Rethinking Success: Why Hustle Culture Isn’t the Answer
For decades, women in business have been told that the path to success means working harder, moving faster, and keeping up with hustle culture. The myth is that pushing through exhaustion and treating productivity like a badge of honor is the only way to succeed.
But the truth is different. Thriving doesn’t come from doing more. It comes from doing things differently.
When you align your work with your natural rhythms instead of fighting against them, you unlock new levels of focus, creativity, and sustainable energy. That’s where cycle syncing enters the conversation.
What is Cycle Syncing for Women in Business?
Cycle syncing is the practice of aligning your schedule, energy, and goals with the four distinct phases of your menstrual cycle. Instead of treating your biology like a roadblock, you use it as a compass.
Here’s how each phase works for entrepreneurs:
- Menstrual Phase (Rest & Reflection): A time for planning, visioning, and journaling. Perfect for reviewing big-picture goals.
- Follicular Phase (Energy & Creativity): Best for brainstorming, launching projects, and connecting with new people.
- Ovulatory Phase (Visibility & Communication): Your peak energy phase, ideal for presentations, networking, and sales.
- Luteal Phase (Focus & Completion): Excellent for detail-oriented tasks, closing loops, and finishing projects.
By working with your body, not against it, you can prevent burnout and maximize performance.
Why Alignment Beats Burnout
In entrepreneurship, it’s easy to believe that success requires sacrificing sleep, health, and even relationships. But here’s the truth: burnout isn’t the price of impact.
When women track their cycles, they notice energy, creativity, and focus naturally rise and fall. This doesn’t mean they’re less capable, it means they’re more strategic.
Aligning your work with your biology allows you to:
- ✅ Protect your energy and avoid overwork
- ✅ Increase clarity and decision-making
- ✅ Maximize creativity during high-energy phases
- ✅ Build a business that fuels you instead of draining you
Instead of constantly grinding, you create a sustainable rhythm that supports long-term success.
🎙️ Building Bold Brands Through Biology
In Episode 17 of The Branded Impact Podcast, I sat down with Alyx Coble-Frakes, Founder and CEO of The Agenda., a femtech company pioneering cycle literacy and women’s empowerment.
Alyx’s journey from health coach to tech founder wasn’t linear, it was born from her personal battle with burnout. She realized women needed tools built for them, not against them.
Today, her company has earned national media coverage, powerful partnerships, and a loyal community of women ready to thrive.
💡 Key Lessons from Alyx:
- Tracking your cycle is the ultimate productivity strategy, not a weakness.
- Hormones influence creativity, communication, and energy.
- Burnout is avoidable when you align with your cycle.
- The biggest branding mistake female founders make—and how to avoid it.
- Authenticity and boldness attract the right opportunities.
Her story is proof that when women stop following outdated rules, they don’t just build businesses, they spark movements.
Personal Branding Insights from Alyx Coble-Frakes
Do you have a signature quote, phrase, or mantra that represents your brand?
“You’re not moody, you’re hormonal. And that’s not an insult, it’s intelligence.”
This captures Alyx’s leadership philosophy: reframing the narrative around women’s biology and using it as a source of intelligence, not weakness.
How has building a personal brand changed the way you do business?
“Building a personal brand has completely changed how I do business. It’s helped me attract aligned investors, users, and collaborators who don’t need to be convinced—they already get it because they’ve connected with my story and my mission. Instead of chasing opportunities, the right ones now come to me—and that’s allowed me to grow The Agenda with more authenticity, momentum, and ease.”
What’s one personal branding mistake you see female founders make, and what’s your best advice for avoiding it?
“One of the biggest personal branding mistakes I see female founders make is trying to sound professional instead of powerful. They tone themselves down to be ‘taken seriously’ and end up sounding like everyone else.
My advice? Own your lived experience, speak in your real voice, and let people feel you, because your authenticity is what creates trust, connection, and influence.”
If you could give just one piece of advice to female entrepreneurs looking to build a stand-out brand in 2025, what would it be?
“Don’t build a brand that blends in, build one that starts conversations.
In 2025, the brands that win aren’t the ones that play it safe, they’re the ones that say what others are afraid to, lead with lived experience, and make people feel something. Your boldness is your differentiator, use it.”
🔗 Connect with Alyx Coble-Frakes
🌐 The Agenda Website
📱 Instagram: @theagendaperiod
💼 LinkedIn: Alyx Coble-Frakes
💌 Free Resource: Download the free guide to start syncing your schedule with your cycle today.
Your Next Step Toward Alignment
If you’re ready to build a brand that feels as good as it looks, ask yourself:
- Am I designing my work around hustle or around harmony?
- Do my daily choices align with my biology or fight against it?
- Am I showing up professionally or powerfully?
Thriving doesn’t come from pushing harder. It comes from choosing differently. And your boldest, most authentic story is the one that will shape your impact.
✨ Want to create a brand that makes people feel something?
➡️ Book your Clarity Call with Branding by Jo today
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