Everyday there is a new think piece about women and work. These articles insist the dissatisfaction that women feel is a byproduct of the pandemic. However, women have always had a “it’s complicated” relationship with work and Corporate America. At this point we are all survivors with a heighten realization that this one life is precious and fleeting. What we not going to do is place sole blame on a worldwide infectious disease when career unfulfillment for women was a plague in itself before we were hit with a real one!
THE TRUTH IS SETTING US FREE
Growing up, we were sold a lie. The belief was we had to be overly educated and go after coveted corporate jobs to achieve financial independence. This has landed us where we are today – stuck in unfulfilling accidental careers where we are overworked, undervalued, and underpaid!
Women are finally getting the memo that we’ve always had a choice in our career path. It wasn’t necessary to compete for corporate jobs in tech or otherwise because they were lucrative and secure, (as we can see that secure part ain’t holding up).
As we reach a new milestone in our career we understand that financial stability and meaningful work doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive. The truth is setting us free from performing for a paycheck and giving us the confidence to buck the status quo as the only option to getting paid while doing work we value and enjoy!
Having time to think, (even if it was forced) has liberated us from accidental careers that we pursued because they were stable and safe.
UNFULFILLED… THAT PART!
For many, the struggle is real, and starting a side gig can positively affect an unstable household, from increased savings to making up for stagnant wages. Yet, often ignored and unspoken is the fulfillment factor. Women that are making “good money” are at a crossroads. Grateful yet not absolutely content. The bills getting paid is not keeping them up at night, but the soul-sucking job that pays the bills is.
When I started my body care line, Body Blessings, in 2004, finding a creative outline was my why. I was working for a wealth management firm with good pay and benefits; however, unless you’re stealing, there ain’t nothing creative about working in wealth management. Even after I dissolved my beauty brand to keep my day job, I never felt that same exhilaration and satisfaction while working in corporate.
Women often don’t realize the cost of staying at a job just for the paycheck. Working under your potential and leaving parts of yourself at the door can manifest into a host of other issues such as overeating and overspending.
MORE THAN THIS…
Feeling that there has to be more than your 9-5? Well, if no one else is saying it, let me be the first to tell you that you’re not alone. I speak to women all the time that are disillusioned with their careers. They are ambitious, creative, and wicked smart. Still, their expansive skill set is caught up in a corporate chokehold of office politics and limited opportunity for growth.
Many are curious about starting their own business but being an entrepreneur can seems overwhelming and unattainable because it’s often presented as the only way to a super abundant life of freedom or a risky stress-induced adventure for a privileged few. I see it as an unconventional way of making money while bringing ideas to life.
My career has consisted of supporting successful entrepreneurs as well as teaching aspiring entrepreneurs. I’ve found a common theme among all of them and that is there are many paths to starting and running a business. If the word entrepreneur sounds intimating, the term ‘lifestyle entrepreneur’ may resonate because money, life, and personal values get equal weight.
Whether you want to launch a high-growth tech start-up with an entire team or work autonomously as an independent service provider with a few high-net clients, you get to define how you want your business to look. A one women shop sharing in-demand expertise can be a supplement to your day job or replace it. A successful 21st century career is no longer bound by resumes and interviews but proposals and sales calls are just as important qualities to have!
Work and how we earn a living has evolved. Careers don’t have to end the same way they started. Women are leaping from the ladder because we no longer have to choose between making money and career fulfillment. Starting a business doesn’t have to be overly complicated but a brave life-altering way to increase your earning potential while doing work that lights you up all on your own terms!
Looking to turn your expertise into a successful business, but not sure where to start? The Business Foundations & Fundamentals, (BFF) Launch Pad is here to help! This program offers expert guided business training that’s easy to understand and put into practice. Plus, you’ll be joining a community of like-minded women who are all on the same journey of navigating entrepreneurship. The first cohort is enrolling now. Click Here to learn more.
