The Dilemma of a Small Moment In The Sun.

The original plan for this post was to focus on "Finding Your People" – the experts who will help with all things business-related. However, something from a recent media communication has been on my mind all week, and it relates to how women promote themselves. 

For some context, a journalist from The Buffalo News reached out to schedule an interview about regional real estate conditions. This was for publication in The Buffalo News: Prospectus 2025. 

At first, I should have been celebrating the free media exposure—something that doesn’t come easy for small businesses, since it’s typically reserved for the bigger players. Instead, I found myself handwringing, nail biting, and anxiously ruminating about the interview. I stayed up late catching up on real estate news, fact-checking my thoughts on local population, housing issues and madly using root spray in a desperate attempt to hide the fact that I wasn’t exactly in the early stages of my career anymore. 

Fast forward: the article was completed, along with video and photo opportunities (for the digital edition, of course, since that's how most people “read” the paper.) More nervous energy followed. Why? Because, while the article was positive, balancing my personal background with my current profession and, dare I say, presenting me as an expert on real estate, I found myself questioning: should I share the article? 

Oh, the dilemma! If I post it on social media, will people think I’m just seeking attention? Will they think I’ve gotten too big for my britches? Will they roll their eyes and wonder why they even interviewed me, since I clearly have no idea what I’m talking about? Will they leave nasty comments? These thoughts took up about 48 hours of my mental space, because in today’s fast-paced news cycle, timing is everything. 

Big reveal: I did share the article on social media. And each time someone congratulated me, I deflected with comments like, "Oh, slow news day" or "The author threw me a bone." 

After the article was published, I found myself wondering: Am I the only woman who experiences this kind of anxiety? Not surprisingly, I wasn’t. The first article I found on the topic was from The Harvard Gazette, discussing how confidence and self-promotion differ between men and women. After reading that piece, and several others linked to it, my takeaway is this: this phenomenon exists, though we’re not entirely sure why. 

Is it because we aren’t comfortable with our professional voices? Is it a lack of self-confidence? Is it a fear of criticism? To answer this question may take about three years of therapy. Given that I’m trying to stay consistent with these posts, that’s not really an option.  

One thing I can say for sure: when I shared my article and acknowledged the recognition, the overwhelming support came from the women in my life. Women liked, commented, and shared. I felt genuinely supported by the women I’m close to—and even some I’m not yet connected with. Sometimes I haven’t recognized the support of my peers when I should have given them the credit they deserve. Most importantly, the sharing of the article led to several people reaching out with something along the lines of, ‘I had no idea this is what you did – can I talk to you about ….” 

Here’s my takeaway: when you receive recognition, whether you are a woman, man, or any person who has a social media account, share it. It’s not anyone else’s job to promote you; it’s yours, especially as a business owner. And when you do, focus on the positive support you receive. Don’t waste time on the detractors. You’ll find your people, or they may find you. And some may have been there all along. 

You deserve to have a voice and share your expertise. Do it, despite its discomforts. 

Photo Courtesy of Derek Gee, Buffalo News