute, or confusing, you’re basically invisible.
This blog is your wake-up call to get crystal clear, magnetic, and straight-up undeniable.
You’ll learn how to:
🧲 Attract the right people (without chasing)
📢 Clarify your offer
👑 Show up as the go-to expert in your space
Because your next client isn’t on the fence—they’re just unsure if you are the answer. Fix that here →
👉 www.jorawald.com/the-right-clients-should-be-coming-to-you-theyre-watching-but-do-they-know-what-you-do
One Zoom call. That’s all it took to blow up how I coach—and rebuild it into something way more powerful.
If you’re overcomplicating your client process, trying to “do it all,” or feel like coaching is starting to drain you… this blog is your game-changer.
Inside, I break down:
🔥 The shift that simplified everything
🎯 How I get faster results (without burning out)
💡 What most coaches get totally wrong
If you’re a coach or service provider who’s doing the most and getting the least—read this NOW.
👉 www.jorawald.com/this-one-zoom-call-changed-how-i-coached-forever
If your business isn’t making money… it’s not a business. It’s an expensive, exhausting hobby.
This blog is for the women out here grinding, posting, perfecting—but still not profiting.
It’s time to change that.
Inside, I cover:
💰 Why profit has to come first
🛠️ What to fix if your sales are flat
🎯 How to stop playing business and start running one
This one’s a tough-love truth bomb—with the strategy to back it up.
👉 www.jorawald.com/if-your-business-isnt-making-money-you-have-an-exhausting-hobby
They’re dyeing rivers green for attention—and you’re still “hoping” someone sees your post?
Nope. Not in this business.
Visibility isn’t optional. If you're not making waves, you're not getting paid.
This blog dives into why playing small is costing you BIG and how to show up like a brand that actually wants to win.
Inside, I break down:
🌊 Visibility vs. volume
🎯 Making moves that matter
💡 Building brand authority (without gimmicks)
Your audience is watching—what are you showing them?
👉 www.jorawald.com/they-re-dyeing-rivers-green-what-are-you-doing
Sometimes the best business lessons don’t come from a boardroom—they show up at the dog park.
This blog unpacks a real-life moment with my pup that exposed something big:
Too many women entrepreneurs are overthinking, under-trusting, and second-guessing their own power.
Here’s what I realized (and what you need to hear):
🐾 Your instincts are an asset
🧠 Overanalyzing kills momentum
👑 Leadership starts with self-trust
Don’t miss this one—it’s a mindset reset wrapped in fur.
👉 www.jorawald.com/the-lesson-i-didnt-expect-at-the-dog-park