Are you playing small, and paying the price?

For many women in business, playing small feels safe. We wait for the “right time,” undercharge for our services, avoid visibility, and hesitate to invest in ourselves. But this mindset comes at a cost, and it’s far greater than most realise.

According to Forbes, playing small shows up in missed opportunities, burnout from doing too much with too little, and the generational wealth that never gets built.

The financial cost is staggering: women-owned businesses account for only 6% of total revenues, despite representing 45% of all entrepreneurs. At the current rate, revenue parity with men-owned firms will take 120 years. That’s not just a gap, it’s a chasm.

Why do women hold back?

Research from Harvard Business School shows gender stereotypes and self-doubt play a major role. Women often underestimate their abilities, even when they outperform their peers. This lack of confidence leads to fewer promotions, lower pay, and missed leadership opportunities.

As Michelle Obama reminds us:

“There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.”

Yet, societal conditioning teaches women to be cautious, likable, and self-sacrificing, qualities that, when unchecked, keep us invisible and underpaid.

The hidden costs of playing small

Financial: Leaving money on the table by undercharging or avoiding growth opportunities.
Emotional: Stress, burnout, and resentment from over-delivering without fair compensation.
Collective: When women play small, progress stalls for all of us. Only 1.9% of women-owned businesses ever reach $1M in revenue.

Investing in yourself isn’t optional, it’s essential

Executive coaching and leadership development aren’t luxuries; they’re catalysts. Studies show coaching helps women overcome imposter syndrome, build confidence, and develop strategic skills to break through the glass ceiling. Companies with more women in leadership roles perform better financially and foster innovation.

As Indra Nooyi, former CEO of PepsiCo, said:

“Whatever anybody says or does, assume positive intent. You will be amazed at how your whole approach to a person or problem becomes very different.”

Sources

Laura Connarty-Duncan is a Fempire Certified Coach and the founder of Champion Women, as well as a Business Coach, Strategic Advisor and DEI Consultant with over two decades of leadership experience across SMEs, NFPs and male-dominated industries in Australia and the UK. She holds a Degree in Management, certification from Fempire, and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Laura helps women clarify their vision, strengthen their leadership presence and build sustainable success without sacrificing themselves in the process. Based in Sydney and originally from Scotland, she brings a global perspective and a heartfelt mission to help women rise with confidence, clarity and impact.

19 Things I’ve Seen This Year That Most Business Owners Don’t Know About

None of these are the obvious ones. Every one of them has landed in a real business this year, and in almost every case the owner had no idea it was sitting there.

keep reading