Today I join people around the world in pledging to be a part of a global movement to create a better world for us all by supporting women.
I could devote my words to decrying the abuses and barriers that continue to block the potential of women in entrepreneurship. I could highlight the powerful work that individuals and organizations in our community are doing to smash these barriers. Words and statistics are powerful, but today I am choosing to live this transformation.
My pledge is to create an inclusive space and an entrepreneurial culture that values a feminine way of achieving success.
These tips are not just for women entrepreneurs!
I’m talking about “feminine entrepreneurship” rather than “women’s entrepreneurship” because we all have a balance of masculine and feminine qualities. By embracing more feminine qualities in our actions and mindsets – and proving that we can use them to succeed in business - we are shifting the perception of what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur.
Here’s how I’m celebrating feminine entrepreneurship on IWD2016– and how you can help bring about this paradigm shift by being the change:
1. Bring your whole self to work
As you’re reading this, I am on the dance floor. I’m starting my day by stretching, twirling, and sweating with a room full of Toronto’s brightest early risers at Daybreaker, a morning dance party with a lineup of female DJs. As I dance, I’ll be practicing gratitude for the body that I live in. With every swing of my hips and flip of my hair, from my spinal column to my fingertips, I celebrate being a woman. No matter the size or shape of your booty, it deserves to be shaken. The beautiful irony of today’s Daybreaker party is that it’s taking place at Basecamp Climbing, a former pornography theatre. Today we dance in celebration in a place where, for decades, the female body was exploited and objectified.
How does this express a feminine entrepreneurial paradigm?
The feminine paradigm is one that acknowledges holism: all of the parts that make up our whole selves are intimately interconnected. As entrepreneurs, getting stuck in our heads or trying to rigidly compartmentalize our existence leads to stress, burnout, and creative depletion.
The Shecosystem is made up of living, breathing organisms; organisms who have bodies. Emotions. Families. Souls. Starting my day by connecting with my physical life force (and with my spirit, because for me there is no form of meditation more powerful than dancing) leads to increased productivity, a drop in stress levels, and a reanimation of creative potential.
2. Connect with community + be a mentor or mentee
Tuesdays are always the best day of my week, because – until Shecosystem finds its permanent home – this is when I get to connect face to face with my community of #CoworkingWomen. Every Tuesday Shecosystem brings together an evolving group of female entrepreneurs, freelancers, and mobile workers who spend two hours coworking, networking, and engaging in a facilitated wellness activity. And every week, a different woman from our community steps up as an onsite mentor. Join us!
How does this express a feminine entrepreneurial paradigm?
Community is one of the core values of the coworking movement, and is central to a feminine paradigm for the working world. We live in an age where, despite the devices and virtual networks that connect us, we’re starved for authentic and intimate interactions. Shecosystem is creating a space where entrepreneurial communities can connect in person. Belonging to a trusting, engaged and mutually supportive community is what draws people out of their home offices.
The relationships between our community members have been both personally and professionally rewarding: women have gained new clients, promoted their products, accessed mentors and connected with B2B service providers.
Women know the value of community in our souls. The village to raise a child. The ancient and universal power of talking circles. Current best practise in global economic development has come to rely on the feminine value of community, because of its proven multiplier effect: when we invest in women, they turn around and reinvest in their communities. Community is central to the feminine paradigm and is naturally intertwined with other core feminine values such as empathy, non-hierarchical structures, and co-creation.
3. Advocate for yourself + share an authentic message
Tonight I will be sharing this message with Startup Toronto at their monthly networking event. There are over 100 people registered – a diverse group of founders at all different stages of the entrepreneurial journey. I was asked to talk about women’s entrepreneurship and decided to take this opportunity to shout my message from the rooftop – it’s time for a feminine paradigm for entrepreneurs. Not just entrepreneurs with vaginas.
How does this express a feminine entrepreneurial paradigm?
A key to success in feminine entrepreneurship is empowering ourselves to express our authentic gifts without fear or shame. We need to recognize the value that we provide our clients, customers, colleagues, and selves when we serve our soul’s purpose. We are our own best teachers, and when we tap into our inner guru, we emerge with a message that deserves to be in the spotlight.
In a culture of personal branding, feminine entrepreneurs know that if our ‘brand’ is not truly aligned with our core values, we won’t be able to sustain and grow it. If your personal brand says more about your degrees or your ego than it does about your soul’s gift, people will see through it. No matter how marginalized your perspective has been in the past, no matter how small your voice is, give yourself permission to sing your unsung song and trust that it will resonate with the people who need to hear it.
4. Choose collaboration over competition
Tonight at 8PM EST I will be joining other female entrepreneurs as an affiliate of The Yoga Goddess, Zahra Haji’s “Not Psycho, Period.” Movement. We’re raising our voices to end the shame and start celebrating our cycles. Zahra is showing anyone who menstruates that your cycle – rather than a curse or an inconvenience – is actually a navigational tool that can help you plan your month in terms of times to get out there and network, times to harness your creative juices, and times to rest and nurture yourself. It’s not too late to register for Zahra’s online Period Party – come celebrate with us!
How does this express a feminine entrepreneurial paradigm?
The Shecosystem is an interconnected and mutually supportive system. In a feminine paradigm, entrepreneurs thrive not by climbing over each other to reach the top but by supporting one another so that we all rise to be our best selves. Zahra supported me last year as a committee member and presenter at G Day Toronto, and I am happy to have an opportunity to support her. Countless other people in my community – not to mention my so-called “competitors” in the coworking industry - have provided mentorship, referrals, time and insight. They’ve held space for my ideas to take shape, and shared their feedback and expertise. The working world needs this shift away from the competitive mindset to a more collaborative and compassionate framework.
5. Join in sisterhood with feminists around the world
On International Women’s Day I celebrate being part of a global groundswell. Every day I feel a sense of solidarity and affirmation when I see all of the organizations and individuals around the world who are choosing to devote their energy toward empowering female entrepreneurs. Forbes magazine said that in 2016, the force will be with women entrepreneurs – and I am feeling the force. From networks and social campaigns that unite us to angel investors that feed us, to a growing list of female founders who inspire us - this movement is gaining momentum worldwide.
How does this express a feminine entrepreneurial paradigm?
Women around the world are moving towards ever greater empowerment and the world as a whole is recognizing that gender parity will help us create positive change in social, economic, and cultural spheres. The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is Pledge for Parity.
There is still inequity, from the village to the C-suite. Significant barriers still exist to achieving parity. But on International Women’s Day – and every freaking day - I am proud be part of a global sisterhood that is working toward this important paradigm shift. When we unite as a global force, there is no limit to our power.