As Women’s History Month comes to a close, we want to highlight Victoria Kennedy, CEO of Victorious PR, as a brilliant female role model in the entrepreneur and PR space. Kennedy is the perfect combination of strength and firm determination with an ample glimmer of feminine power. Under her leadership, Victorious PR has been named one of the Top PR Firms in Las Vegas. Kennedy holds positions on the Rolling Stone Culture Council and Forbes Agency Council.
We chatted with her about her fellow female entrepreneurs and how we can stand tall together, become leaders in our own right, and dominate the professional world.
How to Protect Your Professional Value as a Woman
We all know what it’s like to be a female in a man’s world, and although society is making significant steps towards that not being the case, there are always openings for awkward moments — and worse — in business and life. We hope none of our fellow women ever has to go through one of those traumatic events again, but it is essential to be wise to protect yourself.
“Zoom is the great equalizer and the working woman’s best friend,” Kennedy told us. “Like it or not, gender differences are and will always be a big thing that gets in the way of a good deal. I have found that Zoom equalizes the playing field between men and women and makes it about business rather than gender, sex, or sexual tension.
When Zoom is an option, please don’t skip it. It might seem like a wrong method to do business if you live in the same area as someone you work with, but the conveniences far outweigh any potential disadvantages.
“As much as possible, I take my meetings on Zoom. It makes me feel safe and keeps me in a headspace that fosters success for everyone involved. Look, you can either say that men shouldn’t be the way they are, or you can accept it for the way it is and try to work around it as best you can. I work around it the best I can, which means meeting miles away behind a computer screen — for the most part.”
Kennedy explained that we have to use the tools at our disposal to minimize the apparent disparities between the sexes, whether that means Zoom calls, longer hemlines, higher necklines, or learning to be more transparent and assertive.
Use the Tools Available to You
“Assertiveness is not being aggressive,” she went on. “You have the right to hold your boundaries! Somehow, the world has gotten into this mindset that when a woman stands her ground, she is being aggressive, but that is not the case. Do not be afraid to be assertive.”
That is one of the hardest things to master because many of us tend to lean too heavily one way or the other: A total doormat or a total tyrant. Finding the balance in your heart between the two can be an ongoing battle.
“Often, people will take advantage of our kindness and say it’s a weakness. But our kindness is our strength,” Kennedy said. “That doesn’t mean we don’t get to stand up for ourselves and hold our boundaries — we absolutely get to do that. Society often tells us to be polite, kind, and a doormat for others and their desires. Not anymore. For years, a millennium or more, men have gotten away with being complete jerks in business and are applauded for it!
“These men are seen as this great, assertive leader, but when a woman comes and tries to be assertive, she’s seen as aggressive. In short, I’d like to say: Lead with Kindness, be your true, authentic, feminine self, but don’t be afraid to hold your boundaries. If people call you whatever they’re going to call you, let them. Don’t be afraid of your needs.”
Expand on Your Femininity
Kennedy recommends being true to yourself, whether you are hyper-feminine, lean more masculine, or somewhere in the middle. When she says femininity, she doesn’t mean it has to stand for one thing and one thing only. It can represent in you something completely different than in another woman. The trick is to know your inner worth and let it shine.
“Don’t be afraid to lead into the strength of your femininity,” she went on. “We don’t have to be like men to be successful. ‘Men lead the world, women lead the men,’ they say — well, now women have stepped into and share the world’s leading role. We can dive into our femininity and be proud to be women. We can utilize our strengths of being women: kindness, empathy, listening skills. We can use our skills to create nurturing team environments that build successful companies. We can create a space for open dialogue in our communities and our teams.”
By connecting with those around you and being intuitive in a feminine way, you can significantly increase your chances of business success. Be kind, treat others with respect, and let your inner compass guide you to ultimate industry authority.
“We can create a stellar user experience for our customers by leaning into what makes us uniquely feminine: our ability to truly hear someone else and connect with them on a human level. So, realize that your kindness is not a weakness. It’s a strength. And by leaning into who you are, you will find that you will tap into strengths that you never knew you possessed.
Victorious PR is still holding their Women’s History Month special, which includes five free articles in addition to any package contract signed for the entire month of March. It’s not too late to learn how Victoria Kennedy herself can skyrocket your business to fame and credibility in the public eye!
About Victoria Kennedy
Victoria Kennedy is a TEDx speaker and well-respected authority in Public Relations. She is the CEO of Victorious PR, an award-winning Full-Service PR Agency that has helped dozens of entrepreneurs become the #1 Authority in the niche by getting them featured in top podcasts and press. She is a Forbes Agency Council and Rolling Stone Council member. To gain more credibility and authority in your market, click here: www.victoriouspr.com
This is a Sponsored Post – the author has requested this post be shared on WE Magazine for Women and WE were compensated for sharing.
