It’s not uncommon for girls who grow up in a patriarchal society to wonder if being a boy would be better; to see masculinity as more powerful than femininity. That was the case for Emily LaFave Olson, but a conversation with her mom led her to a realization that changed her life (and her perspective on the feminine).

Emily is a fierce entrepreneur whose choice to take back her maiden name and become co-CEOs with her husband sets her apart as a woman unafraid to ask for what she wants. We cover a lot of ground in this episode, like how to manage the voice inside our heads that tells us we’re not good enough or smart enough, why women often struggle to ask for what they want, and how to get in touch with the inner feminine in a hyper-masculine world.

Show Notes:
-Emily’s childhood: Growing up close to her dad, a natural leader, and always believing she could do whatever a boy could do. [3:14]
-Teaching herself to cook from magazines and beginning to see the world through the lense of food. [9:30]
-College years, their first business, and feeling “not smart enough”. [13:12]
-Why she had to reach out to her parents to help reconcile her inner critic and her huge realization about the power and strength of the feminine. [20:40]
-Standing up to fear: When and how it clicked that she needed to change her name back and become co-CEOs with her husband. [25:57]
-How to get what you really want, plus the importance of her husband’s participation in her vision. [30:55]
-On internalized patriarchy, making Big Asks, and why women have a hard time demanding what we want. [33:52]
-How to get in touch with the inner-feminine while surrounded by hyper-masculinity at work. [39:54]

Music: Lucia Lilikoi at lucia.bandcamp.com

Episode Sponsor: UENO at ueno.co