Thesaurus, much?

Meghan Markle's first podcast described her recent experiences with the word “ambition.” And this word now connotates as a bad word. This got me thinking. What else is a bad word when referring to a successful business woman? What other “bad words” are often conflated for women who dare to chase, worse yet, achieve their potential?

• Independent.

• Individual thinker

• Single. Solo.

• Driven

• Headstrong

• Focused

• Determined

• Smart

• Eloquent, Well-Spoken

All of these words are synonymous with winners, achievers, doers. Somehow yet, when applied to ambitious women they're redefined as characteristics we should possess but not necessarily display.

Wow, you’re just so ____________.

<<Fill in the blank with one of the choices above>>

This is a phrase often uttered to successful women but it can also carry an undertone of slight and discredit. And as a POC, it can reverberate more deeply.

In life as in business, we often face reactions of dismay and amazement in what we do as entrepreneurs. But it's up to us to determine how we react to others redefining success.

Our determination got us here and it's our resiliency that will see us through.