How to Be Your Authentic Self | Mary Shenouda on Women of Impact

Emotions

Managing emotions in business is a complex challenge, especially for women. Lisa Bilyeu and Mary Shenouda discuss the difficulty of balancing passion with professionalism. Mary emphasizes the importance of focusing on facts rather than emotions in business settings, noting that extreme emotions can be unproductive and distracting 1. She shares her strategy of visualizing emotions bleeding out of her before entering a business meeting, allowing her to make decisions based on facts 2.

Any sort of emotion that is extreme over here or extreme over here. I find it to be uncreative and a distraction and quite frankly, a little boring when you can deal with strategies and deal with the facts and how we get to the solution.

--- Mary Shenouda

This approach helps her maintain a clear and focused mindset, essential for navigating the corporate environment.

   

Vulnerability

Authentic vulnerability is a key aspect of Mary Shenouda's approach to business. She distinguishes between being vulnerable and simply sharing her authentic self, explaining that she prefers to share her daily experiences honestly 3. This transparency has been beneficial in her entrepreneurial journey, as it allows her to connect with others and build trust. For example, her honesty about not knowing the process to get her product into Whole Foods led to unexpected support and success 4.

It's important for me to share the process of building not just fat fudge but Mary Shenouda as a brand entity doing it in a way that I'm not going to wait until I'm successful and then tell you how I did it versus I'm bringing you with me in the process.

--- Mary Shenouda

This openness and authenticity have been crucial in her ability to navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship.