Okay, real talk – have you ever sat in a coffee shop ☕ pretending to work on your laptop while secretly eavesdropping on the group next to you discussing their start-up’s valuation? Same, girl. But here’s the kicker: Last week, I realized I was the one people were side-eyeing during my Zoom call with investors. Plot twist: My homemade candle business (yes, the one I started during that breakup era 🕯️) just hit six figures. Let’s unpack why women are absolutely crushing entrepreneurship right now – and why your “silly little hobby” might actually be your golden ticket.
First, let’s drown in some delicious data 🍷: Women are launching businesses at 1.5x the rate of men in the U.S., and female-founded companies generate 78 cents of revenue for every dollar male-founded ones do… with 50% less funding. Translation? We’re literally doing more with less while wearing cuter shoes 👠. Take my friend Clara, who turned her pandemic sourdough obsession into a gluten-free bakery empire after realizing store-bought options “tasted like cardboard.” Her secret weapon? TikTok tutorials showing failed batches (BreadFails got her 100K followers).
But here’s the tea 🍵: Our “soft skills” are actually economic superpowers. A Harvard Business Review study found women score higher in 13 of 19 leadership competencies – including conflict resolution and mentoring. Translation? That time you mediated your cousin’s bridesmaid drama 💍? CEO material. My darkest hour came when a supplier ghosted me before Christmas (RIP my 500-unit order). Instead of panicking, I crowdsourced local stay-at-home moms through a Facebook group to hand-pour emergency batches. We hit deadline and created a new “Community Collection” line.
Let’s get uncomfortably vulnerable: I almost quit 37 times. There’s a special kind of hell in being asked “Is this your real job yet?” at family gatherings 🥴. The game-changer? Tracking “micro-wins” in a glitter notebook ✨: First $100 day, first wholesale client, first time someone recognized my logo in public. Pro tip: Follow @TheFemaleHustler’s “Rage-to-Riches” journaling method – it’s therapy meets business plan.
Now, the spicy truth no one tells you: Entrepreneurship isn’t about being “fearless.” It’s about being recklessly curious. That time I cold-emailed a Homegoods buyer? Got a “no”… then asked for feedback… then reformulated my packaging… then landed a contract. Turns out, 72% of investors say women’s pitches are more thoroughly researched (per PitchBook), even if we feel like imposters.
Your homework tonight? Grab that thing you dismiss as “just a hobby.” Now imagine if 1,000 people paid you for it. Scary? Good. As Glennon Doyle says, “We can do hard things” – especially while wearing sequined leggings. 💃