10 Misconceptions about menopause when you’re running your own business
Leading a business through menopause brings challenges nobody talks about. These are some of the biggest misconceptions that keep women struggling silently while trying to keep everything afloat.
Leading a business through menopause brings challenges nobody ever talks about, and we’re here to open that discussion, share the misconceptions, and leave you feeling confident, comfortable and armed with tools to use straight away.
Running a business requires energy, adaptability, and constant decision-making. You’re managing clients, finances, growth, visibility, strategy, and often carrying the mental load of everything else behind the scenes.
So when menopause symptoms begin to impact, it doesn’t just feel personal. It can start to affect how you lead and operate your business, too. Yet many conversations around menopause still fail to reflect the reality of being a business owner during this stage of life.
These are some of the biggest misconceptions that keep women struggling silently while trying to keep everything afloat.
The 10 misconceptions about menopause:
1. “You just need to work harder to stay on top of things.”
When you’re running a business, it’s easy to respond to challenges by pushing harder. Sometimes our innate response as business owners is to shrug off the feelings, push on, and deal with the consequences for our health later. After all, if you’re leading a team and you’re running a business, there’s no time to showcase fear, struggle or doubt, is there?
Menopause can make that approach unsustainable. And, it’s not healthy to function at that level all of the time either.
What used to feel manageable may suddenly feel overwhelming:
Back-to-back meetings
Constant decision-making
Long working hours
Being permanently available
Working harder is not always the answer. Sometimes the business needs to work differently, and so do you.
Actionable takeaway:
Take an honest look at how your business currently relies on you operating at full capacity all of the time. Identify one area where you can reduce unnecessary pressure. Whether that’s shortening meetings, improving boundaries around availability, delegating tasks, or building more recovery time into your week. Sustainable leadership is not about constantly pushing harder; it’s about creating a way of working that supports both your business and your wellbeing long-term. As soon as you do this, you also give your employees permission to set boundaries and protect their focus. It’s a win-win for you and your business.
2. “Brain fog means you’re becoming less capable as a leader.”
Many women panic when concentration, memory or mental clarity start changing. It can feel like you’ve lost a sense of control and direction. Something you relied so heavily on is now dwindling away.
Especially when your business relies on:
Strategic thinking
Communication
Visibility
Leadership
Problem-solving
But experiencing brain fog during menopause does not mean you’ve suddenly lost your ability to lead successfully. It means your brain and body may need more support than they used to.
Actionable takeaway:
Instead of judging yourself against how you used to work, start adapting how you work now. Use tools and routines that reduce mental overload. Such as writing things down immediately or using an AI notetaker or portable recorder during in-person meetings, simplifying decision-making, scheduling important tasks during times of higher energy, or building in more recovery time between meetings. Strong and realistic leadership is not about functioning perfectly at all times; it’s about recognising what you need to continue leading effectively and sustainably.
3. “Successful business owners should be able to cope with anything.”
There’s a huge pressure in business culture to appear constantly productive, motivated, and resilient. Many women feel they must continue performing at the same level, no matter what’s happening physically or emotionally.
Menopause is not a mindset issue or a lack of ambition or direction. You can be highly capable and still struggle.
Actionable takeaway:
Pay attention to the pressure you place on yourself to always appear “fine.” Not only does this place unrealistic expectations on yourself, but it also goes down the chain to your employees, too. Being a capable business owner does not mean ignoring your own needs. Start normalising support, rest and honesty within your business instead of treating struggle as failure. Sustainable businesses are not built by people who never struggle — they’re built by people who know when to adapt.
4. “If your energy changes, your business growth has to stop.”
Growth of any kind, business and personal, doesn’t always equal doing more. For many women, menopause and perimenopause become a turning point and a shift where they reassess:
How they work
What success looks like to them
What kind of business do they actually want to run and be a part of
What work/life balance looks like now
How to balance their wellbeing and work
Sometimes sustainable growth looks different from hustle culture, but that doesn’t mean it’s a failure. Success can look different to different people.
Actionable takeaway:
No matter what stage you’re at right now in your life, it’s a good chance to reassess what growth actually means for you right now. Growth may no longer look like doing more, saying yes to everything, or constantly expanding. It might mean simplifying your business, refining your services or focusing on profitability and sustainability instead of relentless hustle. Give yourself permission to redefine success in a way that supports your wellbeing too, and don’t forget, this isn’t you slacking or letting go of anything. A temporary shift in perspective and direction can be the start of something incredible.
5. “You have to keep operating the business exactly as you always have.”
One of the biggest challenges you might face as a business owner is shifting direction. What worked for years may no longer work now, and it may no longer be sustainable, and that’s ok.
That might mean:
Changing your work schedule
Reducing unnecessary pressure
Prioritising projects that give you energy
Outsourcing and delegating more
Creating stronger boundaries inside and outside of work
Actionable takeaway:
Audit your business honestly and identify what no longer feels sustainable.
Ask yourself:
What drains me unnecessarily?
What could be simplified?
What do I need more support with?
Menopause can be an opportunity to build a business that works better for the version of you you are now, not the version of you from ten years ago. Delegating work doesn’t mean you’re incapable; it means you’re prioritising other areas of work that require your focus right now. One of the biggest investments can be delegation, freeing up your mental energy for other things.
6. “Clients will lose confidence in you if you slow down.”
This fear keeps many women overworking themselves unnecessarily.
In reality, most clients value:
Consistency
Communication
Professionalism
Expertise
Not whether you answered an email at 10 pm or worked through exhaustion.
A sustainable business owner is usually far more effective than a burnt-out one.
Actionable takeaway:
Focus on consistency and communication rather than constant availability. Most clients value reliability, expertise and professionalism far more than overworking yourself behind the scenes. Setting healthier boundaries often improves the quality of your work, decision-making and client relationships in the long run.
7. “You’re the only business owner struggling with this.”
Because so few people speak openly about menopause in business, many women assume they’re alone.
But behind polished brands and professional appearances, many business owners are quietly navigating:
Exhaustion
Anxiety
Disrupted sleep
Confidence dips
Overwhelm
Brain fog
While still trying to lead successfully. The silence around it is often the biggest problem.
Actionable takeaway:
There are so many other women suffering in silence, and we need to speak up. Whether it’s trusted peers, networking groups, coaching spaces or honest conversations online, seek out environments where women are talking openly about menopause and business ownership. The more these conversations happen, the less isolated women feel navigating them. We hold space for women of all ages at our free workshops and Academy sessions. Come and join us if you haven’t already.
8. “You just need better productivity systems.”
Not every challenge or business problem can be rectified with another plan, app, list or refined morning routine. Although they certainly have their place, sometimes the issue isn’t organisation, it’s depletion.
Business owners are constantly encouraged to optimise themselves, even when their body is clearly asking for rest, recovery or some other form of support.
You cannot build a sustainable business by constantly overriding your own wellbeing. Your health is your wealth.
Actionable takeaway:
Before downloading another app or trying another productivity hack, ask yourself whether your body actually needs rest instead of optimisation. Productivity tools can support you, but they cannot replace real recovery, turning off digital tools, boundaries or support. Sometimes, the most productive thing you can do is reduce pressure instead of adding more systems.
9. “Talking about menopause will make you look less professional”
In every workshop we host, this comes up at least once or twice, and we’re here to hold space for safe and confidential conversations, whilst also giving women the confidence to speak openly about their experiences.
Many women avoid discussing menopause because they fear being seen as:
Unreliable
Emotional
Less capable
But the reality is that openness and honesty are slowly changing business culture. More women are recognising that pretending everything is fine often creates far more pressure than simply acknowledging reality.
Professionalism does not require silence. In fact, honesty is one of the greatest ways of setting boundaries and reconnecting with people. By setting your own boundaries and being honest, you permit others to do the same.
Actionable takeaway:
You do not have to share every detail of your experience to be honest about your reality. Start by challenging the belief that professionalism means silence or pretending everything is fine. The more openly women speak about menopause in leadership and business spaces, the more normalised and supported these conversations become.
10. “You have to choose between your health and your business”
This is one of the most damaging misconceptions of them all.
Too many women believe they must either:
Sacrifice themselves to keep the business running, or
Step back completely
But there is another option: creating a business that supports you through different stages of life instead of demanding constant overperformance.
That may mean changing your pace, redefining success or running your business differently than before.
And honestly? That’s not a weakness. That’s long-term sustainability and resilience.
Actionable takeaway:
Instead of asking how much more you can push yourself, ask how your business can better support your current stage of life. That might mean changing your pace, adjusting your expectations or redefining success entirely. Long-term success is not built on self-sacrifice; it’s built on realistic sustainability.
Menopause can affect how you work, lead and experience your business — but it does not erase your experience, expertise or ambition.
If anything, this stage often highlights how much pressure many women have been carrying for years without stopping.
Learn new ways to support yourself through perimenopause and menopause
If some of your usual tools or coping strategies are no longer working, or you’re looking to better understand yourself and your body, join one of our free workshops. We host monthly CPD-accredited Mental Health in Menopause workshops, as well as wellbeing workshops led by experts across a range of topics from stress to sleep and nutrition.
Explore more on our website below.
Important note:
We are not clinicians and cannot diagnose depression or other mental health conditions. If you’re having thoughts of harming yourself, or you feel like you can’t keep yourself safe, seek urgent help. Contact NHS urgent services, your GP, or a crisis service such as SHOUT (text 85258 in the UK). If you’re in immediate danger, call 999.
Seeking support
If symptoms persist, worsen, or begin to feel overwhelming, it is important to seek professional support. Speaking to your GP can be a helpful first step in understanding what you are experiencing and exploring treatment or support options. We also recognise that not all women feel ready to take this step, or may have had previous experiences that make this difficult.
If you ever feel unable to keep yourself safe, or you are experiencing thoughts of self-harm or suicide, please seek urgent help. You can contact your GP, call NHS 111, or reach out to Samaritans on 116 123 (free, 24/7) or jo@samaritans.org. If you are in immediate danger, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E.
