I look forward to speaking soon (10/8) at the National Center for Employment Ownership’s annual Women’s Summit. This energizing event during Employee Ownership Month brings together and champions women in employee ownership.

Although I am a woman business owner, I typically don’t accept invitations to discuss career development, but this opportunity interested me. The percentage of women in top leadership at ESOP-owned companies is estimated at a lowly 10%, roughly the same level at which women occupy top positions in Fortune 500 companies.

In contrast, the percentage of women ESOP advisors – in legal, banking, and corporate finance, in particular – is much higher than that. Further, national and regional ESOP associations are actively building pipelines of future female leaders, and more daughters of family-owned businesses are gaining the C-suite reins from their fathers. These trends make me evermore optimistic for the future of women in ESOP and family businesses.

Considering my 35-plus years as an ESOP advisor, I recognize the role of luck in my own success. Before founding Verit Advisors in 2009, I was fortunate to work at a bank that grasped and supported the importance of work/life balance, especially for a working mom. Also, I benefited from a supportive spouse and, well, a high energy level.

Moreover, I recognized early on how essential it is to have a network of mentors, advocates, executive peers, and an emotional and personal support group.

These reflections help explain why my address is entitled “How to Get From Here to There.” It will impart practical advice – primarily from my own experience as an entrepreneur, business advisor, and mother of five (born within eight years) – for personal centeredness and professional development.

Here are five key takeaways I hope attendees and women reading this will absorb and employ:

1. Focus on results: The more you center on getting the right things done at work, rather than on sociability, politics or process, and separate them from your compelling duties at home, the more likely you’ll be successful. I strove to concentrate solely on key strategic and high impact job priorities when I was at work. Then, while at home, I embraced my responsibilities as mother and wife, giving in fully to the Buddhist maxim that “when washing the dishes, one should only be washing the dishes”.

I found that managers and senior leaders assessed my success rate and not my “hours behind a desk” when mulling my leadership potential and readiness to handle broader responsibilities. Consequently, my achievements at work meant no boss complained when I began taking the last express train to work so I could have breakfast with my family and then catching the first express train home to spend dinner and evenings with my children. With focus, organization, and flexibility, the work gets done.

2. Check in with yourself constantly: I do it daily. I stop and ask myself if I’m feeling good about the work the firm and I are doing; if I need to correct something; if I’ve overcommitted; and among the myriad of others, does my family know they’re loved? Don’t let outside noise interfere with an honest assessment of your questions. Over time, you will learn to trust yourself. And whatever the conclusion you reach, respond quickly without pausing.

3. Self-advocate fearlessly: It’s essential and, frankly, I firmly believe women need coaching or mentorship on communicating about themselves and their value and expertise. Self-advocacy is critical to drive both personal and organizational success, secure worthy and fair opportunities, and, yes, counter bias. A mentor or coach can help you confidently convey your achievements, ideas, and ambitions while practicing how to communicate persuasively, be assertive, and actively listen .

4. Create a community around you: Business relationships are essential because your own community generates belonging, advocacy, and career momentum. But it’s more than simply exchanging business cards. Research finds that women in business networks often get better promotions or business offers and higher salaries. Simply consider what The Chicago Network, over 550 senior, influential, and diverse executive women leaders across the business, professional, cultural, scientific, medical, nonprofit, and educational sectors, is doing to advance its members, including me. It recently held its intensive one-day Launchpad Women’s Leadership Summit for high potential women to get C-suite ready. Also, The Chicago Network recently established The Rung, a next-generation leadership community. Applications just opened for the inaugural cohort of 40 women who will receive targeted professional development and support, but most importantly, a lifelong peer network. In addition, I lead a Network for the Women on Boards initiative, helping members develop and access board opportunities.

5. Find an activity your partner and you both love: Admit it, you may like theatre while your partner prefers watching sports. It’s vital to identify a common interest or interests you both love because after the kids are grown, it’s easy to grow apart. My husband and I both love ballroom dancing. What began as a weekly date night became a passion that led us to winning amateur championships.

Everyone’s life is different and no single prescription exists for success. But if I had to distill a single call to action for today’s businesswoman, it would be Carpe Momentum. Seize the moment, so you can do, again and again, what’s most important at that moment.