The Inspiring Journey of Ranya Akacha: From Entrepreneur to Corporate to Empowering Entrepreneurs
Have you ever considered the true cost of being an entrepreneur?
Small business owners often face immense challenges, spending countless hours running their businesses, leading to stress and limited family time.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), only 62.2% of businesses that were operating in June 2017 were still active four years later. Additionally, non-employing businesses and micro-businesses have lower survival rates compared to larger firms. Just under 56% and 68% (respectively) survived from June 2010 to June 2014.
The demands of managing daily operations, financial pressures, and the responsibility of sustaining growth can lead to significant stress and limited personal time. For many, the dream of entrepreneurship quickly turns into a relentless grind, impacting both their personal well-being and family life.
In a recent interview on The Uncharted Leader Podcast, Ranya Akacha, Founder of Real Business Matters, shared her remarkable journey from owning a beauty salon while still at university, and running several businesses before turning to a high-flying corporate career and eventually becoming a successful entrepreneur dedicated to helping business owners achieve their dreams.
Ranya’s journey is a powerful reminder that with purpose, resilience, and effective leadership, entrepreneurs can build a successful businesses while living a fulfilling life. Her story inspires business owners to align their work with their values, embrace challenges, delegate effectively, trust their instincts, and celebrate their achievements. For aspiring entrepreneurs and emerging leaders Ranya’s experiences offer valuable lessons in creating a balanced, impactful, and thriving career.
Finding Your Purpose: Why Does Your Business Exist?
Ranya's journey began with a clear purpose: to empower business owners to create their ideal roles and support structures so they can enjoy their business and do what they love. Her consulting firm, Real Business Matters, exists to help stressed-out business owners grow their businesses, achieve work-life balance, and live the life they desire. This purpose stems from Ranya's personal experiences and her desire to see others succeed while maintaining their well-being.
For any business, having a defined purpose is crucial. It not only guides your decisions but also inspires your team and attracts customers who resonate with your values. Ranya's purpose-driven approach demonstrates that understanding why your business exists, who you serve, the problem you’re solving, and the most important value you deliver is foundational to long-term success.
Achievements and Impact: From Motherhood to Entrepreneurship
One of Ranya's greatest accomplishments is becoming a mother. This milestone shifted her perspective, making her realize there is more to life than a corporate career. After her second child, she chose not to return to corporate life, opting instead to run her own consulting business while enjoying the flexibility to spend time with her family.
Ranya's story highlights the impact of aligning your professional life with your personal values and goals. It underscores the importance of creating a business model that allows for a healthy work-life balance, proving that success doesn't have to come at the expense of personal fulfilment.
Leadership and Delegation: Empowering Your Team
A key lesson Ranya learned in her journey is the importance of delegation. She realized that to grow her business and maintain her well-being, she needed to trust others and delegate tasks. This allowed her to focus on what she loves most – supporting small business owners and family-owned businesses.
Effective leadership involves empowering your team, providing them with the right tools and motivation, and fostering a collaborative environment. Ranya's approach to leadership – focusing on solutions, avoiding blame, and celebrating wins – is a blueprint for creating a positive and productive workplace.
Trusting Your Gut and Seeking Support
Throughout her career, Ranya has emphasized the importance of trusting your gut and seeking support. Whether it’s finding the right people for your organization or navigating business challenges, intuition and external advice play crucial roles. Ranya’s success is partly due to her ability to trust her instincts and seek guidance from mentors, peers, and networking groups.
Celebrating Wins and Collaboration
Finally, Ranya believes in the power of celebrating wins, no matter how small. This practice keeps motivation high and fosters a sense of accomplishment within the team. Collaboration and a leader’s role in propelling the success of their team are central to her management philosophy.
“A leader is someone who looks after their team and ensures they have the right support, tools and motivation to reach their full potential. It is someone that is solution focused and doesn’t finger point, or blame” - Ranya
Ignite Your Passion and Amplify the Impact You Have in the World!
Connect with Ranya on LinkedIn and check out her free business assessment at Real Business Matters.
Book a call with Kylee and ask about how the Emerging Leaders Program can help you unleash your hidden potential to lead with purpose and achieve unprecedented growth, while allowing greater clarity, confidence and satisfaction to arise.
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Podcast proudly presented by The Performance Code
