Stop Waiting for Permission: How Women Can Claim Their Space

By April Adams Pertuis, Founding Member of The Prosper Network

As the host of The Inside Story Podcast, my inbox fills up every week with pitches from people who want to be featured. It’s exciting to see so many entrepreneurs and thought leaders eager to share their expertise.

But do you know what I’ve noticed? The majority of those pitches come from men. They are bold about putting themselves forward. They don’t wait for someone to discover them—they ask directly for the microphone.

Meanwhile, I often hear women say things like, “I don’t know if my story is interesting enough,” or “I don’t want to come across as self-promotional.” Too many women are sitting on incredible ideas, hard-won wisdom, and powerful stories… but they’re waiting until they feel 100% confident before stepping into visibility.

The result? Women miss out on opportunities that are literally sitting in their inbox, waiting for them.

Visibility isn’t about ego—it’s about impact. 

The men showing up in my inbox aren’t necessarily more talented or qualified than the women I know. The difference is, they’re willing to raise their hands and take up space.

Women often wait for perfection. But opportunities rarely arrive wrapped in a neat bow. You don’t need to be the “most qualified” or have every credential in place—you need to be willing to show up. When women hold back, they’re not just silencing themselves. They’re robbing the world of the voices, stories, and solutions we desperately need.

The truth is, your story and your perspective could be the very thing someone else needs to hear to make a shift, take action, or believe in what’s possible for them. But that only happens if you’re visible.

It’s time for women to take up more space.
And that starts with small, intentional steps:

1. Pitch yourself.
   Don’t wait for someone to magically discover you. If you want to be featured on a podcast, in a local magazine, or on a panel, raise your hand. Send the email. Submit the application. Even if you’re not chosen the first time, the act of putting yourself out there builds resilience and confidence. Over time, it also puts your name in the right rooms with the right people. Visibility grows when you stop waiting and start asking.

2. Share your story.
   Your story doesn’t need to be dramatic or world-changing to be valuable. Sometimes the most impactful stories are the everyday ones—the lessons you’ve learned through trial and error, the turning points that shaped your perspective, or the challenges you’ve overcome. When you share those stories—whether on social media, at networking events, or in conversation—you create bridges of connection. People trust people who are real, and your story might be exactly what someone else needs to hear today.

3. Celebrate your expertise.
   Women often downplay what they’ve achieved, brushing it off as “no big deal.” But here’s the truth: your skills, knowledge, and experiences are worth celebrating. The next time you’re tempted to say, “Oh, it was nothing,” pause and own your success instead. Post about a win on LinkedIn, add that accomplishment to your bio, or simply allow yourself to say “thank you” when someone recognizes your work. When you celebrate your expertise, you set an example for other women to step into their brilliance, too.

When you take up space, you give other women permission to do the same. And that ripple effect is how movements grow, industries shift, and communities thrive.

👉 For more stories and strategies to help you grow your visibility, join me over at lightbeamers.com/podcast

April Adams Pertuis is a Visibility + Storytelling Coach, Speaker, and Founder of LIGHTbeamers, where she helps women unlock the stories they’re not telling and turn them into tools for impact, connection, and income.

Learn more about April’s work at www.lightbeamers.com
Connect with April on LinkedIn.