Women as Business Owners

The world has become more progressive, but ladies, we still have work to do.

When I started Auntie Liz, LLC, I received these questions: 1) Is your husband okay with this? 2) Won’t you get tired of doing this? 3) Won’t this affect your time that you could be spending with your husband? 4) Will this interfere with when you start a family?

Big oof. I can almost guarantee that these are not questions new, male business owners have to encounter. On the outside, maybe these questions seem harmless. I assure you, they are not. The following are my responses. They are undoubtedly salty, but ladies, we can’t get anywhere by catering conversations like these to the comfort of others anymore.

1. I am not beholden to my husband. We discuss big decisions together, as equals, and I decide what I will do from there. His opinion matters greatly to me, but he does not decide what I will do (and he knows and respects this). Ladies, you are NOT beholden to men. You are beholden to yourself.
2. I have cleaned houses since I started college. Why would owning a business suddenly cause me to develop a distaste for the work? Do you ask men this question?
3. My husband and I admittedly have a unique relationship. We both have varying interests that we pursue individually. We both enjoy autonomy. There are things we do together, but we don’t expect one another to spend all of our free time dedicated to each other. We grow side-by-side, not mutually dependent.
4. WHEN? Since I have a uterus, I am expected to have children? Big mistake. First of all, a woman’s plan for their future in regard to procreating is none of anybody’s business and I am tired of people thinking it is. For the record, both my husband and I do not wish to have children. Even if we did, I repeat my question from above, would you ask a man this question? What is it about being a woman that makes people think we can’t handle multiple responsibilities? Historically, we can and we do it with greater ease than men. I am in no way saying women are superior to men, but I find it particularly aggravating that there seems to be the thought that women just can’t deal.

How do we change conversations? This is not an easy question to answer. I think the best way to start is simply to question our thought processes. Ask yourself why you want to ask certain questions or why you expect an individual to fail. Is it based off of fact or perception or bias? Another way to incite change is to be the change. Make a conscious effort to support businesses that stand for things you care about; green alternatives, women-owned, black-owned, inclusive businesses, etc. I’ve found that, more often than not, the businesses in the following categories are usually small businesses. If you need recommendations for businesses in one or more of these categories, contact me. I will set you up. This is important. Be the change!