In honor of International Women’s Day we asked our founder, Eryne Sarabin, to share her thoughts on being a woman and running a successful business. This is what she had to say:
Stephanie Bennett-Henry said it best, “Life is tough, my darling, but so are you.”
When I was originally asked to write this post it occurred to me that we are a 100% female owned and operated business and with that in mind, I realized that this post couldn’t just be about me. It needed to capture the thoughts and reflections from every woman on our team, all seven of us. Each individual brings a sense of accomplishment, ideals, and their own unique goals, perspectives, and values to our group. And that to me makes for a dynamic, tenacious, and an unstoppable force.
So, with that in mind, I asked each of them – these fine, strong, independent and irreplaceable women – what IWD means to them:
Ali: To me, it’s a celebration of how far women have come. I love it because it’s a day about celebrating the women in our lives and the authentic intention behind it. It’s a day to be more mindful and recognize the beauty in individuality. It’s a reminder that everyone needs to be involved in creating a world where everyone is equal.
Kassidy: Being a woman is such an amazingly powerful thing. International Women’s Day is an opportunity to continue to challenge the norms, open up some tough conversations, and reflect on how far we have come. This year’s theme is #BreakTheBias and I think it is important for all of us to consider our unconscious biases so that each of us as individuals can move past these deep rooted thoughts toward more intentional ways of thinking. We are strong, we are capable, and we are worthy of equality and empowerment.
Lindsay: When I think about International Women’s Day, I am filled with gratitude for all of the women before me who have paved the way for women’s rights and for all of the women who are still seeking equality for all of us. As a granddaughter, daughter, sister, and mother I am proud to be a strong woman, in a family of strong women and I hope that my daughter knows that she is capable of anything she sets her mind to.
Nikki: To me, International Women’s Day is a time to reflect, celebrate, and lift up the women in the world who make it a better place. I am lucky to be surrounded by women who are driven, humble, dedicated, brilliant and strong in both my personal and professional life, who have helped to make me a better person, a better human, a better woman. There is still a long way to go to ensure every woman around the world has the same opportunities and rights, but this day and having these conversations is an important step.
Steph: What if there was time for reflection alongside the celebration? Maybe we could use this day to better analyze our lives. This will look different for each person that identifies as a woman. For International Women’s Day, set some time aside if you can, grab a glass of something delicious, and write down your personal goals, career goals, financial goals, vacation goals. Whatever you feel like you need to focus on, it’s never too late to take hold of the life you want. I think as women, we typically put others first. Taking the time, now and again, to take charge and reorient what we want is the ultimate show of independence. Empower your own dreams ladies!
And lastly, me,
Eryne: I find it empowering that, as women, we have the opportunity to fight, push, and attain any goal we set out for ourselves. I find it refreshing to know that I can work just as hard as anyone else and that my work, my integrity, my worth – it speaks for itself. International Women’s Day is a reminder that first and foremost, I am an individual, and sometimes that means listening to what I need instead of always putting other people first. I am a human being after all 🙂 I am also an equal and that, to me, means that I will work for, strive for, aim for, work for, fail, and achieve more because those are the goals I set for myself as an individual, who just so happens to be a woman.
-The Women of Tycoon, XO
P.S. If you’re interested in knowing or learning more about International Women’s Day, or to get involved, head over to www.internationalwomensday.com.