Grace Lanuza is a mom, CEO, and business partner.
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”
Anais Nin
What does it mean for anyone to take a risk they’re fearful of? Some say I’m a risk-taker, which usually gets me in trouble. It’s true – I’m risky, but not reckless (aside from getting bangs in grade nine, a regret to this day)! On a more serious note, what do entrepreneurs risk every day of their lives? Everything. When it comes to entrepreneurship, I’m what East Van folks call: “ride or die.”
As a serial entrepreneur, single mom, and abusive relationship survivor, risk and failure isn’t something I shy away from. Why? Because with options, there is no scarcity mindset.
Taking a risk not tied to an outcome creates an abundance of opportunities. In business, I’m often asked if I feel women have a long way to go regarding entrepreneurship. Definitely. Do women perpetuate the cycle of being seen as “less than,” and are they pushed to “acting like a man” in the boardroom? Absolutely. I’ve seen this happen repeatedly.
For the purpose of this piece, I’ll call out the gender of my male assistant. Whenever I say to a male client, “My assistant Joshua will follow up with a meeting placeholder,” it’s business as usual. When it’s a female client, the response is, “Oh, you have a male assistant? Is he cute/single?” Excuse me? Highly inappropriate and the very thing that perpetuates the cycle. If it was the other way around, there’d be an uproar.
Why the need to validate roles with “cutesy” labels. Real empowerment comes when we go toe-to-toe with anyone regardless of gender, and as equal business allies. Instead of “gender-ising” labels, invite men who can handle women in their full feminine self to join the conversation.
Today, I choose global impact in business and work alongside my partner and biggest supporter, Jonathan Parsons, because he fully believes in the power of women in business, and me as a mom, CEO, and business partner.
No cutesy labels needed.
Connect with Grace:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/itsmegracel
