Inside the Minds of Men: What They Really Think About Female Entrepreneurs
H.O.P. the Series Recap: Her Business, Their Perspective
If you missed the latest live session of H.O.P. the Series, let us just say the conversation was one for the books. For this special roundtable, we flipped the script and handed the microphone over to the men.
The topic was “Her Business, Their Perspective: Men Discuss Female Entrepreneurship,” and we brought together an incredible panel of brothers to talk about the reality, hustle, relationships, family, and responsibility that can come with supporting a female entrepreneur.
Our panel featured Kendrick Westmoreland, Andre Harris, Rhalpheal “Bass Man” Jones, and Dyon Hill. These men came from different backgrounds, experiences, professions, and perspectives, but one thing became clear throughout the conversation. Supporting an entrepreneurial woman requires more than simply saying, “I support you.”
It requires communication, confidence, flexibility, respect, and sometimes the willingness to step into a different role for the good of the family.
Female Entrepreneurs Are Go Getters
When the men were asked what immediately came to mind when they heard the words “female entrepreneur,” the conversation quickly turned to hustle, determination, competitiveness, networking, and resilience.
Dyon described the female entrepreneurs he has known as go getters who are willing to take chances and do what needs to be done to provide for themselves and their families. He talked about seeing women sell jewelry, food, clothing, handmade products, and other goods while building something of their own.
Andre shared that being surrounded by female entrepreneurs actually influenced his own entrepreneurial mindset. He described the women he grew up around as serious about their businesses, confident about their boundaries, and unwilling to allow anyone to come into their space and dictate how their businesses should operate.
Kendrick brought another perspective. He talked about women's ability to connect with other people and build relationships, something that can become a major advantage in entrepreneurship. Business is not only about having a great product. Relationships, networking, communication, and knowing how to connect with people can be just as important.
Women Are Still Expected to Prove Themselves Differently
The conversation became even deeper when the panel was asked whether women face challenges in entrepreneurship that men may not completely understand.
The answer across the panel was yes.
Andre spoke about watching female entrepreneurs face difficulties with financing, government, business relationships, and even simply being recognized as the person in charge. He described situations where a woman could walk into a boardroom and people would not immediately assume she was the one running things.
Kendrick discussed the subtle things women have to consider that men may never think about. A woman may have to wonder whether her clothes are too revealing, whether her lipstick is too bold, whether her appearance will be considered professional enough, or whether people will focus more on how she looks than what she actually brings to the table.
Dyon expanded on that point by sharing what he has observed during his years in corporate environments. He discussed seeing women in leadership positions feel pressure to tone down their hair, clothing, and personal style when entering executive spaces. His point was simple. Women can find themselves being evaluated on things that have absolutely nothing to do with their ability to perform their jobs.
He even shared an everyday example involving his mother and a landscaper. Although she was the paying customer explaining what she wanted done, the landscaper wanted to speak with a man instead. For Dyon, that interaction represented the kind of disrespect women can experience when people automatically assume a man should be making the decisions.
Rhalpheal added that women can also find themselves having to work harder to convince people that their business ideas are worth investing in. A man may walk into a room with an idea and receive immediate consideration, while a woman can sometimes be expected to prove herself before her idea is taken seriously.
Is Her Success a Threat or an Asset?
One of the viewer questions asked whether some men view successful women as threats.
That question opened another important conversation.
The men discussed insecurity, competition, and what happens when a woman begins earning more money, gaining recognition, or becoming more successful than her partner.
Dyon made his position clear. If a woman's success means more resources and opportunity coming into the household, her success should be viewed as a win for the household.
As he put it during the conversation, “Your come up is my come up.”
That statement became one of the biggest themes of the night.
A relationship should not automatically become a competition because one person is doing well. If one partner wins, there should be room for the other person to celebrate that victory without feeling diminished by it.
Family Life Is Not Always Fifty Fifty
The discussion about family planning brought another powerful point to the table.
Fifty fifty does not always mean fifty fifty.
Kendrick explained that healthy relationships can require fluidity. Sometimes the responsibilities may look sixty forty. Other times they may look seventy thirty. The important part is recognizing what the family needs at that moment.
If a woman is building her business and needs to spend additional time working, networking, traveling, or handling clients, her partner may need to take on more responsibilities at home. That does not make him less of a man. It means he is participating in the partnership.
Kendrick said that if his significant other needed to focus on entrepreneurial responsibilities, he would step in and handle whatever needed to be handled in the background so she could concentrate on what she needed to accomplish.
Dyon brought his personal experience into the conversation. He talked about being a single father for much of his children's lives and also experiencing a period when he was essentially a house husband. That experience gave him a new appreciation for stay at home mothers because, as he emphasized, taking care of a household is work.
He also pointed out that money is only one piece of running a family. Someone has to get the children dressed, handle school, daycare, appointments, activities, schedules, meals, and everything else that keeps a household functioning.
The bigger message was that couples have to stop measuring every contribution by a dollar amount.
Your Business May Feel Like Another Child
Dyon made another interesting comparison during the family discussion.
For an entrepreneur, a business can become almost like another child.
It needs attention. It needs resources. It needs nurturing. It requires planning. Sometimes it keeps you awake at night. Sometimes it needs more attention than you originally expected.
That means the entrepreneur's partner has to understand that building something from the ground up requires a serious commitment.
At the same time, the entrepreneur cannot use the business as an excuse to completely neglect the relationship or family.
That is where communication becomes critical.
Over communicate Before the Relationship Starts Suffering
When the conversation shifted to what happens when business begins interfering with quality time, intimacy, or family routines, Kendrick gave some of the clearest advice of the night.
He called for “open, constant, fluid, and repetitive communication,” even describing it as over communication.
His point was that couples should create an environment where both people can safely say what they need, what they are missing, and what they are feeling without every conversation turning into an argument.
Communication also means being willing to receive what your partner is telling you instead of immediately becoming defensive.
Rhalpheal added that the entrepreneur may sometimes need to reassure their partner that the extra hours and attention going toward the business do not mean the relationship has been forgotten.
Sometimes your partner simply needs to hear, “I didn't forget you.”
The business may require extra work today because you are trying to build something that will benefit the household tomorrow. But your partner should not have to guess whether they still matter.
The Relationship Check In Could Change Everything
Dyon offered one of the most practical relationship tools of the entire episode.
Check in with each other.
Not just when something is wrong.
Regularly.
He talked about recognizing his own blind spots and understanding that sometimes he can become caught up in everyday life and forget that his partner may need something different.
A check in creates space for both people to ask questions such as: Are we good? Are your needs being met? Have I been too busy? Do we need some time together? Is there something I have been missing?
Dyon explained that these conversations have helped his own relationship because both partners have blind spots. The goal is not to become offended when your partner identifies one. The goal is to listen, make adjustments, and keep the relationship healthy.
Intimacy Is Bigger Than Sex
The conversation also challenged the way intimacy is sometimes defined.
Dyon acknowledged learning that intimacy does not always mean sex.
Intimacy can be holding hands.
It can be hugging.
It can be lying next to each other watching television.
It can be going out together.
It can be having a deep conversation about life, dreams, fears, and what you both want for your future.
That becomes especially important when one partner is an entrepreneur because business can consume so much mental and emotional energy. Couples have to intentionally create space where they are partners again and not simply two people managing schedules and responsibilities.
Support Her Without Losing Yourself
Another important question was how a man can support an ambitious woman while maintaining his own identity.
Rhalpheal's answer centered on confidence.
He talked about being ambitious himself while still proudly promoting and celebrating his wife's talents. He explained that supporting her does not erase what he has going on. He can have his own goals, career, projects, and identity while still saying, essentially, “You need to hear what my wife can do.”
That is partnership.
You do not have to dim yourself so your partner can shine, and your partner should not have to dim herself to protect your ego.
Two people can shine at the same time.
Sometimes Support Means Bringing What You Do Best
Support does not always mean standing on the sidelines cheering.
Sometimes support means bringing your own skills into the partnership.
Dyon explained that he is good with numbers and finances. When his significant other has a business idea, he can help break down the numbers, determine potential costs, examine what is feasible, and consider whether the investment is likely to make sense.
The goal is not to shut down her creativity. It is to help turn an idea into something actionable.
That was another important lesson from the conversation. Your partner does not have to be good at everything you are good at, and you do not have to be good at everything they are good at.
Healthy partnerships can work because each person brings something different to the table.
A Secure Man Supports the Woman and the Vision
By the end of the conversation, the men were asked to complete one final thought:
A secure man supports a female entrepreneur by doing what?
The answers throughout the discussion had already painted the picture.
Be present.
Communicate.
Help when help is needed.
Celebrate her success.
Understand her vision.
Respect her independence.
Bring your own strengths to the relationship.
Do not make her ambition about your insecurity.
Do not compete with the person you are supposed to be building with.
And when life becomes busy, check in with each other.
Supporting a female entrepreneur does not mean a man has to become invisible. It means two people recognize that they are building individual dreams while also building something together.
That may be one of the biggest takeaways from this entire episode.
Her business does not have to compete with the relationship.
With the right communication, confidence, planning, and mutual respect, her business can become part of what the relationship is building toward.
Catch the Replay
This episode reminded us exactly why H.O.P. the Series exists. House of Peach created the series to inspire aspiring female entrepreneurs through storytelling and real conversations about courage, perseverance, business, and success.
If you missed “Her Business, Their Perspective: Men Discuss Female Entrepreneurship,” catch the full replay at houseofpeach.org.
Hear the entire conversation from Kendrick Westmoreland, Andre Harris, Rhalpheal “Bass Man” Jones, and Dyon Hill because there was much more said than we could fit into one recap.
Then join us next Wednesday at 8 PM for another brand new episode of H.O.P. the Series.
Until then, keep building, keep communicating, keep supporting one another, and remember that the right people will not ask you to shrink your dream just to make them comfortable.
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