Women over 50 have immense experience, but often very little space for themselves. The “Ukaž se” (Show Yourself) program, implemented by IREAS in collaboration with Femme Palette, was created in response to the specific challenges women in this age group face in the labor market and in entrepreneurship. Its goal was to strengthen self-confidence, amplify women’s voices, and create a safe space for their next professional and personal steps. A key part of the program was individual 1:1 mentoring.
A total of 12 women participated in the program. In the pilot phase, Femme Palette provided 1:1 mentoring to five participants - from initial goal setting to ongoing feedback and progress reporting. The women focused on developing their businesses in areas such as education, therapy, coaching, beauty, well-being, and creative industries. They worked on self-confidence, pricing, marketing, planning, prioritization, and building sustainable income. Mentoring helped them clarify their direction, narrow their focus, and take concrete, bold professional steps.
The following interview was conducted with Michaela Jeřábková, Project Manager at IREAS, who was responsible for leading and coordinating the Show Yourself project.
To be fair, the original idea came from the Czech Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MPSV), which launched a call titled Strengthening Women’s Competencies in the Labor Market and Entrepreneurship. They had already prepared an analysis explaining why this group of women is disadvantaged - and when I read the funding call, it made perfect sense.
These are women who often face double workloads - alongside work or entrepreneurship, they frequently carry responsibility for the entire household and caregiving for loved ones (sometimes their children, parents, or even grandchildren). We all know women like this - we just need to look at everything our mothers manage.
It was another opportunity to support a group that does not have an easy position. In the past, IREAS has supported children from foster homes, children with special educational needs, students with different mother tongues, and teachers. This time, we wanted to create a program that puts women first - giving them time, space, and support for themselves and their businesses.
We identified women’s needs through questionnaires and interviews with women in our community. These are highly experienced and practical women who are not easily persuaded or misled. At the same time, some are skeptical of systems or unfamiliar with certain approaches and need time to accept them - such as coaching or AI. They are also used to relying heavily on themselves.
What connects them most is the need to find time for themselves - or even to realize they are allowed to take that time.
Their challenges vary, but often include self-confidence and self-worth, asking for fair compensation for their products and services, finding the courage to fully commit to entrepreneurship, and navigating priorities, technology, and social media presence.
We envisioned giving women space to show what they are capable of. That this time, they would be in the spotlight, placed first - and that the program would help them recognize and value their strengths and experience so they could build on them in their business growth.
That is also where the name “Ukaž se” comes from.
We are deeply grateful that this vision became reality. Women shared inspiring stories about their progress - some started using Instagram or LinkedIn, others raised their prices and stopped working with unprofitable clients, and some found the courage to launch artistic projects, go freelance full-time, or become more publicly visible.
We knew that while women share common foundations, their needs are highly individual. That is why we wanted a strong personalized element in the program.
Group workshops were important, but what mattered most was helping women apply what they learned in real life - addressing their specific business challenges, industry context, and stage of entrepreneurship.
1:1 mentoring with Femme Palette gave participants space to work on concrete plans, strategies, decisions, and obstacles. It also ensured continuity of support, which proved essential for meaningful progress.
The collaboration worked extremely well - everything we agreed on was delivered.
The mentors were very well matched to the women. Their genuine care, expertise, and engagement were evident, and participants truly valued and applied their guidance.
Yes. For example, participant Jana described her experience like this:
“The opening session was absolutely crucial for me. I realized I had been underestimating myself. On the self-confidence scale, I rated myself a 4 out of 10 at the beginning. Now, at the end of the program, I would place myself at an 8 or 9 - that is a huge leap.”
Through mentoring, she strengthened her confidence, completed a professional photo shoot, and now stands firmly behind her pricing and public presence.
Aneta used mentoring to clarify her priorities, focus on one core service, define her target audience, and gain the courage to leave employment and fully commit to her career coaching business.
Zuzana began selling more effectively, identified the best sales channels, and stopped wasting energy where it brought no return.
At the beginning, we meet women who enter the program cautiously and with uncertainty. By the end, we meet women who speak confidently about their business, value, growth, and future opportunities. There is a visible transformation in their self-presentation, confidence, and self-worth.
At IREAS, our favorite moments are the final sessions - hearing women talk about major life shifts, setting boundaries, confidently naming their prices, and finally putting themselves first gives deep meaning to our work.
That having just one hour regularly dedicated to yourself - through mentoring or coaching - can transform not only a business, but also overall quality of life.
We see that this program has real impact and deep purpose. It offers not only education, but something even more valuable - pause, space for reflection, perspective, motivation, confidence, and support.
We encourage women to take this brave step. As Jana, a participant in the second cohort, said: “Mentoring was support tailored directly to me, to my business, and to my needs.”
