It's almost like society was set up for women to have less money.
Most small business owners I’ve met live in a place of drama, panic, hustle. I was one of those business owners. I’ve decided that I no longer want to build or run a business that way. Because of this shift, I created an entirely new way to approach startup. I know without a doubt it will create business owners who know how to disengage with drama (which is in opposition to peace + profit) and get back to the work at hand.
Welcome to The Slow Startup– a place to begin a business of purpose, profit, and peace. I’m so happy you’re here.
I was coaching a client yesterday who was beating herself up for how she survived during postpartum depression. Yes, you got that right. We’ll even shame ourselves for not doing depression right.
You put a woman inside a house, all alone, with a baby who needs her every moment, you deprive her of sleep, her hormones are totally whack, she has both facebook and instagram and all the mommy groups ready to tell her that every decision she’s making is wrong AND WE WONDER WHY WOMEN WILL GO TO TARGET AND DO A LITTLE RETAIL THERAPY FROM TIME TO TIME???
Not to mention, that often times now she is fully dependent on a partner who might walk in the door and ask her what she did all day insinuating that sustaining 2 lives is somehow not enough.
Why am I talking about this today? Well, it’s part of our story as women in this country. There are a million stories like this from women of all ages who live in a society that just doesn’t value their contribution of just existing as a woman, as a human.
That effects how women begin and run businesses, and it stops them from starting them to begin with.
Let’s dive in.
YOU HAVE A LOT OF INTERNALIZED THINKING THAT YOU BELIEVE IS JUST WHO YOU ARE.
You are capable of starting, running and thriving within a really cool business.
You are capable of making a lot of money.
You are capable of managing a budget with ease and excitement.
You’re even capable of doing this WHILE having other obligations without turning into a hot-mess express.
Now, tell me what your brain has to say about that (I’ll take a guess):
“It’s possible for other people, but not me.”
“I don’t have enough time.”
“But I have a family to take care of.”
“But I’m just a mom.”
“I don’t have any business experience.”
“What if I fail?”
“I need to convince my husband.”
“I don’t have the energy.”
“But what if no one likes what I have to sell?”
Listen, women, your brain has been primed to be against you. Here’s what it SHOULD be saying (if you hadn’t been socialized to believe all these things about yourself.
“It’s possible for other people, but not me.”
“YEAH GIRL LET’S DO THIS!”
“Your family will be so proud of you.”
“Mom skills ARE the ultimate business skills.”
“You have so much amazing experience to bring to this business.”
“Setbacks are part of business and taking any chances.”
“Let’s create a plan to share with your partner, not for approval but to loop them in and see if they have anything to add.”
“Let’s do what we need to create the right energy for you.”
“No business is for everyone. Let’s find the people that are just for YOU.”
THE BOTTOM LINE: YOUR BRAIN IS AGAINST YOU AND ONLY YOU HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE THAT.
THE WORLD IS NOT IN YOUR CONTROL, BUT ONCE YOUR BRAIN IS NOT AGAINST YOU, BUSINESS WILL BE A MILLION TIMES EASIER.
What lives inside us is a whole jumble of thoughts we want to keep, lots that were given to us that only serve to keep us from exercising our autonomy and god-given talents, and probably some trauma, too.
This jumble of thoughts is what makes business really really hard. When we don’t have the skillset to tell the difference between thoughts that we were given and thoughts that are more authentically-connected to our true desires it is really hard to know ourselves, trust ourselves, utilize our brains and bodies to help us achieve our purpose in the world.
We are meant to contribute.
Confusion is a product given to you by a society that wants you to stay at home and be a support system, not be the head of a household, community, or even this country.
Until we deal with internalized and inherited thinking, women will always earn less than men.