I can hear you now. “Why is she specifying ladies? This applies to everybody.” True. But there is one huge difference…men already know this.
Men collaborate all the time. Hence the term “the boys’ club”. For every Beavis there is a Butthead, every Fred a Barney, every Zuckerberg a, damn what was his partner’s name again? I forget, but you get the picture. Men have shown us throughout history that they know greatness comes through collaboration. Finding someone who brings to the table something that you don’t, can’t, or don’t want to. How many times have you heard a dude say “me and my buddy are starting a….”?
Women, find a buddy! It’s pathetic how rarely women partner up to do something massive. I remember the first time I heard the term “bitch fest”. It was many years ago and I was in the office I shared with some guys. We were chatting about a project and someone, probably me, questioned why a couple other female attorneys wouldn’t be working the case with me. One guy practically snorted and said because it would be a “bitch fest”. My little virgin ears at the time were appalled. What?! So you’re just gonna say that right in front of me. And serious as hell?!
Another guy then began to seriously explain to me that women cannot work together because it always results in bitching and crap and nothing gets done. Wow. This is how they see us.
So I started observing. I remember, I was once in discussions with this chick to partner up for a business venture. After many talks in which I gave her free legal and business advice, and she gave me promises of a partnership, she just disappeared and NEVER came back to me for another conversation. Instead, she went ahead and used my advice to do it, managed to sell a bunch of women some story about being a part of a movement blah blah lie, and took all the glory for herself. She earned a lovely reputation for being a liar, greedy, and, well, stupid.
That experience left me disappointed in the level of stupidity that some women possess. And yes I know men do this stuff all the time, but ladies come on, we gotta do better. As I told the chick when I finally tracked her down, whatever she had decided, 1. Work with me, 2. Not work with me, 3. Not sure. She owed me a conversation to say one of those things. Hiding like a snake was not an option.
Then something amazing happened. I met my partner Clara. You know her, my Co Editor-in-Chief. We actually met through the venture I mentioned above, both of us having had the same experience. We got to talking and realized that we each had an amazing talent which, when brought together, would result in massively hot stuff. And just like that, Hold My Lipstick was born.
My partner and I are like two boss maniacs who will not lose! She brings her artillery and I bring mine, and when we come together we create, shape and produce to entertain and delight you. We are building our team and everyone is enjoying the glory. I love flying with them. Ladies don’t settle for mediocre. There is freaking GOLD in getting together with a smart woman who is about her business. Find a buddy who can challenge and bring out the best in you. Collaborate and be great!
What’s your collaboration story?