Challenging the roles we’re ‘supposed’ to play and creating space for who we really are.
What happens when your dreams don’t fit the script your family had in mind for you? What do you do when you feel called to build, create, lead but the message you’ve always received is: don’t go too far, don’t stand out too much, stay safe, stay small? In many cultures, especially within migrant communities, the expectations are clear, even if no one ever says them out loud. Be respectful. Be patient. Don’t question too much. Focus on stability. Think of others before yourself. And if you’re a daughter? Multiply that by ten sis!
So when a woman chooses to start a business, especially something creative or unconventional, it’s often seen as more than ambition, it’s seen as rebellious. But what if it’s not rebellious? What if it’s self-trust?
For many women in the #SheDIDIT community, entrepreneurship isn’t just about turning a passion into profit. It’s about redefining what’s possible for themselves and the generations that follow. It’s about choosing purpose, even when it means breaking silent family rules or facing cultural judgement. Because let’s be honest: a man who works long hours for his business is considered hardworking. A woman who does the same? Too focused on herself. A man who sets boundaries to protect his dream? He’s driven. A woman who does it? She’s disrespectful, ungrateful. or just “too modern.” There’s a double standard and we feel it E V E R Y-DAY.
Some of us are building businesses while translating documents for our parents, showing up for every family gathering, and being the emotional glue at home. We’re managing brands and budgets while still being expected to shrink ourselves to stay “humble.” And yet, we keep going. Because this isn’t about disrespecting our culture, it’s about evolving it. You can love your roots deeply and still want more for yourself. You can carry your community and still carve out a lane that’s yours. One doesn’t cancel out the other. Choosing to start something new, to build, to lead, to take up space, is not selfish. It’s necessary. It’s powerful and it’s brave.
To every woman breaking expectations: you are not too much. You are just more than what they expected. Keep going. You’re not alone. Together, we’re not just running businesses, we’re breaking patterns, rewriting norms, and building new legacies. To create a space where women in our community feel seen, understood and empowered to choose their own paths, even if that means going against the “norm”.
💛 Written by Iman Hussein, our community manager.
Want to share your story? Send her an email at iman@shedidit.be