Okay, let’s get real. I’m typing this from a coffee shop where my “office” today is a sticky table next to someone’s abandoned croissant crumbs. Three years ago, I’d have been stress-crying in a corporate bathroom stall during lunch breaks. Now? I’m sipping an overpriced matcha while my skincare side hustle pays my mortgage. Wild, right?
Last week, my aunt asked me that question at family dinner: “But when are you getting a real job?” 🙃 Let’s unpack why women’s entrepreneurship still terrifies people – and why that’s exactly why we need to do it.
The ‘Pretty Little Hustle’ Myth (And Why We Need to Smash It)
Society loves women’s businesses…as long as they’re “cute.” Baking cupcakes? Adorable! A $2M tech startup? Record scratch “Are you sure honey?” A 2023 American Express study found women launch 1,817 new businesses DAILY in the US…yet receive just 2% of venture capital. That’s not a glass ceiling – that’s a concrete bunker.
My wake-up call? When my male coworker got promoted after presenting MY market research as his own. I quit that week. Started selling handmade candles that now fund my team of 8 badass women. Was it scary? Hell yes. But here’s what no one tells you: Fear makes better fertilizer than comfort ever could.
The 3am Panic Attack Protocol (You’re Welcome)
Let’s normalize the ugly parts:
1. The Money Shame Spiral 💸
That voice whispering “Who do you think you are?” isn’t yours – it’s centuries of women being told wealth is unfeminine. Historical fun fact: Until the 1970s, US women needed male co-signers for business loans. Our grandmothers literally couldn’t open bank accounts. When I hit six figures, I ugly-cried…then hired a financial coach to unlearn my scarcity mindset.
2. The “Good Girl” Hangover 👠
We’re socialized to be likable, not leaders. My first investor meeting? I apologized 14 times in 20 minutes. For existing. In my own company. Now I use a “Sorry Jar” – every unnecessary apology costs me $5. Last month’s total funded a killer team dinner.
3. Failure ≠ Flamingo Yard Art 🦩
That viral “embrace failure!” crap? Toxic positivity. My first product launch flopped harder than a TikTok dance challenge. Instead of forced gratitude, I grieved properly: 1 ugly-cry shower, 3 true crime documentaries, then a forensic post-mortem with my mentor. Turns out I’d ignored my Latina customers’ feedback. Lesson learned: Resilience isn’t pretty – it’s strategic.
Building Your Wolfpack (No Plastic Pink Blazers Required)
Isolation kills startups faster than bad WiFi. My survival kit:
– The Hype Hag: My best friend who texts “YAS QUEEN” at 3am deadlines
– The Reality Rebel: My no-BS accountant who says “Cool vision, now pay your taxes”
– The Zen Zilla: My meditation-obsessed VA who schedules my breakdowns between Zoom calls
Pro tip: Trade “networking” for mutual aid. I exchange business coaching with a chef who teaches my team stress-baking. Your community isn’t your competition – it’s your crop rotation.
Why Financial Freedom Feels Like Revenge (And That’s Okay)
My proudest moment? Buying my parents’ house after the bank foreclosed it during the 2008 crash. Money isn’t everything…until it’s the difference between dignity and desperation.
But here’s the secret sauce: Profit with purpose. For every serum we sell, we fund business workshops for incarcerated women. Because true wealth isn’t just what you keep – it’s what you create for others.
Your Turn, Sis 👇
Still reading? Good. Because the world needs your weird, wonderful brainchild. Start small but start messy:
– Monetize that hobby people call “a phase”
– Slide into the DMs of that local business owner you admire
– Replace “Can I really do this?” with “What if I CAN?”
And when Aunt Karen asks about your “little project”? Smile sweetly and say: “It’s not little – but my profit margins are.” 💅
