Natasha Graziano & Alisa Jacobs | Mindset, Brand & Feminine Leadership | Coffeez Ep. 302

Now, I wanna talk about women in power in this society navigating through a male-dominated industry.

There's power, credibility, navigating influence.

What's your take on that?

I think that it's not always about femininity or masculinity or male versus female.

It's about environments, and are those environments safe and supportive and strategic in ways that everyone has a shot? I think in certain industries, no, we are not there yet, and it takes a lot of support and a lot of extra effort to even get a seat at the table or to step into power roles, right? But I do think that things are shifting, and I do think that it comes down to credibility.

It comes down to confidence too.

The biggest piece that I've had to learn was[laughs] Someone shared with me recently, "No one's coming to save you." And it sound- it always sounds very morbid, like-

Mm-hmm

... well, gee, thanks.

But as women, we are growing up on Disney complex, which by the way was totally toxic in hindsight, and we are growing up on the- the white knight.

And I think in business you don't always advocate for yourself.

You don't always come in with a certain ferocity or readiness because men respectfully, at 60%, feel like, "Okay, it's good enough." And most women, till 98%, don't wanna let that fly.

And so whether it's advocating for your salary or your rate as a entrepreneur, whether it's the confidence to step into something that you've never stepped into...

Natasha and I were talking about this earlier, like I've always been a hard way learner.

I learned to swim in the deep end literally, not metaphorically.

I learned to ski on the black diamond literally, not metaphorically.

[laughs]

Every job I've ever had I was either other only or youngest, and so I've ha- never had a choice to have imposter complex even when I did because it was always sink or swim.

And I think that allows you a certain level of not necessarily confidence, but capability where you just know it's going to be okay.

You don't know how, you don't know when, you don't know where.

For men, they're not required that same level of certainty.

And so a lot of times growing up, and- and particularly white men in America, but globally in general, there's a more, uh, expected way, right? That you're supposed to be decisive, you're supposed to be confident, you're supposed to come in, which also isn't fair to men because not every man is so sure and ready, and there has to be a bit of a balance.

So I think that navigating that looks like, yes, acknowledging it and making sure that you weaken your weaknesses and strengthen your strengths.

But also, I don't wanna say ignoring it, because you can't ignore it, but one of the things that we were also speaking to is you can either focus on what's working or focus on what's not working.

And the more attention you give something, the more intention you have.