This Is Not a Girlboss Story: Redefining Power, One Imperfect Step at a Time

Let’s be clear — we’re not here to "crush it" in heels. 

We’re not building empires before breakfast, and we definitely aren’t slapping pink filters on hustle culture. 

This is not a Girlboss story. This is something better. 

Deeper. 

Realer.

This is a story about power — not the shiny, performative kind, but the quiet, scrappy, intelligent force that lives in every woman who’s ever dared to think, 

“I could do this differently.”

The Girlboss Myth: Cute but Exhausting

The term "girlboss" promised empowerment — and for a while, we bought it. 

But here’s what it often left out:

The unpaid labor behind every “flawless” aesthetic

The burnout masked as ambition

The pressure to be “the only woman in the room” and never make a single mistake

Let’s be honest. That’s not empowerment — that’s performance in a power suit.

We don’t need more women climbing broken ladders in outdated systems. We need new blueprints. We need women building bridges, tunnels, even portals — with their own rules and a snack break in between.

Your Power Doesn’t Have to Look Like Theirs

You don’t have to pitch like Steve Jobs. You don’t have to code like Elon. You don’t even have to want a corner office. You just need to know this:

Power doesn’t come from pretending to be someone else. It comes from knowing exactly who you are — and building from there.

You might lead with empathy. You might take longer to decide because you care about the impact. You might need a midday walk to untangle a problem. That’s not a weakness — that’s wisdom in motion.

Your version of leadership might not trend on LinkedIn. But it will resonate with the people who matter.

Tech Needs More Than “Disruption” — It Needs Integrity

Let’s stop glamorizing burnout and start celebrating boundaries. Let’s stop promoting hustle and start honoring health. Let’s stop applauding women for being palatable and start encouraging them to be powerful — on their own terms.

Tech doesn’t just need more women. It needs more real women. Women who make room for rest, who bring complexity, who ask better questions — not just faster answers.

We’re not here to be the exception. We’re here to change the expectations.

This isn’t a Girlboss story.

It’s a womanhood-in-tech story.

It’s messy, it’s brilliant, it’s hard-won, and it’s still unfolding.

And it’s yours.

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Tired of the hustle lie? Share your unfiltered, un-#girlboss version of success on social and tag @TechSheThink. Let’s build a new story — one where women win by being real.

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