It’s never too soon to start preparing for your future as an entrepreneur.

Even if you’re working for someone else, you can begin preparing for entrepreneurship down the road. First, learn to speak up and voice your opinion. That’s why they hired you, and that’s what will help you become a great business person. Next, learn to love meetings. Determine the good and the bad about how the meetings are run. If you see a way that’s more efficient, take that knowledge with you when you start your own venture. Next, find a mentor and learn to network. You never know who could help you move up or help you move on. And finally, take credit for your work—just not in a snarky way.

Graduation is upon us, and graduates everywhere are embarking on exciting, new careers. However, a study from the Center for Women’s Leadership at Babson College shows that very few college graduates—especially women—start their own business right after college. In fact, national estimates are somewhere around 2 percent. Instead, women are launching businesses about five to eight years after graduation—and after they’ve spent time in the workforce. What does that mean for you? If you’re about to graduate and you have plans to run your own business sometime in the future, start preparing now. A copy of Real You Incorporated can help.

Know someone who’s about to graduate? Real You Incorporated: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs is the ideal graduation gift. Pick up copies at your local bookstore, go to Amazon.com or visit http://www.realyouincorporated.com/. They’ll be thanking you for years to come!