“Necessary emphasis should be placed on the ‘genius of women’, not only by considering great and famous women of the past or present, but also those ordinary women who reveal the gift of their womanhood by placing themselves at the service of others in their everyday lives. For in giving themselves to others each day women fulfil their deepest vocation. Perhaps more than men, women acknowledge the person, because they see persons with their hearts. They see them independently of various ideological or political systems. They see others in their greatness and limitations; they try to go out to them and help them” (Pope St. John Paul II).

Pope St. John Paul II introduced the concept of the “feminine genius” in his 1995 “Letter to Women.” In the 25 years since this letter was published, much has changed in the social and cultural landscape regarding gender roles and what it means to be a man or a woman.  Without a true understanding of the essence of masculinity and femininity, confusion abounds. Our identity as masculine or feminine beings is deeply rooted in our nature through our genetics but although through our environment. Therefore, this identity as masculine and feminine is naturally expressed in all areas of our lives, including our vocation, career, and interpersonal relationships.

For Catholic women entrepreneurs, it’s important to understand how our feminine identity and feminine genius can (and, perhaps, should) be expressed in and through our work. Here are three ways:

Entrepreneurship as an Act of Service

Dr. Edith Stein (St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross), a German Jewish convert to Catholicism, devoted her professional career to fleshing out a theology of women and the feminine identity. John Paul II was greatly influenced by her writings as well as the writings of her colleagues in academia.

In “The Ethos of Women’s Professions,” Stein wrote, “The participation of women in the most diverse professional disciplines could be a blessing for the entire society, private or public, precisely if the specifically feminine ethos would be preserved.” For Stein, this ethos included a woman’s capacity to be subjective (instead of objective) in her relationship with herself and with others.

Stein believed that authentic cultural progress would come from women learning and teaching others about fostering authentic relationships. Women are relational beings and have a natural capacity to connect with and receive others in a very personal way, thus helping them to develop and grow. This capacity is reflected most obviously in marriage and motherhood, but as entrepreneurs, we also have the capacity to serve others in our work by being open and receptive to their desires and needs. We can use our gifts, talents, and skills to nurture and strengthen others as an act of service.

Heart-centered Entrepreneurship

Although women possess both masculine and feminine characteristics, we naturally have a higher proportion of feminine energy than masculine energy. The feminine genius makes us more inclined to being heart-centered and feeling-oriented, while the masculine genius is more inclined to logic and thinking. However, despite this natural inclination, women are generally comfortable using logic and thinking in various aspects of their lives, including owing and operating a business.

This comfort with masculine characteristics is in part due to traditional educational models, in which “head knowledge” is taught and valued more than “heart knowledge.”  However, there’s an incredible amount of wisdom that entrepreneurs can gain from being able to balance the masculine “doing” with the feminine “being.” The business model, structure, operations, and pricing require your masculine skill set, while the messaging, marketing, customer outreach, and actual service require the more intangible feminine qualities.

As an entrepreneur, it can seem easier to focus on the more logical and linear aspects of your business, but being able to harness your feminine genius to make business decisions is also important. Our intuition and ability to receive guidance from the Holy Spirit do not come to us through the mind. These inspirations come to us through our heart and our feelings.

So, when making business decisions, after you come up with your logical list of pros and cons, be really still and quiet, say “Come, Holy Spirit,” and ask your heart for input as well.  Your mind and heart may not actually be on the same page, and there may be a different point of view that you might have missed if you ignored the heart-centered aspect of your femining genius.

Creativity Through Entrepreneurship

All women have the ability to create and to bring life into the world. For many women, this happens through the process of physical maternity (having and raising children). Other women might express their creativity through talents such as bringing characters to life in a script or a novel or blending colors on a canvas to create a work of art.

Women entrepreneurs can also create and bear much fruit through their business. The partnership of both the masculine and feminine genius described earlier can be likened to a type of fecundity in the world that can bring something essential to life, such a product or service. It could also happen through a client’s deeper transformation.

Ultimately, our feminine genius can be a source of strength for us as entrepreneurs. Let us look to Mary, who is the model of the feminine genius for all Catholic women. In being of service to others, allowing the Holy Spirit to work in and through her, and pondering things in her heart, her life produced immense fruit that continues in perpetuity (most profoundly though the gift of her Son, who remains ever-present in the Blessed Sacrament). As faith-centered entrepreneurs, let us imitate Our Lady’s feminine genius, give our own “fiat” to God’s will for our lives, and allow the Holy Spirit to co-create with us and work through our business.

Claudine Noel is a life coach for women of faith who know they are meant for more. She helps clients to release fear and transform their mindset so they can have more confidence in all areas of their lives. Her unique background helps her clients get results! She completed training as a Board Certified Coach in 2019 and has over 10 years of experience counseling patients as a physician and public health professional. As a convert to Catholicism in 2012, she understands the transformative power of an active faith life, so her approach to coaching is rooted in faith as well as psychology and medical science. Her mission is to help women deepen their spiritual lives, access self-love and self-worth, heal heart-wounds from the past, transform their mindset, and reconnect with their feminine genius. Visit www.femininegeniuscoaching.com for more information or to book a complimentary session.