Women are told that we can be whatever we want to be, yet men still dominate the world of business. We hope to equip you with the knowledge you need to slay the business world one man at a time.
I first got acquainted with the term #GirlBoss, after my TikTok for you page, was jam-packed with content talking about it, which is no surprise seeing as there are over 1.4 million posts using the hashtag on the platform.
As a woman myself, I can’t say I am too mad at a trend that is trying to raise awareness and hopefully boost the sheconomy.
What does boil my blood however is the sad reality that only 20% of companies are led by women, according to the 2023 Rose Review report, showing the lack of girl bosses in the UK.
Clearly, women are eager and, let’s be honest, just as capable as men at business. So why is there such a disparity?
Like I understand that female oppression has been great for men in the past, but with research from another Rose Review Report that claims ‘sustained and concerted effort to help women succeed as entrepreneurs could add around £250 billion of new value to the UK economy’ really makes me question the intelligence of some. (Please don’t make me say the M word)
Before I continue going down a depressing rabbit hole, I’m going to pass over to Jemma Roedel, business owner and author of the bestselling book ‘She thinks like a boss: Leadership’ for some words of wisdom when entering the business world.
She said: “The concept of “She thinks like a boss,” stems from my desire to empower women who have struggled to find their voice in male-dominated environments. My own experiences of being underestimated or talked down to by men in business settings, coupled with similar stories from my clients, ignited a passion in me to focus on boosting women’s confidence
“Thinking like a boss” is more than just a mindset; it’s a movement towards embracing leadership qualities and making a significant impact, grounded in the belief that every woman has the potential to lead with strength and confidence in work and personal life.”
Firstly I think we should give a round of applause for Jemma, who despite the odds, is slaying the business world whilst supporting others to do so. You go girl!
She added: “I think there’s a whole mix of things that make it tough for women to feel like they’re moving up in their careers. You’ve got these old-school gender biases and stereotypes that still hang around in a lot of workplaces, kind of boxing women into certain roles or making folks second-guess their leadership skills. And it doesn’t help when you look up the ladder and see hardly any women in the top spots. It’s like, if you can’t see it, how can you be it?”
As we have established, women can and should be entering the business world, especially when ‘In the UK, the insolvency rate is 70% higher in male-run companies’ reports the KSA group – goodness me!
So where do we begin to show off our girl power?
The simple answer would be to start showing off our incredible leadership skills. However, with research from the United Nations Developments Programme claiming ‘two of five people believe that men make better business executives than women do’, shows that change is needed in how women are perceived in these roles.
We need to know that our efforts will be rewarded and treated with the same respect as men.
Luckily, trends like #Girlboss will hopefully drive the change towards women being welcomed into business spaces and with 47% of businesses started in 2023, by women according to Gusto I am going to remain optimistic.
In my opinion the only thing that threatens these positive trends, are attitudes that continue to devalue women’s true potential in the business world. So the next time we feel anxious, or are intimidated by the ‘capabilities’ of men, remember that the research shows we are just, and sometimes more, capable at men.
Expert Insight: Jemma Roedel
Jemma Roedel is a business owner and a highly acclaimed author of the book ‘She Thinks Like a Boss : Leadership: 9 Essential Skills for New Female Leaders in Business and the Workplace.’, which has become an Amazon bestseller.
Featured image: Adobe Stock
