The Strength of Women: Lessons from My Career, Life, and Leadership

Today, on International Women’s Day, I want to take a moment to reflect on why empowering women has become such a core part of who I am — not just in words, but in action. My passion for supporting women isn’t about grand gestures or surface-level advocacy; it’s about the real, everyday challenges women face in their careers, relationships, and lives. Over the years, I’ve witnessed firsthand the barriers women encounter, and those experiences have shaped how I lead, the culture I build, and the decisions I make.

My “why” has evolved throughout my adult life. I started my career working for four male plastic surgeons, and a couple of years in, one left and was replaced by a female surgeon. I saw her struggle and how she felt lesser than — partly because she was young, “new,” and, no doubt, a woman. It’s not that anyone in the practice, including the all-female staff, intentionally diminished her, but I watched it happen daily and was guilty of it myself. Was she as good? Did she have the skills? Did she have the experience? Were her patients as happy?

The truth was — and I appreciate this more, 20+ years wiser — hell yes, she did. She had to work harder through her education and training than her male counterparts to prove her worth. She was (and still is) a great surgeon. Would she have been questioned as much as the newest doctor in the practice if she had been male? Sadly, I believe the answer is no.

After five years there, I was recruited into law firm management. I watched female attorneys balance motherhood with the demands of a legal career. The pressure came far more from their male colleagues than from their clients. They often arrived later after school drop-offs, and I overheard our receptionist navigate the inquiries and demeaning comments from male partners looking for so-and-so. I felt their eye rolls even before hearing their commentary about someone “being late.”

We covered for the moms when they needed to leave for school events, when the nurse called, or when they had to dash out by 4 pm for a soccer game. They cut their own salaries and called themselves “part-time” to relieve their guilt for being moms. The truth? Every single one of them as hard or harder than 75% of the partners. For much of my legal career, I was the only woman in a shareholder meeting — they needed someone to run it and keep them organized, and that was my sole purpose as a non-voting member of the firm, or so many of them thought.

And then there’s marriage.

This one hits the hardest. I cannot tell you — literally, because I would never breach someone’s confidence — how many smart women have found themselves in unfathomable relationships, struggling with the hardest decision of their life: Is it harder to stay or to leave?

It doesn’t matter what industry you work in, what your profession is, where you live in the world, or what God you pray to — as women, we all share the same struggles. A fascinating book my friend Sarah K. Heeter shared with me, Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years, dives deep into this history. Women are incredible. They are the glue of our world. Men, children, and communities rely upon the strength of women, and the stronger women are, the stronger the world—literally.

Today, I have the honor and privilege of owning a company and employing women both in the U.S. and across the world. I am building a culture with intentionality — one that supports women through all the chapters of their life. Every time I consider a situation or policy, I ask myself: How would I want to be treated? and apply the Golden Rule. Anyone who has worked with me in the past 25 years has heard me say, “Fair is not always equal.” This is really hard for people with "high consistency" as a strength to grasp, but I firmly believe it.

Women experience many seasons and chapters of life. Some are easier than others, but 99% of the time, we feel like we're all a hot mess - doing the best we can with what we have - managing kids, spouses, parents, extended family (including pets!). The more grace we give each other as men and women, the better off the world will be. As leaders, when we create cultures that support women through these seasons, we strengthen communities across the world.

Cheers to strong women - may we be them, know them, and raise them.