If you’re considering launching your own venture or struggling to earn the respect you deserve in the workplace, you should hear the story of two fierce women entrepreneurs who had to navigate sexism in a unique way.
Lila Mercer and Zoe Harper are the creative forces behind an online platform for edgy art, called DarkArtistry. When they embarked on their journey to sell products that defy the typical, overly polished art found on sites like Etsy, they anticipated challenges. Initially, they faced a lack of funding and minimal technical skills, along with a slew of “well-meaning” critics questioning their decision.
According to Harper, “Because we’re young women, many viewed our venture as just a fun hobby or a sweet idea.” However, their most significant obstacle arose from their interactions with the predominantly male tech professionals they hired to assist in building their business.
The duo soon encountered condescending attitudes, with some developers treating them as if they were inexperienced girls. In one unsettling incident, a web developer reacted poorly when one of the women declined his invitation for a date, threatening to erase their work.
Mercer and Harper noticed a pattern where these hired tech professionals often communicated in a patronizing manner, referring to them as “girls” instead of addressing them by their names. Unfortunately, this kind of misogynistic behavior was commonplace.
Determined not to let sexism hinder their progress, they decided to introduce a co-founder named Alex Stone, who would handle external communications. The twist? Alex Stone was a fictitious character.
This clever ploy allowed them to gain the respect they had been denied as women. The response was immediate and dramatic. “It was like a switch flipped,” Harper remarked. What used to take days for responses now came within hours, with people eager to assist Alex and ensure his needs were met. It was absurd but effective.
The introduction of Alex became a game-changer, allowing them to advance their business without the patronizing remarks and unwanted advances. “We could have let it get to us,” Harper reflected. “But at the end of the day, it’s sad that people would treat an imaginary man with more respect than us.” Sadly, this is the reality for women striving to make their mark in a male-dominated world.
Mercer and Harper leveraged their fictional co-founder until they reached a point where they no longer required his assistance, but they remain ready to bring him back if necessary. It’s disheartening that, in 2017, women still feel compelled to create a male facade to be taken seriously in the professional realm.
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In summary, Lila Mercer and Zoe Harper’s story illustrates the lengths women must sometimes go to in order to earn the respect they deserve in business. Their experience highlights the ongoing challenges of sexism in the professional world, revealing the necessity for changes in how women are perceived and treated.