Glass ceiling.

You've probably heard this term previously, pointing to an invisible metaphorical barrier that prevents women from rising to the upper echelons of business as easily as men. While it is not completely impossible for women to reach the top levels of a corporation, it is much more unlikely, statistically speaking. of glass ceiling It's a widely known fact that every woman in the business world knows well, and this disparity is a constant source of frustration for many.

As a woman in the business world, I first encountered the glass ceiling in 1992 when I joined Microsoft's new office in China. I worked very hard and was eventually promoted to the youngest department manager ever in mainland China.

However, I also realized that my male colleagues got promotions much faster and easier than me. I had to prove myself three or four times harder than the men in the company and was passed over for a promotion many times during my first few years. It was very common for women to be treated this way back then.

However, I do not regret those early days because they taught me some very important life lessons. These formative years showed me what values ​​I wanted to embrace when starting my own companies later in life—and also what I didn't want my companies to be. More than anything, I learned that even though I may have had to fight harder than my male colleagues, complaining about it was a complete waste of energy and would only set me back further from my goals.

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Is the glass ceiling worth fighting?

Over time, my concept of the glass ceiling has evolved, and I've found myself questioning why women should even bother trying to break a system that was created by men in the first place. Why are we fighting a war we didn't start? If you fight in a system created by others, you are playing someone else's game and have little chance of winning. Think about it.

Instead of fighting against that system, it may be much more effective for us women to band together. We must rise above treating each other like the rivals and realize that our advantage lies in our ability to connect and mutually support each other.

One of the biggest problems women face is that it's not just the glass ceiling that limits us, it's our self-limiting beliefs that hold us back. Many women struggle with feelings of limitation and lack of self-confidence, reluctant to pursue goals they might otherwise be able to achieve.

So we must look within to find our inner strength, energy and power to grow into our ideal version of ourselves. We cannot rely on anything outside of ourselves and we must not focus on the inequities of the system in which we live. Our focus must be on inner growth and recognize that small obstacles are by no means insurmountable obstacles.

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How digital entrepreneurship can open doors to personal growth

The beautiful thing about modern technology is that it makes it easier than ever for women to completely bypass the glass ceiling by establishing themselves as entrepreneurs. Digital skills such as computer and Internet savvy, use of AI applications, social commerce, etc., can open doors that enable women to start their own online businesses and become self-sufficient.

For example, I once met with Joanne, a client of my B2B e-commerce company DHgate. Joanne was a university librarian who took time off work after the birth of her first child. Since she knew how to source baby products online through DHgate, she was able to open an online store as a part-time job to earn extra money. She shared her parenting experiences and the baby products she likes the most on her blog, and gradually more and more mothers trusted her and shopped at her online store. In time, Joanne was able to quit her university job and change her career to become a full-time e-commerce entrepreneur.

As an entrepreneur myself, I see great value in taking concrete action to solve problems. Talking about the glass ceiling is certainly important, but these words are meaningless if we don't take action by standing up for ourselves, speaking up and doing everything we can to make a difference using the power we discover within ourselves. When it comes to issues like female empowerment, I feel more inclined to act first and talk later.

This proactive mindset is also important in entrepreneurship. Startup founders must constantly test their ideas and test them in the market in the hope of finding meaningful results. This endless market testing of new ideas is a major driving force behind many business innovations.

It may be unusual for women to rise through the ranks of most large corporations to become CEOs, but it is becoming more common to see female founders. open their own companies and become extremely successful. This is a prime example of how this idea of ​​women's empowerment is being tested in the market and producing meaningful results that can be used to support further conversations on the issue, with the hope that the glass ceiling will disappear for generations to come.

So let's not waste our energy blaming the boys club and find more proactive solutions in our ventures. Ignore the temptation to get into fights we didn't start. If we can take our strength from within, stay focused on our goals and keep moving forward, I'm sure female entrepreneurs can find great success without the constraints of a traditionally male-dominated society.