What could one correlate between the artistry of ballet dancing and in running a business? While there are many talented ballerinas who have conquered the business and entertainment arena, what particular discipline and drive in this chosen few can be held essential to an entrepreneurial wannabe? Being tenacious, creative, unbending and disciplined are just some of the amazing characteristics that both ballerina and womenpreneurs possess. Beyond the glitz and glamour of being on stage, the real essence of ballet lies in its perfect blend of commitment and discipline brought about by years of training hardships and self-actualization emanating from the fierce consequence of being on the limelight.

Ballerinas and womenpreneurs are like two outfits cut from the same cloth. Both have to go through certain life and work idiosyncrasies filled with motivations and doubts brought about by some of the usual challenges in society like gender bias, racism, and in some case, prejudice. Like lithe dancers challenging the wind with its gracefulness, womenpreneurs also challenge the usual environmental perspective in doing business.

Womenpreneurs has proven time and again that fierce work ethics, perseverance, and wise use of strength are key ingredients in bringing their prowess on the entrepreneurial centerstage. They challenge the expected, pursue their mission and vision, and carry their own weight amid any uproar or challenges in society. This is almost in the same league as ballerinas who had to contend with the usual stereotypical concept of ballet glamour. By breaking the mold and challenging the usual expectations, womenpreneurs particularly black womenpreneurs continue to shine in the business arena.

So how does one maintain such relevance between ballet discipline and business success? For one, it is important to strike at the core of one’s self-confidence. The main driving factor in propelling one’s entrepreneurial prowess, getting one’s confidence level and staying in that level allow for more motivating factors to let the wheel of success moving forward, with seemingly no reason for stopping. The prevalent measurement of success changes over time but the confidence level in pursuing such remains unquestionable.  There will be skeptics and negative forces but when one’s confidence level is up, no amount of criticism will pull a ballerina or a womanpreneur down.

Confidence complimented with persistence and fierce discipline also helps one build on the momentum. Womenpreneur must learn how to recognize and respond to successes (and failures, too!) to make a huge difference in their entrepreneurial venture. Capitalize on such winning moments while taking heed on the impact of your weakness. Ultimately, this helps to build on momentum and to create strategic actions leading to sustainable growth.

Of course, goals must evolve as one goes through the journey of ballet dancing or in building a business empire.  Being laser-focused on a single goal will not only make you stagnate, it also degrades your sense of growth. Opportunities about out there and it is up to you to set new targets and seize them. Yes, do not be mistaken. The end-goal—business (or dancing) success—is and will always be important. Let it not blind you though, but rather find ways to adapt to any situation.

Another important correlation in business and ballet lies in the organizational structure of a company. Frankly, one cannot do it alone. Ballet production must have both lead roles and supporting casts to deliver an astounding show. In the same way, businesses have team managers and members working cohesively to deliver targets. The key in delivering sound results lies in building a team that shares the same passion, work ethics, and focus. Train and retrain them. Let them not run obsolete on their crafts. Like ballerinas, they need their skills to be honed—all the time.

Indeed, there are glaring similarities and correlation between ballet dancing and doing business. From wise use of skills to dedication, passion, confidence, and the collaborative efforts to deliver positive results, the language and culture of entrepreneurship does not fall far from that of ballet dancing after all.