If things look and sound different around here, that’s because they are! The difference may not be huge, but it is significant. I am only removing 4 little letters from the name of my podcast and Facebook group but those 4 letters represent a lot as far as what I stand for.
Here’s how all this all got started. I did an interview on another podcast and prepared to share my expertise around marketing and mindset. The interviewer surprised me, however, with the questions they asked. I responded well to the questions, but I still left feeling as though the interviewer missed the bigger picture of the expertise I offer. In some ways, however, I was responsible for the questions being asked at all.
You see, the focus of the interview centered on gender, and that I am a female entrepreneur working with other female entrepreneurs. It never occurred to me that by focusing on Lit “Ladies” it would appear as though I was averse to working with any other genders or gender identities.
I contributed to the problem without fully realizing it. Now I am aware, I will no longer be branding my business as the Lit Ladypreneurs, instead, we will just be the entrepreneurs.
Before I go into my reasoning, I first want to say that this is a very personal decision for me and should have no impact on your business. If you only want to work with women, go for it! But, if after hearing my reasons you feel in your gut you want to make a shift as well, you have my support. I’m not saying it’s right or wrong to niche down by gender. What I am saying is that it no longer feels right for me!
Now, here are the reasons I’ve made this decision!
- I’m an Entrepreneur
- I feel out of alignment with the word, “Ladyprenuer” and other similar phrases. I have never related to the word, “Mompreneur” and while I don’t feel offended by any of these, I realized that I do not need these words and phrases to qualify me or my business. I don’t want a different arena to play in outside of men, I’m an entrepreneur, being female doesn’t play a part!
- I Don’t Need a Safe Place
- I’m not intimidated by men. In fact, I’ve managed and coached men throughout my career and I don’t feel that I need a separate space. I appreciate the differences that men bring and while I value quality, I at no point want to make it appear men don’t have a role to play or that they scare women entrepreneurs. Now, a lot of things that have happened to women across the world and throughout history but my business isn’t the place to address them!
- My Coaching isn’t About How to Balance Mom Life and Entrepreneurship
- I’m a damn good mom but my children are not my why and my coaching isn’t primarily about how to balance everything or the guilt we face while being working parents. In fact, in my marketing, I don’t focus a lot on the fact that I have kids. It’s not because I am trying to hide it but that’s not the center of my brand, and that’s because I love my children and my business and I view them separately!
- It Doesn’t Matter How I Coach My Clients Based on Your Gender
- This breaks my heart, but someone asked me if I would turn away transgender individuals. I hate that this even had to come up! Gender identity has no bearing on my client’s abilities nor my willingness or desire to help them build a wildly profitable business that lights them up!