The Pros & Cons of the Girl Boss Culture - a podcast by Brandi Sea

Podcasts







Season 3, Chapter 4























There are so many preconceived ideas about what it’s like to be a business owner—particularly a female one. Today, I’d like to talk to you about the realities of what it’s like to be a “girl boss”, and what it’s like to be a part of the culture that comes along with it.















































People always talk about the glamour of being a boss babe, but they never talk about the realities of being a female entrepreneur. While it’s great to be encouraging and positive, there is also a harsh reality to being a business owner— it’s not all sunshine and rainbows every day. It’s hard work. People only see the picture-perfect part of what we do because that’s what we choose to share. So, let’s talk about the misrepresentations about the business. The first thing I want to address is the constant question we have of whether or not we should start our own business. Should I quit my job? Should I become a boss babe? Why? If I’m happy at my job, why should I leave? That being said, misrepresentation number one is that working for someone else is always a bummer. For me, the decision to work for myself stemmed from the struggle of balancing motherhood with corporate work life. I was working as a Publishing Director, but was having a tough pregnancy that required me to be on bed rest. What that meant for me was I was constantly having to leave work and rest while simultaneously keeping up with my directorial duties. Knowing that this wasn’t sustainable, and that I wasn’t going to be okay with my entire paycheck going to daycare when my son was born, I made the decision to start working for myself. I started tossing around ideas of what it would be like to choose my own clients, not having to work on projects I didn’t want to, and making the design world a better place. Much to my dismay, I slowly had to come to terms with the fact that the things I valued and enjoyed aligned better with being a business owner than with being an employee. Let me preface the rest of this by saying: you don’t have to be a solopreneuer to be a boss babe. If you are doing well at your job—whatever it is—you are already a boss babe. A lot of being a business owner is just problem solving. If that’s not something that interests you, then owning a business is not for you and there’s nothing wrong with that. Make yourself a pro and con list about keeping your job or being a business owner. Weigh your options and follow the results! The next misrepresentation we always hear is that anyone can be a business owner. I am constantly seeing ads online geared toward women making them feel inferior if they’re still working 40 hours a week at a regular job. There are so many amazing businesses out there who are hiring people with exciting workplaces and flexible hours. There are jobs you can find where you believe in the company and share their values. Not every “regular” job is miserable, so not everyone wants or needs to start their own business. If you’re unsure whether or not you want to, or even can, start your own business, try Sean Wes’ tactic of the Overlap Technique. This is when you continue working your regular job, but start working the business you’re interested in on the sid...

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