She Strengthens

The Rise and Fall of the Girlboss Era

A New Kind of Boss Lady

In 2014, Sophia Amoruso’s memoir-cum-career-manual, #Girlboss, burst onto the scene, symbolizing a fresh wave of female ambition. The book’s pink cover featured Amoruso herself, exuding confidence and style. This new breed of boss lady believed in the hustle, unapologetic ambition, and a no-nonsense attitude. Nasty Gal, Amoruso’s fashion empire, was at its peak, selling edgy, trendy clothing to young women everywhere.

The Girlboss Mentality

I was in grad school when #Girlboss dropped, but I didn’t need to read it to feel its impact. The girlboss mentality had seeped into my dreams and goals. I wanted to work for a cool girl website, make money, and flaunt my success. I wanted to be a go-getter, erasing phrases like “I feel” and “I think” from my vocabulary, which were seen as weak. This new kind of boss lady was all about action, not apologies.

The Shift in Career Advice

Before Amoruso’s empire began to crumble, I had joined a positive, feminist-facing women’s lifestyle website full-time. It felt like a sign that I had done things right – I hustled, writing articles for free and juggling multiple jobs to pay rent and tuition. I was moving to Los Angeles to pursue a career I genuinely felt I earned. And at work, I thrived, surrounded by supportive female managers who cheered me on.

The Dark Side of Girlboss Culture

Fast forward to 2015, when Nasty Gal filed for bankruptcy. The media giant that acquired our website promised us more resources and attention, but instead, we faced layoffs, and our entire New York staff was axed. I panicked, wondering if I was next on the chopping block. So, I worked harder, waking up at 6 AM and staying online until midnight. I became a master of fake-it-till-you-make-it, rise-and-grind culture. But beneath the surface, I felt immensely unqualified and spent nights Googling revenue terms and marketing strategies to keep up in meetings.

The Implosion of Silicon Valley Startups

Many Silicon Valley startups implemented a similar Girlboss mentality: fake it till you make it, work hard, rise and grind. But in 2020, the facade began to crumble. Exposés revealed toxic work cultures, abuse, and non-intersectional feminism. The economics of many DTC companies didn’t add up, and profits were slimmer than projected. The country broke out into protests against police brutality and systemic racism, and people pushed for real change in the workplace too.

A Reckoning in Women’s Media

Popular women’s lifestyle sites were exposed for leveraging and monetizing “woke” culture without paying BIPOC staffers equally. Former BIPOC employees shared horrifying stories of racism and discrimination. I realized I had failed to fight for real change in the places I worked. I was part of the “woke capitalism” machine, prioritizing data and profitability over inclusivity and moral values.

Rethinking Leadership and Success

After getting laid off, I took a step back from my go-go-go career ambitions. Reading about the demise of Girlboss culture only solidified what I already knew: the era was over. I’ve decided it’s okay to pause, take things slowly, and re-evaluate what good leadership means to me. Can a girl be boss while embracing and advocating for her moral values? This is something I’m still learning.

Recalibrating What Drives Me

For now, I need to recalibrate what drives me. What do I want? Where do I go next? How do I meaningfully contribute to a better world while meeting my definition of success? The thing is: I’m not fully there yet. And maybe that’s fine.