Why Following Men’s Advice Hurts Women in Business (and What to Do Instead)
For years, women have been given the same business advice as men. Hustle harder. Be more assertive. Push through. Don’t take things personally. Work longer hours.
We’ve absorbed these mantras, believing that if we just toughen up and follow the blueprint that worked for them, we’ll succeed too. But let’s get real for a moment.
That advice was never meant for us.
It was built in a system designed by men, for men. A system that rewards linear, aggressive, non-stop action and punishes intuition, flow, and cyclical ways of working. A system that thrives on competition over collaboration and logic over deep emotional intelligence.
Why This Hurts Women
1. Burnout, Not Breakthroughs – Women are not small men. Our energy moves in cycles. Forcing ourselves into a non-stop hustle mode—one that doesn’t honor rest, intuition, or emotional processing—leads to exhaustion, self-doubt, and a deep disconnect from our natural strengths.
2. Diminishing Feminine Power – The ‘toughen up’ narrative tells us to suppress our emotional intelligence, our ability to nurture, and our deep intuitive knowing. These aren’t weaknesses—they’re superpowers. Yet we’ve been taught to shove them aside in favor of rigid structures that don’t fit.
3. Imposter Syndrome on Overdrive – Women are often told to “speak up more,” “be more confident,” and “just own the room.” But when we try to mimic those behaviors without adjusting for our own natural style of leadership, it feels fake. And that feeling of inauthenticity breeds even deeper imposter syndrome.
4. The Wrong Metrics for Success – Traditional business models celebrate revenue, scaling, and external validation. But what about joy? Ease? Alignment? Purpose? When we measure ourselves against the wrong success markers, we never feel like we’re enough—no matter how much we achieve.
So What’s the Alternative?
If traditional business advice doesn’t work for women, what does? A model built around feminine energy, honoring intuition, creativity, and cyclical rhythms. Here’s how:
1. Work With Your Natural Rhythms – Your energy ebbs and flows. Honor it. Plan deep focus work when you’re energized and creative brainstorming when you feel more introspective. Stop forcing yourself into a productivity model that ignores your body’s wisdom.
2. Redefine Confidence – Confidence isn’t about being the loudest in the room. It’s about knowing your value and standing firm in it. Instead of trying to “fake it till you make it,” start cultivating confidence through alignment—doing work that feels true to you and creating spaces where your strengths shine.
3. Prioritize Connection Over Competition – Women thrive in community. Seek collaboration, build supportive networks, and lean into the power of collective wisdom. Business doesn’t have to be cutthroat—it can be built on genuine relationships and shared success.
4. Measure Success Differently – Instead of only looking at numbers, ask: Does this business feel good? Am I in alignment? Does this support my well-being? When you shift the markers of success, you build a business that actually serves you—not one that drains you.
The world doesn’t need more women trying to fit into a masculine system. It needs women who dare to build differently, who reclaim their feminine power, and who create success on their own terms.
So if you’ve ever felt like business advice from men doesn’t quite click—you’re not crazy. You’re just waking up to the fact that it was never designed for you in the first place.
It’s time to rewrite the rules.
Are you a woman with an online heart-centered business?
Are you wanting to build and grow your business in alignment with how you want to show up in the world? With how you want to live your life? With energies aligned with your ethics, and your values?
Start with these Aligned Business Worksheets today
Heart-Centered Academy
The Heart-Centered Academy facilitates spaces for women to transform their businesses and lives using divine feminine energies.
