Stand Up! Your Voice Matters!

A few months back, I was in this big meeting with one of our top clients. We hit lunch break, and the company’s CEO started trash-talking the female Finance Director to all the other male execs, making snide remarks about her looks—saying she wasn’t exactly a stunner, to put it mildly.

Then one of the “fellows” chimes in, saying sure, she’s smart but doesn’t have the “sex appeal” for her job. That moment? I was literally frozen. But I gathered myself, walked over to these “gents” as cool as possible, and hit them with:

“Mister CEO, What exactly makes you think you’re any hotter, smarter, or more qualified than her? You’re what, 15 years her senior? As I recall, you got your job thanks to your daddy-founder, right? Also, you dropped out of college while she’s nailed two Masters in Maritime Finance and pulled your company out of the fire…. who knows how many times in the past five years? So, go on, enlighten me again…?”

Of course, that client was lost at the spot. But I am grateful for this. That woman was the only female in a company of 28 people and was being treated like a soulless object when she was out of the room. That’s so wrong!

In the real talk of today’s world, women’s empowerment is all about stepping up with genuine respect and setting firm boundaries , not just for ourselves but for other women, too.

It’s pretty straightforward: if you see a woman being disrespected or put down and you just stand by, you’re not helping—you’re part of the issue. It’s crucial to stand strong and back each other up like it’s life or death because, in a way, it is.

This is for us, and it’s for every girl and woman who follows in our footsteps. What we put out into the world comes back to us. No matter how small, every action adds up and makes a difference. Let’s make sure we’re contributing to a culture that uplifts and supports women everywhere.

Oh, and get this—today, I got an invite to the grand opening of her very own company. Talk about a boss move! She’s out there proving that real talent and hard work pave the way to success, no matter what the naysayers spout. Can’t wait to see her crush it with her own business!

#IWD is every single day for women.

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