Three Ways Women Entrepreneurs Can Own Their Femininity in Business

By: Olivia Liveng and Carly Orris

Women are empowered when they lean into their feminine sides. When we celebrate and bask in our femininity, we can thrive in the business spectrum instead of giving into a mentality that being feminine and vulnerable can signify weakness.

There are many ways to utilize our femininity and hone in and, further, grow. Find below three ways female entrepreneurs can own their femininity in their business instead of being shadowed by it.

Show up authentically to the workplace.

Showing up authentically is the most successful way to honor our true selves: As women, we must tap into our feminine emotions and let them show, not be dimmed.

Throughout history, women have often muted their femininity to compete with men, especially in the workplace. Men have set a precedent in most industries, and women entering the field felt they had to mimic this masculine energy.

Female reiki and intuitive wholistic life coach Jacarina Soto believes that this old way of thinking should be no more: you need to own your feminine power and allow yourself to take up space. “Allow your natural voice, personality, and mannerism to come through,” said Soto. “Embrace your uniqueness and self-expression!”

Leading with femininity in a work environment means that women need to stop apologizing for being themselves. Brooke Rozmenoski, a fitness and hormonal health coach, is constantly working with clients to authentically and radiantly show up, both physically and mentally.

“I have found the more I have unapologetically made choices that felt best to me and tuned out the opinions of others, the more I’ve grown personally and professionally,” she said. It is more common for females than male counterparts to worry about their peers’ thoughts, and therefore drown in waves of anxiety.

There is a fix to this, however, says Rozmenoski. “When we start to share our struggles and how we can overcome them, we realize we aren’t the only ones in the room with the same issues, fears, and concerns,” she said. “We can grow as an entrepreneur and connect with others that go through the same. We are sharing and showing up as our true self brings freedom to the body and mind and allows opportunities to come.”

[Related: Empowering Men as Allies Part 2: Crafting Diversity Stories]

Value community over competition.

As women entrepreneurs, we often question our abilities, compare ourselves to competition, and question if there is room for us in the fields we aspire to break into. The answer? There is always plenty of room in the room, but we must remember to focus on community over competition.

We as women critically need to collaborate and work together instead of tearing potential competition down. After all, if we lead with this energy, there is enough opportunity and abundance to go around.

MJ Thomas, a female business owner who went from meager beginnings to owning MalayaMade Pro Lash Academy, two studios with ten resident artists, believes that all entrepreneurs are here to do the same thing: serve the community. She had the opportunity to team up with other beauty entrepreneurs in her small town and shared space with them during the pandemic as they were rebuilding. “Work doesn’t need to be competitive — we get farther together,” she explained.

For far too long historically, women have had to compete with each other to move into higher-ranking positions. Soto believes that as women, we have the power to change the narrative. “We no longer need to view each other in that light,” said Soto. “We can raise each other, support each other. There is enough space for all of us to be successful and thrive.”

[Related: Can We Count You In?]

Be mindful to set boundaries.

When showing up as our true selves and collaborating with others, both as entrepreneurs and human beings, we need to be mindful of the boundaries of ourselves and others. This means that throughout the chaos of life, we continue to keep ourselves top of mind and not disperse all our energy to others.

Setting boundaries isn’t as much about time management as it is prioritizing where our power goes. Sometimes we feel guilty when we have to say no to opportunities or obligations for fear of disappointing others or ourselves.

Rozmenoski believes that when we don’t prioritize where our energy is going, we lose the time we need to take care of ourselves. Energy management is one of the primary topics she reinforces, as she finds her female clients critical of so many areas of their lives.

“As females, we give much more of ourselves than we need to because self-sacrifice as a woman is somehow seen as the qualification of a good mother and friend,” she said. This outpour of energy necessarily makes women end up feeling drained and overwhelmed.

It’s easy to spread ourselves and our feminine energy too thin. Thomas understands this feeling of expending her feminine energy too well, as she has had moments where she’s been burning the candle at both ends.

She preserves her power to thrive during the workweek by reserving Sundays exclusively for the family. “I time block my schedule during the week with hard stops and listen to my body when I need rest,” she said. “It sounds like a luxury, but your mind, body, and spirit need it. Don’t be afraid to allow yourself the time to thrive.”

Tapping into our feminine energy in the workplace is not only helpful, but necessary to survive and thrive in the workplace.

[Related: Women: It’s Time to Speak Up and Stand Together]

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Olivia Liveng (nee Balsinger) is an experienced storytelling coach, brand strategist, entertainment producer, and CEO of Liveng Public Relations, an agency amplifying hospitality, tourism, and female voices. She’s also an award-winning travel journalist, with bylines in Fodors, Forbes, New York Post, Business Insider, and LA Style. Find her on Instagram at @livliveng.

Carly Orris is a freelance writer and publicist based in New York. Her writing focuses on female empowerment, travel, entertainment, and lifestyle. Find her on Instagram at @carlyorris.

Originally published at https://www.ellevatenetwork.com.