Own It More
Don't dim your femininity for a meeting — walk in with more confidence.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 3
- Confidence
- 75%
Emma's answer to being told to dress down or dim herself is to do the opposite: own it more. Her logic is that you perform best when you feel best, so if a pink blazer makes you walk in with confidence, wear it. Authenticity is a business asset because people want to work with genuine people, and being memorable is an advantage. When she's underestimated based on appearance, she waits for her turn to speak and lets her story flip the room, happily taking the edge that comes from being underestimated. Presentation should serve your confidence, not others' expectations.
Origin
Repeatedly told she should dress differently or stop posting glamorous photos if she wanted to be taken seriously in business, Emma refused to change who she was. She experienced both the cons of pretty privilege — being laughed out of meetings or dismissed by other women — and learned to convert being underestimated into a strategic advantage.
Core principles
- 01Present however makes you feel most confident and motivated.
- 02Authenticity is magnetic — people do business with genuine people.
- 03Being underestimated can be turned into an advantage.
How to run it
- 1
Present for your own confidence
Dress and carry yourself in whatever way makes you feel most confident and motivated, then walk in owning it.
Pro tip If a specific outfit makes you feel powerful, wear it — confidence is the real edge.
Watch out Stay appropriate for the context even while being true to your style.
- 2
Refuse to dim yourself
Don't tone down your appearance or personality to meet others' expectations; being genuine attracts business.
- 3
Weaponize being underestimated
Wait for your turn to speak, then let your story and track record reframe how people see you.
Pro tip Being underestimated means people drop their guard — take the advantage.
In the wild
Emma described being underestimated in meetings and social settings based on her looks, then waiting for her turn to speak so that once people heard her story and what she does, the whole dynamic shifted.
→ Skeptics reassess her as a serious entrepreneur, turning a dismissive first impression into respect.
Common mistakes
Dimming yourself to fit in
Toning down your appearance or personality to satisfy others' expectations undercuts the authentic confidence that actually wins business and makes you memorable.
Is it for you?
Best for
Entrepreneurs and professionals pressured to conform their self-presentation to be respected.
Not ideal for
Contexts with strict dress codes where presentation genuinely must be constrained.
From the transcript
“if you feel more motivated when you're wearing whatever it is, a pink blazer and a pink pencil skirt... then walk in like that”
“no, if anything, own it more. Walk in with more confidence.”
“Sometimes it's better to be underestimated. And I don't think you would trade like, you know, looking any different.”
From the episode
Emma Hernan: How to Build Real Wealth & Scale a Business Beyond Reality TV
Emma Hernan