My Feminist Business Practices--and why you should create your own!
I'm working on a new website (so excited) and one of the most important things I want on that site is my Feminist Business Practices. This has been inspired by one of my mentors, Kelly Diels.
Why?
Because:
By stating them clearly I create awareness that I am very consciously and deliberately creating a Feminist Business--which means I am doing business differently from the old, Patriarchal methods we are used to.
I want to inspire people to do the same!
I want to encourage people to question their business practices -- from a curious standpoint, not from a judgmental standpoint -- and discover the places and ways they are doing business "just because that's how it is done."
Mostly--because I passionately believe that how we do business is SO IMPORTANT. I believe that we can change the world by doing business differently.
Thinking through and creating my Feminist Business Practices has been crucial to me creating integrity and alignment in my business. Creating this structure has truly SET ME FREE!
It is important to know that this is a work in progress. As I learn and grow, these practices will be further defined and added to. I hope these inspire you! I'd love to hear what you think.
Is there anything obvious that I'm missing?
My Feminist Business Practices:
Feminist Business Practice #1: I am committed to doing no harm. Although this is my commitment, I am aware that at some point, most likely more than once, I will unintentionally cause harm. When I cause harm, I will listen openly to the person or people I have harmed and I will do all in my power to make things right, to learn, to share what I've learned, and to grow as a person and a business owner.
Feminist Business Practice #2: I am committed to creating a better, more just world. I invest regularly in my growth, specifically my continued DEI training. To date, I have invested in programs with Trudi LeBron, Andrea Ranae, and the Check Your Privilege community.
Feminist Business Practice #3: I am committed to acknowledging and giving credit to the people who I have learned from and been influenced by. I believe in supporting people, sharing their voices, and giving credit where credit is due. I take a stand against opaqueness in business, and against hiding who my resources are.
Feminist Business Practice #4: I am committed to transparency. I believe it does not do anyone any good if I hide my truth. This does not mean I am required to disclose the deepest, most tender parts of me, however I am committed to sharing my process with openness and clarity.
Feminist Business Practice #5: I am committed to unlearning and unhooking myself from Patriarchal Marketing (what is often referred to as Bro Marketing). Practices of creating lack, psychological manipulation and triggers, false urgency, manipulating the idea of "social proof", and other Patriarchal Marketing techniques are so embedded in our culture and I do not wish to participate in them any longer. If ever I unknowingly participate in these practices, I will make things right.
Feminist Business Practice #6: I will not speak on a panel or event (online or in person) in which the speakers are disproportionately white. I am committed to discussing this with the event organizers from a place of calling in and raising awareness of this and influencing change when possible.
Feminist Business Practice #7: I am committed to showing up as real on social media. This means doing my best NOT to manufacture a fantasy of some perfect life I'm living, as I do not want to contribute to the already unattainable ideal that is set forth in social media. I have felt harmed by this and I know my friends, clients, and colleagues have felt harmed by this fantasy as well. This does not mean I will never brush my hair or throw on lipstick before a photo or live--I most likely will (but sometimes won't)! It does mean I will do my best to provide a no BS view of my vision and my life.
Feminist Business Practice #8: I pay people who work for me and with me a living wage of a minimum of $30 an hour. The idea of taking advantage of people--of wringing them dry while paying them the least amount possible--is decidedly Patriarchal and harm causing. Period.
Feminist Business Practice #9: I unapologetically am committed to making money in my business, without shame. It is not Feminist to not make a living. I encourage you to do the same. As Kelly Diels says, "If a Feminist business isn't flourishing, it isn't a Feminist business."
Feminist Business Practice #10: I do not charge extra for payment plans, as currently it takes me almost no additional effort to set them up. I have long felt uncomfortable charging extra for these plans because I understood that people who could not afford to pay for the whole program up front are people that don' have access and privilege to funds--and charging extra for a payment plan was punishing those people that could least afford it. I want everyone to have access to my work. I also have discovered that payment plans benefit me by creating recurring, reliable monthly income! I do love it when people pay everything up front, and invite that. But for those that can't, I celebrate that as well!
Feminist Business Practice #11: I am allowed to change and grow. I am a work in progress. I will make mistakes and errors. There will be typos...and worse! When this happens, I am committed to cleaning things up. I am allowed to be human. My clients are allowed to be human. My coaches are allowed to be human.
I hope it has been helpful and inspiring to read through these! What are your Feminist Business Practices? What are you getting curious about? What do you do in your business "just because that's what I was taught" that feels out of alignment to you?