Breaking the Taboo: Re-Defining Pleasure in Work and Life
What if pleasure wasn’t a luxury — but a leadership skill?
That one question cracked open a deeper conversation at this year’s Global Female Entrepreneurs Summit — one that struck a chord with every person in the room.
For most of us, the idea of pleasure in work or life feels… complicated. We’ve been taught to see it as a reward — something you maybe get to enjoy after the deadlines, after the stress, after everyone else’s needs are met. But what if we’ve been getting it all backwards?
What if pleasure is not a distraction, but a direction?
What if it’s not fluff — but fuel?
That was the heart of the session, Breaking the Taboo: Re-Defining Pleasure in Work and Life — and it didn’t just reframe pleasure, it challenged us to reclaim it.
Yasmin, founder of Heyyoli, was the first to take the mic, and her words landed like a breath of fresh air. She reminded us that pleasure isn’t something to be earned — it’s something we already carry within us. Her work through Heyyoli guides women back into that truth using sound-based self-care: think breathing, movement, sensuality, and stillness, all wrapped into mindful, audio-led practices.
“It’s not about quick fixes,” she said. “It’s about slowing down long enough to feel.”
And in a world that teaches us to rush — through our goals, our bodies, even our rest — this message felt revolutionary.
Yasmin spoke about the deep connection between body awareness and leadership. When we’re in touch with our own needs, we set clearer boundaries. We make sharper decisions. We protect our energy instead of burning it out. Turns out, pleasure isn’t separate from performance — it supports it.
Then came Petra, founder of Pstaboo, who took us even further back — into the roots of the discomfort so many of us feel. From religion to colonialism to corporate culture, we’ve inherited systems that equate silence with strength. Her “taboo framework” is designed to challenge that autopilot — to start breaking taboos around things we’re told to keep quiet: menstruation, sexuality, emotional honesty.
Her voice was steady but fierce: “We’re not more professional when we hide who we are. We’re just more disconnected.”
Petra believes that true leadership is about creating environments where people feel psychologically safe — where shame has no room to grow. She even reminded us of the power of humor, how laughter can disarm shame. “When people feel safe,” she said, “they open up. And when they do, transformation begins.”
Next, Zoya, founder of cyclical.bodies, brought a powerful simplicity to a complex topic: menstrual health. She walked us through the four phases of the cycle — menstrual, follicular, ovulatory, luteal — and showed how each one supports different kinds of work. Brainstorming. Deep focus. Team-building. Rest. It’s not a soft science — it’s a productivity tool. Especially for entrepreneurs.
She’s breaking the taboo that frames menstruation as a liability. Instead, she’s showing how cycle awareness can be a superpower — a source of empathy, rhythm, and resilience.
As the conversation shifted to the workplace, the room leaned in. Everyone was thinking the same thing:
How do we bring this into our teams, our cultures, our policies?
Turns out, there’s so much we can do — even without overstepping.
Petra made it plain: leadership must start with self-awareness. We can’t foster safety in others if we haven’t unpacked our own discomfort first. Zoya added that companies can move the needle by implementing menstrual leave policies, offering inclusive education for mixed-gender teams, and — most importantly — by normalizing the conversation.
“I’m tired of hearing PMS jokes,” she said. “Cycle awareness isn’t about excuses. It’s about empathy. And it starts by breaking the taboo.”
You don’t have to build alone
Then Yasmin brought it all home with one clear, beautiful idea:
What if every office had a space to rest — not just work?
A quiet room to lie down, breathe, and reset. Not every company will redesign overnight. But every leader can ask, What do our people truly need to feel well?
Because when someone feels seen, their ability to show up — to lead, to create, to stay — expands exponentially. And creating that space? That’s what breaking tabbos looks like in action.
This wasn’t just a panel. It was a permission slip. A mindset shift. A reminder that honoring our bodies, our rhythms, and our joy doesn’t make us weak — it makes us wise.
Pleasure is not the opposite of work.
Pleasure is the pulse that keeps the work — and the people — alive.
Watch the Panel
Petra Salarić, MSc., is a multi-award-winning researcher, designer, activist, and founder of pstaboo, the world’s first consultancy dedicated to taboo topics. With a decade in design and art, she developed the only existing framework for addressing taboos in professional projects. Petra has collaborated with global NGOs, universities, and corporations like Nestlé, Nexi, and Atlantic Group. As a UN Women UK delegate, she also leads an online support group for abortion in Croatia while pursuing a PhD at Loughborough University.
Built for Impact: What Female Founders Can Learn From This Panel
So here’s the real takeaway: pleasure isn’t a side note — it’s part of the strategy.
If you’re building something from the ground up — a company, a team, a vision — then you need fuel that lasts. Not just hustle. Not just grit. But joy. Rest. Honesty. Pleasure.
And yes, that includes your body, your boundaries, and your emotional well-being. These aren’t things to tuck away in order to “be professional.” They are professional. They’re what make leadership sustainable — and human.
So here’s your next move:
Schedule pleasure like you would a board meeting.
Speak the words others are afraid to say.
Make space — not just for others, but for yourself.
Because the future of work isn’t built on burnout.
It’s built on wholeness.
And it starts with breaking tabbos — out loud, on purpose, and together.
You don’t have to do it perfectly. You just have to begin.
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