Ted Lasso is a Business Story: When Empowerment Becomes a Pyramid Scheme

Episode 4: “Girlbossing Too Close to the Sun”

This one’s for the entrepreneurs who woke up one day and realized:
 Oh shit—I’ve been sold a sparkly lie.

In Episode 4, we’re dissecting the aesthetic trap of boss babe culture and how it packages power without offering any real substance. Through the lens of Ted Lasso, we explore what real empowerment looks like—starting with the relationship between Rebecca and Keeley. It’s generous. Collaborative. Free of competition.

I also get into my own experience of over-feminizing my brand, excluding half my audience, and eventually owning my full identity as a queer business leader. This is a no-fluff reckoning with pricing, privilege, and performative empowerment.

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Transcript

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There's a scene in Ted Lasso where Rebecca walks into a room full of powerful men who once doubted her. She's calm and commanding. She's no longer performing toughness. She owns her power, and that's what we're talking about today. What happens when empowerment becomes a costume instead of a practice? Hey, hey! It's Mary Williams, and this is the School of Moxie podcast where we use your favorite TV shows to talk about real business, real leadership, and real damn life. This season, it's Ted Lasso time, and in this episode we are going all in on the girl boss aesthetic. The glitter, the gaslighting, and how we confuse feminine branding with real empowerment. Don't forget to subscribe for weekly updates at sensiblewoo.com/subscribe. Let's talk about what happens when empowerment becomes a pyramid scheme, when the branding says community, but the culture is still just competition with better lighting. We've all seen it, the pastel vibes, the charge-what-you're-worth energy, the subtle performance of sisterhood that masks a deep fear of not being seen. But here's what I want to say today. This isn't about burning it all down, it's about learning to discern because there is a difference between a femme forward aesthetic and actual power sharing, and nobody models that better than Rebecca and Keeley. From the very beginning of Ted Lasso their relationship is so refreshing. There's no fake support. There's no subtle undermining. There's no competition over visibility, clients, or credit. Rebecca is literally the most powerful person on the show. She owns the team. She holds the key to the entire empire, and when she meets Keeley, she doesn't gatekeep. She doesn't diminish her because she's just an influencer. She sees her potential and gives her opportunity. She hires her. She mentors her. And when Keeley outgrows her role, Rebecca cheers her on to start her own agency. No passive aggressive jealousy. No, "Who does she think she is?" Just support, real support. And Keeley, she reciprocates. She doesn't weaponize her proximity to power. She doesn't use Rebecca's name to gain status. She uses her platform to create something meaningful, her own space to lead, to hire, to build something from scratch. This is the model we need more of, not just in business but in life. Women supporting women without competition. Without shrinking, without segmenting into identity only spaces that limit our growth. Because here's the truth, operating in a male dominated world is exhausting. Especially in business. Especially when you've been taught that the only way to lead is to mimic the Girl Boss Blueprint. Be pretty, be nice, sell empowerment. But Ted Lasso gives us a different way. It shows us that the solution isn't to create parallel structures that mirror toxic dynamics with glitter on top. It's to integrate, to model what it looks like when men support women without trying to dominate. When women support each other without trying to compete. Rebecca and Keeley are complex. Keeley gets hurt when she dates Jack, a female venture capitalist, who ultimately drops her to save face. Rebecca forgives the woman who had an affair with her ex-husband. They navigate betrayal, heartbreak, and growth, and still choose generosity over judgment. That's not weakness. That's strength and that's the kind of leadership I want to see more of. I've been on both sides. I've been the woman who over feminized her brand to feel safer. I've been the coach who watched her programs fill up with people chasing a vibe instead of doing the work. I've been the only one bringing in income. I've taken the practical gigs that paid the rent. I've built for the long game, even when it didn't look glamorous. And I've worked with women who. Say they want to be empowered, but what they really want is to feel safe and those aren't the same thing. Empowerment means taking ownership of your pricing, of your boundaries, of your legacy, not just your logo. We don't need more sparkle, we need more substance. So if you are stuck in the boss babe vortex right now, chasing the vibe, but feeling exhausted. Ask yourself this. Who are you building with? Who are you afraid to outgrow? Who would cheer for you if you leveled up and who would fall away? Because the real ones, the real ones, like Rebecca and Keeley, they're rooting for your evolution. Let's build more of that. This episode is brought to you by my membership newsletter, the Woo Crew. But before you commit to another subscription, did you know you can get a free reading every Saturday? Delivered right to your inbox. Yep. It's totally free and it's designed just for entrepreneurs. Head over to sensible woo.com/subscribe to sign up. You'll get a weekly Tarot reading to help you make aligned business decisions. Plus a peek at whether I am the right reader for you. No pressure, no sales funnel trap. It's your taste test. The ethical way. You'll also receive updates about my online and in-person workshops and events. It's not just a newsletter, it's a weekly media magazine digest for intuitive entrepreneurs who want clarity, strategy, and just the right amount of magic. If you've been feeling stuck in the look empowered, feel depleted trap, this is your wake up call. You are not too far gone. You are just ready for something more honest. The Girl Boss era had its moment, but now we are doing it differently. We are building businesses that are collaborative, not competitive. We are creating spaces where identity isn't a gate, it's a grounding, and we are learning that real leadership doesn't sparkle. It stewards. This isn't about burning your brand down. It's about building it up from the truth. So if you've been playing small because the glitter didn't fit anymore, welcome, you are in the right place. Thanks for listening to the School of Moxie podcast. I am Mary Williams. This season is inspired by Ted Lasso, which is available to watch on Apple TV+. This podcast is written, produced, and edited through my media company, Moxie Studios in Vancouver, Washington. Make sure to subscribe to the School of Moxie podcast on your favorite podcast app and also on YouTube. Leaving a five star review helps other listeners find the show, and it's always deeply appreciated. And hey, if this episode hit you in the glittery gut, send it to your biz bestie. Let it spark a real conversation. Then go build something that's not just beautiful but built to last. I'll see you next episode.