Known as the ‘queen of networking’, Amanda Rose is the founder of six businesses, columnist for the Daily Telegraph, business consultant and workplace trainer, and a passionate mentor for women in business. She joined editors Cec Busby and Adam Bub on the First Act podcast to share why supporting female entrepreneurs is her passion.
Amanda Rose has had a talent for leadership from a young age, eventually turning that drive into becoming a multiple business owner and fierce advocate for other women in business. She says the stigma she experienced as a woman from Sydney’s working-class western suburbs drove her to embark on her lifelong campaign for female empowerment and equity in business.
“I’ll tell you a secret … every single business I started is because someone annoyed me or was trying to block me,” Amanda reveals. “I started Business Woman Media because no one would publish what I wanted to say, so I created my media outlet. I started Western Sydney Women because women in the west were treated as second-class citizens and often still are. And I thought, this is rubbish, I need to change this. We deserve the same opportunities, not only as men but also as everyone else across Sydney and Australia.
“I’m so proud to be from Western Sydney. I’m an example to other girls and women from the area – they can look at me and think, if she can create a business from scratch without any funding or any support and have this impact, then I can do it too.”
Amanda Rose, #bosslady
Women empowering women
Amanda has now extended her reach by becoming a mentor to female entrepreneurs, a keynote speaker and advocate for women in business, and a member of DWEN, the Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network. Supporting business women and empowering them to do the same for others is her raison d’être.
“I realised women have so much to offer, but they didn’t have the pathways or were limited by their confidence or past negative experiences,” says Amanda. “And we need to change that. Women are an untapped resource for the community, business and government. Still, we need to equip the women with the confidence, the toolkits and the experience from mentoring to help them move forward and make connections.”
“I was raised knowing that if you help one woman or one girl, she will help someone else. And that has a ripple effect,” says Amanda. “If you help one woman or one group of women, they will carry on that legacy and help others. If you’re given an opportunity, bring a woman with you. When I have an opportunity, I’ll hire a woman to work with me on it or suggest a woman for a position. Putting the effort in to bring a female along with whatever success you have means that she’ll be able to do the same; she’ll be able to pass that on.
Listen to Amanda Rose on the First Act podcast:
“I believe that we need to be sharing ideas. We need to be sharing contacts with funding; we need to be networking and working together on opportunities and improving businesses because a lot of women are in their silos. They’re working very hard juggling life, and they don’t ask for help. They’re not reaching out as much.
“I think we need to remove the stigma that asking for help is a bad thing, or that it means you’re failing, and encourage asking questions, attending events, networking, and letting people know what you’re trying to achieve. And see how people can help you – because a lot of people will reach out and help. They’re all there for the same reason as you, so go out and have the conversation.
“In my consulting work, I work with a lot of men, and this happens naturally. Fifteen connections are made in an hour’s meeting that would take a woman a year to do because she’s worried about asking for help. You’ve just got to keep knocking on doors until someone says, ‘I like what you’ve got to offer. But the trick is you’ve got to let them know what you have to offer. You’ve got to promote yourself, even if it’s simply posting your and your team’s achievements on LinkedIn. You’ve got to let people know what you’ve achieved and what you’re doing. If you sit there in silence, no one will know.”
Toot your own horn!
Amanda says that women need to find the confidence to blow their own trumpet and promote themselves but often feel held back by the stigma attached to women who speak up.
“It’s important, and I encourage women to do more of it,” Amanda urges. “I think women expect to be appreciated and rewarded for their abilities and skill, simply because of their skills and talent. But that doesn’t naturally happen – you’ve got to sell yourself and build those personal relationships. It would help if you connected with people that make the decisions one-on-one, make sure they know what you’re achieving, and let them know that you can help. Put your hand up and say, ‘I’d like to be involved. It’s being more proactive instead of waiting for the opportunity.
“Women get told they’re ‘arrogant’ if they promote themselves, but they’re worried about people’s opinions who are totally irrelevant to the scheme of things. The reality is, they’re not paying you or hiring you; they’re not promoting you. I believe in blocking people the second they give you that attitude and get on with it. Because those who genuinely like what you do and know what you’re achieving want to work with you. They want to hire and promote you.”
For anyone who tells you that you shouldn’t be blowing your own trumpet, Amanda suggests simply asking, “Well, who’s trumpet would you like me to blow?”
Building confidence when networking
If you’re feeling daunted by the idea of selling yourself, Amanda shares some tips for joining in the chatter at networking events and business meetings.
“I think sometimes we take things too personally. It’s business – we need to realise that this is a transaction. Always go in big and bold and have your data and your stats, know what you’ve achieved, and have the discussion.
“Don’t assume that you’ve turned up to a room of confident extroverts – they’re all nervous too; they’re all just humans. Have a conversation; just say hello. Try asking, ‘How’s business?’ or ‘What are you trying to achieve this year?’
“I think we put way too much pressure on ourselves,” says Amanda. “I’m not an extrovert; I’m an ambivert – so I can be great with people, but I also like my alone time. People need to just switch it on and say, ‘I’m here for business. I’m here to get to know as many people as I can’.
“A lot of my mentees and clients ask themselves, ‘what would a man do?’ And if that’s what it takes for you to take that opportunity for the first time, then so be it. Whatever it takes, don’t back down from a challenge or an opportunity because of fear or because your confidence has been chipped away. Just keep moving forward.
“When it comes to confidence, you have to be responsible for that. You cannot expect other people to make you feel confident. You just need some strategies and a little bit of bluff to walk into a room and go for it.
Listen to the full interview with Amanda Rose on First Act here.
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