Beyond the Christmas Cake myth: Redefining timelines for women in business

In Japan, there’s an old saying that women over 25 are like Christmas cake: still sweet, but past the date everyone wants. It’s a phrase that makes me wince every time I hear it, not just because of its casual cruelty, but because of what it reveals about expectations: that there’s an invisible clock ticking, and if you miss the “right” moment, you’re late: for marriage, for family, for life.

As women in business, we know this pressure doesn’t stop at personal milestones. It creeps into career paths too. Promotions, leadership roles, even entrepreneurial ventures often come with an unspoken timeline. If you haven’t “made it” by a certain age, the world starts to whisper that maybe you never will.

I’ve felt that whisper myself. When I turned 30 without children, I wondered if I’d missed the window everyone talks about. When I pivoted careers in my 40s, I worried people would see me as “starting over” instead of “leveling up.” And when I moved countries, again, I thought about how far behind I was compared to peers who stayed put and climbed the ladder.

But here’s what I’ve learned: life isn’t a cake with an expiration date. The richness of experience, resilience, and perspective often comes later, sometimes much later, than society expects.

Being an expat taught me this in a visceral way. Moving countries means starting over, again and again. You lose networks, gain new ones, and learn that reinvention isn’t a failure; it’s a skill. Every time I’ve had to rebuild, I’ve realized that the timeline others impose doesn’t matter. What matters is the courage to keep showing up for yourself.

So maybe the metaphor needs rewriting. Instead of Christmas cake, think of us as fine wine: growing more complex, more valuable, and more interesting with time. If you’ve ever felt “late” for something, pause and ask: Late according to whom? And what if the best chapters of your life haven’t even started yet?

I’m proud to have embarked on a solopreneur journey on a new continent after turning 50, doing what I love most. It hasn’t always been easy, but every challenge has been a chance to grow and reaffirm why I chose this path. Building something meaningful in a new environment has taught me resilience and the power of staying true to your passion.

As I look ahead, I’m very hopeful for the future of business women in Japan. I believe they will harness the momentum co-created by Prime Minister Takaichi and countless others to carve out their own paths, far beyond the limitations of 26. The possibilities are endless, and the next chapter is theirs to write.

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