We have the power in numbers as women, at 51% of the population, to stop accepting being underpaid, undervalued and underestimated. Then we can strategically move forward. Attorney and founder of The Justice Department JJ emphasized that emotion is not strategy and advised women to be strategic, especially during times of emotional intensity like perimenopause and menopause.
Women are also starting more businesses at a record number and are about to control most of the money in a great wealth transfer. We are getting better and wiser in our 40's and older, peaking professionally and personally.
JJ opened the Justice Department seven years ago to advocate for female founders to position themselves in business "to come on y'all, get rich". Her philosophy centers on being strategic, urging women to accept reality and then strategically plan their moves, rather than accepting defeat.
She shared an anecdote about a woman who was overwhelmed at home with her young boys and husband. The husband texted her complaining about a lack of toothpaste, which led JJ to ask if the woman just buys the toothpaste and lets him complain. When the woman affirmed, JJ told her, "Then you're part of the problem," emphasizing that the woman was enabling the situation and not choosing her life. She asserted that partners are equals and told another story from law school where her boyfriend claimed he couldn't do dishes well, to which she pointed out how sad it was that he could get into Cornell Law School and law review but couldn't wash a dish.
JJ is a single mother shared who chose to raise her twins on her own because she never wanted to get married, she didn't want any of the people she was dating in the music industry to be the father of her children, and she didn't want to co-parent. She knew she had more financial resources to focus on the quality of time with her children while working full-time. She noted that being a single mother means she is making 100% of the money and providing 100% of the care, which means she can't get things done as quickly as she wants. Her support system includes her New York friends who never married or had kids and a mom group she formed later.
JJ's Delicious Takeaways:
Meditation, and exercise.
Time with friends for mental health breaks.
She allows herself to watch an episode of a show during the day without guilt once every six months.
JJ has an upcoming book! The working title is "Ask For It: Choose Your Life or It Chooses You." The central advice is that women have the ability to choose their lives, and if they feel "underestimated, underpaid, and undervalued," they need to think about their contribution to that and understand that they are the solution.
You can reach out to JJ at https://www.thejusticedept.com/jennifer-justice
And if you're craving something delicious for yourself—like finally writing your book and finding your voice—check out my Book Clarity resource: From Overwhelmed to Organized.
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