Uncomfortable Community Conversations are where we tackle what some would say is the hard or taboo stuff, because growth happens in the uncomfortable, and that’s what we want for our community, small businesses, and you. It’s where we stop being nice and start getting real.
Change only happens if you talk about the uncomfortable stuff, which is something we’ve kind of made a career of — 19 years and counting. You can sit around and complain about it, or you can do something to change it, and we’ve chosen the latter.
Uncomfortable Community Conversations are where we tackle what some would say is the hard or taboo stuff, because growth happens in the uncomfortable, and that’s what we want for our community, small businesses, and you. It’s where we stop being nice and start getting real.
You know what no one tells you about? Perimenopause. You hear talk about Menopause more than we ever used to (thanks, Gen X), but it isn’t the one that flips your life and your business on its ass for 10+ years.
Perimenopause as a business owner means a brutal shift in energy, productivity, motivation, and mental clarity, forcing us into a different kind of leadership; from ourselves, and for ourselves.
What we did day after day, year after year, without even thinking about it, suddenly feels impossible, despite doubling down and just working harder, cause that is what we do when life hands us another problem to solve.
Our bodies, brains, energy, priorities; it all changes in the blink of an eye, and we dismiss the symptoms as just being a woman. The best part of it all is that we had zero warning. Our moms didn’t utter a peep, our doctors prescribed us anxiety meds or dismissed us.
Women are not only a driving force in Michigan’s workforce, they also own nearly half of our small businesses; that makes supporting women through every stage of their careers, including midlife, essential to the strength of our small business economy. Creating a more menopause-friendly workplace starts with awareness, empathy and practical flexibility – meeting people where they are so they can continue to lead, contribute and grow.
Perimenopause can start as early as your 30s and hang out for a decade or more. The rage, brain fog, exhaustion, pain, and unpredictability are something we are ill-prepared to deal with or make accommodations for.
This Uncomfortable Conversation is about what perimenopause and menopause looks like, what women need to know, what legal accommodations employers are required to make, and what all of this means for business owners and the people who work for them. This isn’t just a women’s health issue; it’s a workplace issue, a business issue, and a conversation that is long overdue.
What: Uncomfortable Community Conversations: The Pause
Where: 8THIRTYFOUR Learning Hub | 1365 Plainfield Ave NE, Grand Rapids
When: September 24 | 4:30-7 p.m.
