An Accidental Pren-her is a woman who finds herself starting up a
business, perhaps for the very first time. She probably has had no, or
very little experience starting up a business, though she may have
exhibited early entrepreneurial leanings as a child. It is most likely
that she has a dream — something she has been thinking about for a very
long time — although she has taken no significant action to foster that
dream’s development.
The “accidental” part comes in because most women, when facing starting up a business for the very first time, say that they never anticipated doing so. They may have been happily working in corporate, academic, or other traditional work places for most of their adult lives until something happened. What happened? Some kind of activating event — something big enough that it required them to view life differently from that point on.
For some, they were downsized. For others, they lost their job by getting laid off or fired. Still others decided they wanted more out of life than working for a paycheck, so they quit. Sometimes the activating event was getting married, becoming a mother, or children growing up and leaving home. The loss of a parent or other loved one caused some women to rethink life. Other activating events include divorce, near fatal accidents, recovery from a serious illness, and, as was the case for me, spiritual awakenings.
Whatever the activating event, all Accidental Pren-hers share a common theme. They know that something unexpected has happened to them and that this event is now shaping who they are and what they do.
Are you an Accidental Pren-her? What unexpected event is currently shaping your life?
Susan L. Reid
The original Accidental Pren-her™Author of Discovering Your Inner Samurai: The Entrepreneurial Woman's Journey to Business Success
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