If you’re looking for quotes for women in business that actually mean something, pull up a chair! It feels like a lifetime ago now, but a few short years ago, I was a high school teacher. I loved my students. I loved making a difference. However, I did not love what my career was doing to me. After 10 years in the classroom, I was fully burned out and knew I had to make a change.

Like many other multi-passionate, creative women in their 30s, I found my way to entrepreneurship. I started a virtual assistant business with no prior knowledge and a real f&*$ it mentality. It was either gonna work or it wasn’t, but I had to give it a go.

Flash forward to today. I’m a few years into my business, managing Pinterest and writing blogs for other small business owners. Somewhere along the way, the burnout lifted and I got my life back. So, when I tell you I know what it feels like to be standing on the edge of a giant career change with stress sweat and a Google Doc full of cringey business slogans, I really do mean it.

If you’re in the middle of leaving a career that’s draining you or trying to work through your first few years in business, this post is for you. I rounded up the 16 best quotes for women in business that got me through the roughest parts of entrepreneurship.

Some are about fear. Some are about starting before you’re ready. All of them helped me keep going on the days I really wanted to give up.

These motivational quotes for entrepreneurs obviously aren’t going to build your business for you. But the right line at the right moment can be the thing that gets you to open your laptop and try again.

Here are the ones that did it for me.

Inspirational Quotes for Women in Business to Bookmark and Come Back To

When You’re Considering a Career Change

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” — C.S. Lewis, author

“What would you do if you weren’t afraid?” — Sheryl Sandberg, former COO of Meta

“Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” — Steve Jobs, co-founder and CEO of Apple

“Stepping onto a brand-new path is difficult, but not more difficult than remaining in a situation which is not nurturing to the whole woman.” — Maya Angelou, poet and activist

“Nothing changes if nothing changes.” — Unknown

When You’re Ready to Launch

“The scariest moment is always just before you start. After that, things can only get better.” — Stephen King, author

“Stay afraid, but do it anyway. What’s important is action. You don’t have to wait to be confident. Just do it, and eventually, the confidence will follow.” — Carrie Fisher, actress

“The most effective way to do it is to do it.” — Amelia Earhart, aviator

“If you’re not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you’ve launched too late.” — Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn

“There’s no shortage of remarkable ideas, what’s missing is the will to execute them.” — Seth Godin, author and entrepreneur

“Done is better than perfect.” — Unknown

When You Feel Like Quitting

“Dreams are lovely. But they are dreams. Fleeting, ephemeral, pretty. But dreams do not come true just because you dream them. It’s hard work that makes things happen. It’s hard work that creates change.” — Shonda Rhimes, TV producer and screenwriter

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” — Nelson Mandela, activist and former President of South Africa

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” — Thomas Edison, inventor and businessman

“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.” — Michael Jordan, basketball player

“You never know what’s around the corner. It could be everything. Or it could be nothing. You keep putting one foot in front of the other, and then one day you look back and you’ve climbed a mountain.” — Tom Hiddleston, actor

Add Your Inspirational Quote to the List

These are the quotes that worked for me. Every small business owner’s list looks a little different. The lines that really hit depend on where you are, what you’re scared of, and what you needed to hear that day. So tell me… what’s a quote that’s gotten (or getting) you through? Leave a comment below and let’s inspire anyone reading this list. ❤️