Supergirl has always been a fascinating character, often treated as Superman’s mirror or understudy. But the teaser for the upcoming standalone film introduces something intriguing, a Kara Zor-El who is less polished, brash, even jaded. As someone who bootstrapped multiple startups like the Fe/male Switch and navigated the multi-faceted world of entrepreneurship, this flawed Supergirl resonates. Imperfection doesn’t detract from leadership or heroism; it fuels growth and different perspectives. Let’s see what traits this newer Kara offers, and why embracing imperfection can be a lesson for female entrepreneurs.
Supergirl’s Evolution and Why It Matters to Entrepreneurs
Gone are the days of immaculate heroes who always seem to know the right path. Milly Alcock’s Supergirl gives us someone more realistic. She’s not eager to save the universe. Instead, she’s grappling with grief, anger, and rebellious tendencies, shaped by the destruction she witnessed in Krypton. As shown in details shared by Warner Bros., this Kara also has a biting outlook: “He [Superman] sees the good in everyone, and I see the truth.”
This shift isn’t accidental. James Gunn, co-CEO of DC Studios, pointed out that creating imperfect heroines is overdue, mirroring societal trends that encourage women to lead authentically, even when emotions are messy. For entrepreneurs, this is particularly relevant. Challenges, whether due to funding problems or market resistance, don’t demand perfection; they demand effective problem-solving and honest introspection.
Lessons Female Entrepreneurs Can Learn from Kara’s Journey
1. You Don’t Need to Fit Stereotypes to Thrive
Kara Zor-El refrains from being the generic optimistic fighter. DC Studios crafted her as “emotionally raw,” which already distinguishes her from Superman’s endless idealism. Similarly, female founders often face pressure to show unwavering optimism to attract investors. But embracing vulnerability can be more persuasive, it clarifies problems you genuinely care about solving.
2. Find Strength in Honesty, Not Just Positivity
Supergirl’s ability to “see the truth,” instead of defaulting to clinging onto hope, is one powerful trait. As I experienced when pitching funding for CADChain, investors don’t always expect happy endings but prefer realism combined with actionable plans. Make "the truth of the matter" part of your startup's narrative.
3. Adaptability Is Greater Than Idealism
Unlike traditional portrayals where superheroes are immovable forces, Kara’s intergalactic journey for justice is scrappy and uncertain. Entrepreneurs, too, must structure business strategies knowing that detours happen, and adaptability often outpaces idealism.
Common Mistakes Female Founders Should Avoid
Entrepreneurship, like Supergirl’s steep terrain, can reveal both potential and pitfalls. Here are errors to watch out for:
- Over-selling perfection: Investors, clients, or even co-founders don’t resonate with unrealistic projections. Build forecasts grounded on actuals and strategies, not fluffy goals.
- Ignoring your mental health: Like Kara grappling through grief, founders often push through stress without reflecting. This ultimately dilutes creativity and risk management skills.
- Skimming over collaboration: Supergirl learns to accept allies despite her independence, entrepreneurs must lean into collaborative team dynamics.
Practical Steps Entrepreneurs Can Implement Today
- Embrace Your "Krypto" Sidekick: Kara travels with Krypto the dog, who represents loyalty and emotional balance. Similarly, entrepreneurs can rely on trusted mentors or co-founders to navigate difficulties.
- Get comfortable with being imperfect: Share anecdotes and failures. Brands like Spanx succeeded because founder Sara Blakely openly shared rejection stories; authenticity wins trust.
- Focus on incremental wins: Kara doesn’t take down villains overnight, and neither will you disrupt an industry by force. Winning small steps builds larger momentum.
Embracing Imperfection Is the New Power Move
When Supergirl swerves away from standard molds, she not only evolves as a character but enables women everywhere to reimagine their paths. The same principle applies across STEM entrepreneurship, the field where women are underrepresented yet full of untapped potential.
Just take a look at inclusive platforms like Fe/male Switch. By mimicking imperfect paths, the game allows early-stage female founders to confront financial and psychological dilemmas firsthand without the societal pressure of perfection. These lessons turn raw ideas into transformative businesses.
Explore the Supergirl teaser via Ars Technica’s feature and reflect on whether Kara’s imperfections mirror your leadership style. After all, embracing flaws isn’t weakness, it’s innovation in disguise.
FAQ
1. How does the new Supergirl movie differ from previous iterations?
The upcoming "Supergirl" film presents a much darker and flawed version of Kara Zor-El. Unlike the usual optimistic and hopeful portrayals, this Supergirl, played by Milly Alcock, is emotionally raw and jaded, shaped by Krypton's destruction. Read more about Supergirl's evolution on Ars Technica
2. Who is directing the new Supergirl movie?
Craig Gillespie, known for films like "I, Tonya" and "Cruella," is directing this new take on Supergirl. Discover Craig Gillespie's vision on Nerdist
3. What is the central message of this Supergirl film?
The film emphasizes imperfection and authenticity, signifying a shift from the stereotypical "perfect" superhero to a more flawed, relatable heroine. Explore the central theme on DC.com
4. Who plays Supergirl in the upcoming movie?
Milly Alcock, known for her role in "House of the Dragon," steps into the iconic role of Kara Zor-El for this film. Learn more about Milly Alcock on Popcorn Podcast
5. How does Supergirl's personality differ from Superman's in the movie?
Supergirl is portrayed as a jaded, brash hero who sees the harsh truths of the world, compared to Superman's innate optimism. Check out insights on Deadline's review
6. Why is this version of Supergirl important for female entrepreneurs?
This version of Supergirl emphasizes imperfection as a strength, offering lessons that relate to female entrepreneurs, such as embracing flaws and taking incremental steps in the face of challenges.
7. What role does Krypto the dog play in the film?
Krypto serves as a loyal companion to Supergirl and adds an emotional balance to Kara's tumultuous journey. Find out more about Krypto's role on Ars Technica
8. What creative adjustments are shaping the DCU under James Gunn?
The DC Universe is seeing a shift towards more realistic and complex character portrayals, with Gunn pushing for imperfect and relatable heroes, as seen with the new Supergirl. Explore James Gunn's vision on DC.com
9. When will the standalone Supergirl movie be released?
The film is scheduled for theatrical release on June 26, 2026. Discover more about the release timeline on Ars Technica
10. How does Supergirl's journey teach adaptability?
In the movie, Kara’s journey involves scrappy, uncertain paths that highlight the importance of adaptability, a valuable lesson for entrepreneurs. Learn more about growth lessons from Screen Rant
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 5,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
- 1,000 unique business ideas for women created
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
