This article is part of a series adapted from The Global Standard, Cynthia’s forthcoming book on what it really takes to build internationally competitive businesses. In the lead-up to the hardcopy release, we’re unpacking some of the most persistent myths that continue to shape — and limit — global growth.
The Origins of the “Boys’ Game” Myth in Global Trade
For much of modern history, international business was a man’s world. Boardrooms, trade delegations and export councils were dominated by men in suits. When people thought of “global trade,” they imagined cargo ships, construction projects and hard hats – industries traditionally led by men. The myth that global business is a “boys’ game” took root in this environment, and it has lingered far longer than it should have.
The reality today is very different. Across the world, women are founding global companies, leading trade organisations and reshaping the way international business is done. Yet the perception persists that women are under-qualified for the global stage, or that family responsibilities, access to capital or confidence will hold them back. In truth, these assumptions reveal more about the system than about women’s capability.
Women Are Already Leading International Business
Over the past decade, I have worked with hundreds of founders, and a growing number of them are women building remarkable international businesses. Through programs such as the APEC Women’s Business Accelerator and the Australia–Indonesia Awards, I have had the privilege of working with more than seventy female-led companies across the Asia–Pacific region to develop plans for international expansion. By the time this book is published, that number will exceed one hundred.
These founders lead everything from sustainable fashion labels and fintech start-ups to agri-tech ventures and social enterprises. They are visionary, strategic and deeply committed to creating impact across borders.
What I see consistently in these women is not hesitation, but determination. Many have built their companies while raising families, managing communities and navigating cultures that do not always expect women to lead. They arrive at the global table with clarity of purpose and a hunger to grow internationally. What they need is not permission or encouragement, but access – to networks, capital and platforms where their voices and products can be seen and heard.
The Competitive Advantage of Women-Led Global Businesses
When women-led firms gain that access, they perform.
Research from McKinsey and the World Bank shows that gender-diverse companies are more profitable, more innovative and better at managing risk. My own experience supports this evidence. Women founders who approach international business with strategy and structure often outperform their peers in execution, collaboration and cultural intelligence. They lead with empathy and discipline – qualities that are not “soft skills,” but critical advantages in the complex, high-stakes world of cross-border business.
The idea that global trade is a “boys’ game” was never true. For decades, it simply went unchallenged.
Now, women are rewriting the script. As they claim their place in global business, they are not asking for a seat at the table; they are building new tables altogether – creating spaces that are more collaborative, inclusive and globally minded.
This shift is not happening in isolation. The rise of women-led international businesses is one strand of a much larger transformation. Technology is accelerating at extraordinary speed, and artificial intelligence is redefining the way companies think, work and grow across borders.
Yet despite mounting evidence, myths like this continue to shape perception and policy. They deter founders from considering international markets and obscure the pathways to sustainable global growth. Our task is to replace these myths not just with possibility, but with proof.
