w w w . i n s i g h t s s u c c e s s . c o m
Womanhood
Unlocking the Potential of Women for Welfare of the World
10 Most
The
Shattering the Glass
Bringing a Compassionate Approach to the Table
Disruptive
Women Entrepreneurs
VOL 02 ISSUE 05
to Watch in 2022
2022
Katherine McLane A Visionary Leader in Business and Public Affairs
Editor’s Desk W The Disruption Within
hen you choose entrepreneurship, you choose to be a part of the world with many twisted knots, uncertainties, and restlessness. And women just know how to straighten out these knots to bring the best to the table. As an example, we have seen many women entrepreneurs making their marks in the business world with their talent, passion, grit, hard work, and perseverance. Speaking of terms like belief, motivation, and transformation, women in entrepreneurship are doing everything to achieve the organization's goals and succeed in life. It all starts with a simple dream of contributing something good to the world, the people you work with, and the society you live around. And as a result, you see the industry is filled with such energetic women entrepreneurs who are ready to take on the world with their leadership.
Today, their voice matters in the organization, and their decisions are actually making a difference. Kamala Haris, Winfrey Oprah, Malala Yousufzai, Greta Thunberg are some names who have become the voice of many others and are striving to bring a change in the world. Be it not-so-glamorous industries like mining or supply chain or technical sectors like cybersecurity, women are shining in every industry and bringing much-needed change at local, regional, as well as global levels. Besides, the advancements in technology and digitalization have opened doors to numerous opportunities for women in business. There has never been a better time for women entrepreneurs to turn their passions and ideas into businesses.
In order to acknowledge and admire the contributions of women to the business world, we at Insights Success have come up with the edition, "The 10 Most Disruptive Women Entrepreneurs to Watch in 2022". This edition features women who have brought drastic transformation, new perspectives, and path-breaking solutions to the business world. On the cover, we have Katherine Mclane, the Founder and CEO of The Mach 1 Group. Katherine is an award-winning communicator, regarded by many as a "legend" for crisis management experience, who has also defined herself as a successful businesswoman. Her firm is known for its above-and-beyond service to clients whose brands are household names. She cultivates a culture at Mach 1 that embraces cooperation, solidarity, innovative thinking and a 'client first' philosophy. You will get to read about many such stories of other women in this edition. Lastly, do not forget to read the CXO articles by the industry experts along with the insightful articles drafted by our in-house editorial team. Have a Pleasant Read!
Sharad Chitalkar sharad@insightssuccess.com
Cover Story
08
Katherine McLane A Visionary Leader in Business and Public Affairs
20
Articles
Womanhood Unlocking the Potential of Women for Welfare of the World
18
Changing Work and Society for the Good
cxo
38
Shattering the Glass
Bringing a Compassionate Approach to the Table
26
Leader’s Viewpoint The Need for Compassionate Leadership During a Global Pandemic
14 Antonietta Roy
Offering Tailored Services on Your Construction Project
22 Heidi Morrissey
Changing the Lives of the Customers & Employees
28 Natalie Ruiz
A Strong, Authentic Leader
34 Nikia Londy
Filling in the Confidence to Step Out in Style
40 Torre Capistran of Hooked On Code
Smashing The Norms by Instilling Simplicity at The Core
Editor-in-Chief Hitesh Dhamani Managing Editor Anish Miller
Executive Editor Sharad Chitalkar
Assistant Editors Jenny Fernandes
Visualizer
Art & Design Director
Associate Designer
Co-designer
David King
Vishal Pawar
Shyam Sonawane
Revati Badkas
Senior Sales Manager
Business Development Manager
Kshitij S
Peter Collins
Marketing Manager
Sales Executives
John Matthew
David, Martin, Irfan
Technical Head
Business Development Executives
Jacob Smile
Steve, Joe, Saurabh
Technical Specialist Aditya
Digital Marketing Manager Marry D'Souza
SME-SMO Executive Amol Wadekar
Research Analyst Frank Adams
Database Management Stella Andrew
Circulation Manager Robert Brown
Technology Consultant David Stokes
sales@insightssuccess.com FEBRUARY , 2022
Follow us on :
www.facebook.com/insightssuccess/
www.twitter.com/insightssuccess
We are also available on : Copyright © 2021 Insights Success, All rights reserved. The content and images used in this magazine should not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from Insights Success. Reprint rights remain solely with Insights Success.
Featured Person
Company Name
Brief
Anna Warren, CEO
Acrelec acrelec.com
Acrelec is a global technology company focused on reinventing the customer experience for restaurant and retail brands.
Antonietta Roy, Owner
Construction Advocacy Professionals, LLC capyourbudget.com
CAP provides owners representation, construction administration, as well as commercial property inspections and many other services.
Carol A. Stewart, Vice President
Tech Parks Arizona, The University of Arizona techparks.arizona.edu
Tech Parks Arizona is part of the University of Arizona, a premier, public research university and a global leader in research and innovation. Kitchen Tune-Up is a franchise system of committed professionals.
Heidi Morrissey, President
Kitchen Tune-Up kitchentuneup.com
Katherine Mclane, Founder & CEO
The MACH 1 Group themach1group.com
Natalie Ruiz, CEO
AnswerConnect answerconnect.com
AnswerConnect provides live answering services 24/7 to help grow your business & work anywhere.
Nikia Londy, Founder & CEO
Intriguing Hair intriguinghair.com
Intriguing Hair was developed as a one-stop solution for women to buy high-quality human hair extensions, hairpieces, and wigs.
Seffie Wells, Founder & CEO
aidie London aidielondon.com
aidie London makes the world's only baby shoes designed by experts in Infant Developmental Psychology to actively enhance Cognitive Function in babies as they learn to walk.
Torre Capistran, Owner & Creative Director
Hooked On Code hookedoncode.com
Hooked On Code is a website and marketing consulting company that specializes in premium, responsive Wordpress websites.
Wendy Yates, Creative Director and Founder
Abigail-Elise Design Studio aeinteriorsinc.com
Abigail-Elise Design Studio makes impactful and positive waves in the world through its expertise in design, development, real estate, customer service, product curation, sustainability and beyond.
The MACH 1 Group is a strategic communications firm.
Katherine McLane A Visionary Leader in Business and Public Affairs
Whether playing offense or defense on a legislative or regulatory issue, we draw on decades of experience in campaigns and government to build the winning game plan for smart organizations.
C O V E R Katherine McLane Founder & CEO The Mach 1 Group
S T O R Y
The 10 Most Disrup ve Women Entrepreneurs to Watch in 2022
L
ike medicine, public relations has many different fields: entertainment, food and travel, to name a few. Public affairs is that special discipline of public relations that focuses on public policy, legislation and regulatory issues. It is generally practiced by veterans of government and political campaigns who have seen the intricate workings up close and know how to translate complex policies into language anyone can relate to. One of those veterans is Katherine McLane, the lone Texan in the Schwarzenegger administration and alumni of the George W. Bush administration. She put decades of experience to work for clients when she started her successful public affairs shop, The Mach 1 Group. As the Founder and CEO, Katherine leads a team of female communications experts and has been quoted extensively in the national niche and regional media. Her firm is known for its above-and-beyond service to clients whose brands are household names. Katherine is an award-winning communicator, regarded by many as a “legend” for crisis management experience, who has also defined herself as a successful businesswoman. She cultivates a culture at Mach 1 that embraces cooperation, solidarity, innovative thinking and a ‘client first’ philosophy. We at Insights Success caught up with Katherine in our endeavor to find "The 10 Most Disruptive Women Entrepreneurs to Watch in 2021." We talked with her to know more about her journey and her vision for Mach 1’s future. Below are the highlights of the interview. Brief our audience about your journey as a business leader until your current position at The Mach 1 Group. What challenges have you had to overcome to reach where you are today? Early in my career, my most significant obstacle was one of my own making: I practiced a self-limiting way of thinking, focusing on scarcity rather than abundance and failing to realize that the world was my oyster, if I could just embrace my own potential. And then the universe handed me a great gift: a job at a leading national public affairs consulting firm, working for Mark McKinnon, one of the happiest, most accomplished, generous people on the planet. Long before he created Showtime's The Circus, in 2001, he had just finished leading President George W. Bush's first presidential election campaign and was returning to the firm in Austin he'd helped build. In him, I had the greatest
example of the best ways to work and live right there in front of me every day. Never ruffled, always cool, invariably thinking the best of people, quick with a joke and a laugh, and unfailingly generous. Not only did I learn a great deal about communications, government, and politics from him, but he taught me – just by being himself - that outlook and attitude are everything. Thanks to his life lessons and support, I’m having the career of my dreams. Tell us something more about Mach 1, its mission, and its vision. We are a boutique public affairs firm and the best of the best in crisis communications. Our name comes from our crisis service philosophy – when the pressure is on, clients need excellent help immediately. That lesson was impressed upon me when I led crisis communications for the LIVESTRONG Foundation during its separation from founder Lance Armstrong. I hired big-name, high-dollar New York and D.C. firms to help navigate the global news spotlight. Some of them were outstanding. Some of them returned my urgent phone calls the next day, far too late to help with a reporter's on-deadline questions. Our goal is swift and excellent service to clients who require expert communications counsel to achieve their business goals, whether they're facing a public crisis or a legislative hurdle. We are also a Historically Underutilized Business, being 100-percent female-founded and owned
On good days, we help inoculate against a potential reputation crisis. On bad days, we parachute in to handle some of the toughest crises organizations can face, managing and mitigating reputational assaults, stabilizing and rebuilding.
and with a 100 percent female client service team. Our company culture is immensely important to me, having worked in some serious pressure cookers during my career. We've created an atmosphere that's supportive, open channel, collaborative and fun. And hailing from similar backgrounds, we all pull together to provide excellent service to our amazing clients. Enlighten us on how you have made an impact in the Public Relations & Communications niche through your expertise in the market. I purposely sought out tough jobs in campaigns and government that put me on the front lines, working with reporters every day of the week, promoting an administration's achievements and mitigating bad news. Those are literally the hardest P.R. trenches there are. You handle crises on a daily basis and spin straw into gold, pitching favorable stories to reporters and creating content that allows your candidate to shine. Now we put that experience to work for the private sector and nonprofit clients whose goals depend on favorable legislation and regulation. Today, Mach 1 stands out as one of the finest due to our experience, business development skills and outstanding client service team. Our boutique firm has served some of the best-known brands and organizations in the U.S. In the last decade, we've received local, national, and global recognition for our efforts and developed an excellent
reputation among our peers. In 2020, we were among the first in our industry to overhaul communications goals with clients and recalibrate them to be responsive to the significant social upheaval we've faced as a nation. Our recalibration helped pave the way for an incredibly successful 2021. The 87th Texas Regular Legislative Session was one of the most unique and challenging Sessions in Texas history. In total, Mach 1 assisted clients in dozens of public testimonies in front of House and Senate Committees, gained more than 200 Session-related media hits for clients and generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in publicity value. Further, while three out of every ten small businesses in the U.S. faltered from the pandemic, Mach 1 was able to expand – adding three new team members over the year. 4. Describe in detail the values and the work culture that drives your organization. Our service team is all women, and our business is built around the principle of mentorship. Our team members invest in each other. We have a culture of mutual support within the firm that fosters a great work environment. We truly understand the demands of working in a fast-paced industry while striving for a work/life balance. We are also responding to the moment. The pandemic took its toll on women in the workforce. Given our firm's background, we felt called to launch a new service helping businesses better adapt to the needs of women during the pandemic. As we grow, our firm will continue to provide innovative solutions to support and empower women in all sectors. Undeniably, technology is playing a significant role in almost every sector. How are you leveraging technological advancements to make your solutions resourceful? Due to the nature of our business and company culture, our employees worked remotely often before the pandemic, and using technology, we've fully embraced this working environment. Outside of client meetings, our business operations are almost 100 percent virtual – which has allowed us to be more efficient, productive, and innovative, and we've integrated technology into all aspects of our work, analyzing data to develop highly targeted earned and digital media campaigns and finding unique ways to leverage disrupting technology to further our client's messages. Over the past year, we've experienced tremendous success by integrating traditional communication strategies with digital advancements – particularly in the public affairs space. As an example, we use data to measure public perception based on media tone and sentiment, reach influencers and decision-makers on
situation arises. Our team of experts works hand-in-hand with organizational leadership – and importantly, their communications, government affairs and legal teams – to assess all potential vulnerabilities and create a constructive, meaningful path forward should a crisis arise.
Building a newsworthy and effective event – whether live or virtual – is both an art and a science. From large-scale campaign events to capitol press conferences, wise organizations invest in projecting the message that matches their goals.
policy-related issues; and then determine how our targeted messaging moves the needle on public perception. If given a chance, what change would you like to bring in the Strategic Communications industry? Communication must have compassion. The push to integrate data, technology, and A.I. into the industry is fantastic, but it must have a human element to be effective. As consumers are oversaturated with information and messages, the empathetic touch is essential to breaking through the noise. But it’s not just about reaching audiences. By incorporating a human element into strategic communications, we can help prevent burnout among industry professionals and empower those in this industry to lead with grace. What, according to you, could be the next big change in the Crisis Management industry? How is Mach 1 preparing to be a part of that change? The trend that we’re driving is crisis training and preparation. A crisis can happen to any organization at any time, and in the age of the 24-hour news cycle and dominance of social media, that crisis can spread globally in an instant. Organizations that fail to identify crisis scenarios in advance and prepare their game plans accordingly suffer tremendously. We specialize in helping organizations get ahead of a crisis – so they're in a proactive position instead of a reactive position when and if an urgent
Where do you envision yourself to be in the long run, and what are your future goals for Mach 1? The Mach 1 Group is firmly on the path to becoming the top public affairs firm in Austin. Because we made a strategic decision not to lobby – a differentiator from our peers - our biggest source of referrals is the lobbyists whose clients we support with communications campaigns designed to achieve their regulatory, legislative and policy goals. I would love to see us continue to grow as a firm by taking on more clients in a wider variety of industries. We are developing new ways to provide services to sectors that have not traditionally thought of public affairs and crisis communication firms as a must-have but so often, they simply don't know what they're missing or what a tremendous return they could be achieving with an investment in the services we provide. What would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs who aspire to venture into the Public Affairs sector? First, get campaign and government experience, so you know how to advise clients with legislative and regulatory goals. And most importantly, be generous to yourself. I've noticed a tendency in myself and especially in my female friends over the years: We are usually harder on ourselves than anyone else, something our male colleagues seem far less prone to. Treat yourself like you treat your best friend. Don't let your negative internal voice have even a second of airtime. Ask for help. It's not an imposition; it's a tribute to the person whose guidance you're seeking. And above all, don't be afraid.
Antonietta Roy Owner Construction Advocacy Professionals, LLC (CAP)
Antonietta Ro Offering Tailored Services on Your Construction Project
T
here are several challenging hurdles in the business world; however, these challenges tend to become fourfold when you are a woman in business. Seeking solutions to these problems, women leaders make their strong standpoint in their respective industries. Akin to such qualities is Antonietta Roy, the Founder of Construction Advocacy Professionals. Struggle and hardships become part of life when one has different roots and is trying to settle in a foreign country. Having Italian roots and not speaking English until school age, Antonietta had to deal with bullying, which often led her to vent her feelings to her mother. Fortunately, these words from her mother shaped the path of her future, “Keep your head up and stay strong; when you get older, you will have everything you want because you’re so smart and you
are so kind.” Antonietta’s parents were very businessdriven and had a small 6 acre farm with a wholesale familyowned bakery out of their home. She would help her parents with every chance she had, and this is where she learned another important lesson of her life. She expresses, “I quickly learned you have lots of friends when you start and business, but when your successful, the vultures and devious come out, and then you learn to lean on your family for support.” Antonietta attended college for fashion marketing and business, where she came across her would-be husband, Leonard. Though, she quickly realized that fashion wasn’t her career path, and she switched to work for a construction company as a receptionist. She was happy with her job, but as uncertain as life is, she struggled when the company shut
FEBRUARY | 14 | www.insightssuccess.com
The 10 Most Disrup ve Women Entrepreneurs to Watch in 2022
Our Collaborative process is aligned for the success of your project.
down. Antonietta kept her heads up and found mentors who taught gave her valuable guidance about the construction industry, which assisted her to make her rise slowly and move up in the world. Eventually, after working several jobs in various positions, Antonietta felt the need to provide the customer with topnotch services and honesty to give them a quality experience. It is why she founded her consulting firm. After struggling with demotivating comments throughout her career, Antonietta doubted herself a bit when she earned her first contract. She remembered the lessons she learned since her childhood and kept tackling all the issues at hand, while the competition tried to find flaws to shut her business down. With the strong ethics and support from her family, husband, and clients, she became who she is today! Antonietta’s dedicated herself to delivering exceptional services to her clients by learning precious lessons at every turn of her life. Her accomplishments tell the story of her heads-up attitude, which led her to win the 2021 Bronze Stevie award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year. The CAPtivating Commitment Construction Advocacy Professionals works as an owners’ representatives with dedicated expertise. CAP provides clients with advice, ensuring their vision and needs are met, as well as the project is completed on time and within their budget. Antonietta has carved her firm intending to offer services with transparent communication to their owners so they are familiar with their project as a whole. Antonietta seems to have a super power to sense things other may overlook, this brings great balance to the team. She has also
struggled to curate a team of experienced experts from different fields to assist the owner in understanding the conflicts, challenges, and delays, future costs, technology upgrades, and proper maintenance to their buildings. CAP’s current experts are ranged from licensed building officials, commercial property inspectors, retired facility directors, financial experts, and construction and design professionals. Antonietta has engrained the culture to go beyond the design and construction of a structure to provide insights into what owners should expect when they take responsibility for the building. After everyone walks away the owner or facility director is forced to act on their own, without a full understanding of what they have available to them, She asserts, “When buying a new flat rubber roof it may seem to be self-explanatory. We take this beyond the install. Did the manufacturer inspect the work for the warranty? Does the owner understand what the warranty covers and for how long? How do you maintain the roof for future damage and leaks? How often should the roof drains be cleared?” Often Antonietta sees owners’ calling a contractor for fixing roof leaks when in reality, the damages are covered in the current warranty. We want to make sure the owner is spending allocated funding on preventative maintenance and not on repairs which may be at no cost to them on a new building. Similarly, technological changes can often be challenging for projects that extend over a year or two, states Antonietta. She strives to look ahead and construct buildings that can quickly adapt to new changes and stay ahead of the curves by learning about innovative technologies. Tailored Experiences for the Long Run Antonietta knows that allocation and time go together. She strongly feels that owners do not quite realize the needs and wants of the future within their given space. Architects frequently re-create projects that they already have completed at a different place rather than tailoring them to clients. She asks, “How often have you seen a project which starts at a lower budget but ends much higher. Owners always walk away feeling they were taken advantage of. But why is that?” Antonietta notes that everyone starts with a skin and bones baseline budget and idea. Once you are involved, the needs, wants and unforeseen conditions, result in excess costs. It is very important to take a little extra time at the beginning of the project to understand the clients needs, and wants, ultimately all parties will know what to expect as a final outcome with a realistic budget.
FEBRUARY | 15 | www.insightssuccess.com
In the long run, Antonietta envisions CAP being the desired owners’ representatives on their team due to its patience, services, guidance, and expertise. She strives to find team members with aligned goals in their minds to prepare for the upcoming upward motions of the revenue and job growth rates that are poised to continue growing in the future. Aiming to expand across the states, CAPs is growing and is currently servicing Rhode Island and Connecticut. It is newly licensed in New York and soon in Massachusetts.
has always been a big issue. She advises upcoming female entrepreneurs in the construction industry to be strong. “We need to remember, we have a voice and we need to speak up, take away the imposter syndrome and push forward. It is a great feeling of accomplishment to drive by your completed project and see it in the active community.” Antonietta concludes.
Antonietta has learned a great deal in her professional career and personal life, from all ups and downs that shaped her into a woman with integrated values, “being a minority in the construction community can be difficult and we need to support each other, we all have strengths and weaknesses, but if we help each other, we can all be successful. The lack of female leadership in construction
FEBRUARY | 16 | www.insightssuccess.com
Tuuli Pärenson
CEO Gofore Estonia
Changing C Work and Society for the Good
an you run a publicly listed company with close to 1000 employees with minimum viable management (MVM). Gofore has proven it to be possible with the right tools and mindset. How is it possible? Is it an effective way of doing business? Agile manifesto was published in 2001, which is the same year when Gofore was established. The company values have stayed the same ever since. Gofore is a lean and agile digital consultancy company, and our greatest asset is our experts.
We trust our experts to make the best decisions themselves and for our customers – we believe that smart people make smart decisions. That is why our first and most important value is that we are the best workplace for everyone. Gofore was rated as the 2nd best European level workplace in 2017. Secondly, we thrive on our customers’ success. We have helped to achieve success in several companies like Siemens or Finnair. We always work as the same team with our customers, that is how we win together. We help our customers with all steps of digitalization, and we must be digital ourselves.
FEBRUARY | 18 | www.insightssuccess.com
About the Author Tuuli Pärenson is the CEO of Gofore Estonia and is responsible for international business development in Gofore Group. She has extensive experience with successful digital transformations internationally in the private and public
sectors. Her special skill is designing and implementing cooperation models that promote co-creation and stakeholder engagement. She is still a human being with Ph.D. in economics, a husband, three kids, and a dog.
We think digitalization can and should be a force for good. To us, it is a very human effort. We bring good people together to identify and embrace new ways of thinking and doing for a more sustainable future. For example, in a business sense, we have found that one important function is reporting. Reporting does not require a human component, so we have fully automated this. We have a middle manager in Gofore who is not a human being. Instead, he is a chatbot called Seppo. When someone has for gotten to enter data, then Seppo sends them a personal reminder. He is also responsible for informing us how we are doing. The future is here, and we are embracing it. We help our customers improve their digital services both for their customers and their employees and network. It all starts with the right mindset and vision, then continues implementation and capacity building. Our employees might need different skills to manage in a changing environment. Digitalization without people is just hardware and code. Thus, we work with you to uncover how people and technology best serve each other and build solutions that contribute to your success. When you have a goal but struggle with the enabling means, we help you develop the capabilities necessary for realizing your objectives by
designing purposeful, agile processes, ecosystems, and service concepts. Thirdly, all the services that have been developed have to keep up with the constantly changing world. We are here to improve the running of your operations by, e.g., automating or rethinking routines and increasing your confidence by looking after your systems as if they were our own. Our unique company culture is based on equality, transparency, and trust. Everyone has a part and a voice in our communal culture. Our culture thrives when everyone is committed to building it. At Gofore you are free to choose your way of working since we believe individuals know how they work at their best. We encourage our employees to learn continuously and offer possibilities to develop their expertise and personal skills. At Gofore, you can be your true self. Our people come to work smiling, even on Mondays. That is a true spirit that can give the work a real meaning and affect what we can achieve with our clients.
FEBRUARY | 19 | www.insightssuccess.com
Unlocking the POTENTIAL of WOMEN for WELFARE of the WORLD
FEBRUARY | 20 | www.insightssuccess.com
Womanhood
T
here is a tremendous amount of potential in every living entity. Untapped potential should be trapped for the welfare of the world. Where women are empowered that place flourishes in abundance. Empowered women leads to the prosperity of families, societies, nations and the world. Deep down, every person likes to live with dignity by contributing something to the world according to one’s capabilities and potential. Therefore, that potential should be nurtured in everyone and especially in the girls and women. Nothing can dim the light in every person that shines from within. All girls and women has to do is to be aware of their own inner potential and they can contribute to any field of their choice. The world is currently going through the unprecedented times due to the ongoing pandemic. This is certainly challenging time for many people but some exceptional women leaders see the positive opportunity even in such unprecedented time and actually that is the hallmark of good women leadership. Exceptional women leaders are always aware and they understand that the unprecedented times always call for unprecedented actions, innovative, thoughtful, and win-win solutions. The world may be filled with lot of negativity due to inevitable challenges and causes, but exceptional women leaders call upon their inner light and they use such unprecedented time to develop and nourish their skillsets so that they can be an instrument of positive contribution to the world in the coming times. Now more than ever, women and girls need to call on their inner light to utilize the toughest times to tune into their conscience, learn new things by using virtual platforms and make themselves competent. In the difficult times of pandemic it is essential for women leaders to be detached from the negativity around themselves. Unless and until one is detached from the negativity, it is very difficult to focus on the positive and to make the most out of that positive. Exceptional women leaders prefer to be courageous to confront issues more diligently and deal with people with empathy and due consideration. Exceptional women leaders choose to think deliberately and act on the conclusion of logical, rational, analytical, systematic, and cognitive-intensive thought process. That is really the most important part of exceptional women leadership. Leaders are supposed to think deliberately and act on the basis of logical conclusion for delivering the efficient results. Educating and empowering a girl child creates a ripple effect and it creates a positive influence in the community. Empowered women invest time and energy in creating the stronger next generations. The future leaders of tomorrow can be more talented, dynamic, and competent to deliver maximum contribution for the welfare of the world if they are raised by the empowered women. Empowering women is beneficial in so many ways and their contribution play a
very important role in creating the genuinely exemplary future leaders. Gender equality is beneficial for the whole world. Promoting gender equality is not just responsibility of women leaders or women issue but it is a societal issue and everyone should support in promoting the purpose of gender equality. United nations is again and again promoting the empowerment of women. That’s very crucial. The greater number of women in every field is a sign of growth and evolved culture. The empowered women are boon to the world. That is the reason ‘Gender Equality’ is one of the most important sustainable development goals. Empowering women is essential for the sustainable development of the world. Empowered women become great asset for businesses, families, societies, communities, nations, and that is ultimately beneficial for whole world. There are plenty of fields where women have opportunities and they can contribute immensely. The world is in desperate need of genuinely exemplary women leaders to make a difference through businesses, science, research, technology etc. Women can become the leaders in the field of businesses, science, research, technology and in any choice of their field if they are willing to be bold and courageous enough to pursue their career in such fields relentlessly. They have the potential to make a difference in the choice of field they go and therefore women should not shy away from utilizing their best capabilities and they should deny the world of their valuable contribution. Empowered women are the secret weapon of creating a positive change in the society and the world at large. Empowering and enhancing women and investing in them unlocks a tremendous potential for the world. Empowered women are the most important weapon and resource in the fight against the global poverty. The untapped resource of women has the tremendous potential and that should be recognized by the people in the world especially by the people who have the opportunity to create awareness related to this. The empowered women have the potential to significantly improve livelihoods, productivity, economic outputs, and the overall human life itself. The basic longing to live with dignity, the fundamental desire to have control of one’s lives and one’s future and to be part of determining the course of our communities and our nations are very much universal in the empowered women. These longings burn in the women and girls, and with these longings they can be a great dynamic force in the world to be an agent of change and make a significant contribution for the welfare of the world with their talents, skills, and abilities and that will lead to the ultimate welfare of the world.
FEBRUARY | 21 | www.insightssuccess.com
Heidi Morrissey Changing the Lives of the Customers & Employees
T
he kitchen is likely to be the busiest room and one of the most used rooms in the home. While the kitchen may be the busiest and most used space, it is often also the last space in a home that is updated due to traditionally lengthy remodel timelines, mess and high remodel costs. Heidi Morrissey - President at Kitchen Tune-Up Franchise System, is leading the charge changing the kitchen remodeling experience for consumers and changing how the Kitchen Tune-Up franchise is led. Heidi tends to lead with more non-traditional approach, and it works well for her at the company. “It is ok to be a traditional leader and equally ok to be a non-traditional leader,” she said. “It is important to speak up and let your voice be heard but also to listen and learn from all you encounter. There are many franchise experts that love to help others grow. If you approach with curiosity, almost all with give you advice and help.” A Family-oriented Culture
Heidi Morrissey
President
Kitchen Tune-Up
Kitchen Tune-Up was founded in 1988 by Heidi’s father, Dave, and she joined his team in 2003. Prior to transitioning to the role of president in 2017, Heidi was the VP of Marketing & Sales. In 2020, the franchise launched their second brand, Bath Tune-Up. The culture is familyoriented, and the bottom line is just as important as making the process easy for both the homeowner and the franchises. Her franchisees are known as Tunies, and the home office team is referred to as Homies. Her focus as leader of these two brands is creating relationships while creating a space that people are proud of in their homes. A Leader in the Industry As a second-generation franchise owner, Heidi strives to keep her franchise relevant, profitable, and a leader in the kitchen remodeling industry. Heidi’s goal is to attract like FEBRUARY | 22 | www.insightssuccess.com
The 10 Most Disrup ve Women Entrepreneurs to Watch in 2022
minded entrepreneurs to her home improvement revolution; to remodel expectations by treating others the way the team wants to be treated by having FUN while working. Heidi’s role is to help the owners find that perfect balance that they desire. Whether they want to be top performers or they are looking for a lifestyle that gives them more control over their time every day, Kitchen Tune-Up has a scalable model that can work for most. She also works to create the best home office team in the industry. The organization has been told, it is small but mighty. Helping People A testament to Heidi’s leadership style of helping others is reflected in her franchisees’ support of local organizations. Many of the owners give back to their communities by supporting non-profit organizations like Habitat for Humanity or A Precious Child. The franchisees are passionate about small businesses and use their platform to elevate those around. They are focused on growing their Kitchen Tune-Up teams by providing employment opportunities and empowering those they employ with processes and structured growth.
Nurturing Leaders Heidi knows her leadership style nurtures and develops franchisees that are able to achieve their financial and personal goals. By being her authentic self, allowing curiosity and questions to lead conversations, Heidi is able shift traditional leadership mindsets and encourage growth. She and her team continue to move forward, make changes when needed, and keep a positive approach of learning and expanding. Striving to keep Franchises Relevant & Profitable Franchise owners are resilient, and while life shifted and changed for many in 2020, Kitchen Tune-Up franchisees found themselves in a unique position last year. Demand for kitchen remodeling was over 50 percent higher in 2020 over 2019, and Heidi and her Kitchen Tune-Up owners shifted the way they met with clients to safely meet that demand. The high demand for kitchen updates allowed franchise owners to create new jobs in their community and support those affected by the pandemic. The company quickly normalized the changes in sales and installation, and the
FEBRUARY | 23 | www.insightssuccess.com
‘‘
adaption allowed the owners to thrive during a challenging environment.
It is ok to be a traditional leader and equally ok to be a nontraditional leader.”
Creating fun while Growing Franchise Through her time with Kitchen Tune-Up, Heidi and her team have developed a proven and successful system for franchisees to follow for success. For a franchise to be successful, they need to follow the prescribed systems. Heidi can see patterns and opportunities and builds structures around them to help her current and future franchisees find success. Heidi plans to add around 75 new franchises each year to over the next five years to that her system has over 500 locations. She and her team know their leadership style will help franchisees grow into their goals through stellar training and support.
FEBRUARY | 24 | www.insightssuccess.com
The Need for Compassionate Leadership During a Global Pandemic - By Eileen Willet Co-founder Cucumber Clothing FEBRUARY | 26 | www.insightssuccess.com
Leader’s Viewpoint
T
wo years ago, when Nancy and I decided to dip our toes into the world of start-ups, we had absolutely no idea where it would take us. We were both mums in mid-life. Between us, we had two dogs, six children, a strong friendship and what we thought was a damn good idea. At the time Nancy was involved in the charitable sector (formerly at Saatchi and Saatchi), and I was running my own successful accessory brand (having helped start up Nicole Farhi Menswear). Hindsight is a great thing, at the time, we thought Cucumber Clothing would fit into our lives. Instead, it soon became a nineheaded hydra disguised as a start-up, swallowing up as much time, energy and passion as we could muster. We can honestly say we’ve enjoyed the challenges, the highs and lows and the wonderful people we have met every step of the way. Then Covid arrived. Which company can say honestly that they were prepared for a global pandemic? I would venture, absolutely none. The past two years have brought us more intense, demanding, and tough hurdles than we could have imagined. The flip side is that we have been stretched, stimulated and forced to be both exacting and flexible all at the same time. What has this taught us about leadership? Mainly that leadership, in particular compassionate leadership, becomes even more essential in times of deep stress, both professional and personal, as well as in times of conflicting demand. The ability to invite opinions and truly listen to them; the ability to retain high standards, and yet remain flexible; the ability to sometimes accept that something cannot be achieved. The ability to be compassionate. These are all lessons we have learned and taken to heart in these tumultuous past months. Broadly speaking, compassionate leadership can be broken down into four pillars with the consistency of application and open communication throughout being key (all definitions taken from merriam-webster.com) : Listening – to hear something with thoughtful intention Understanding – to have sympathetic awareness or tolerance Empathising – to understand and share the feelings of another Helping - the act or an instance of doing or supplying something to make it easier for another to complete a task, deal with a problem, etc.
Regular and open communication allows these pillars to be fully used. Each member of a company then feels able to safely raise issues that may otherwise remain buried, only to arise at a later in possibly a much more inconvenient shape, size and time. It is no surprise that matters can take a negative turn when employees feel that compassionate leadership is lacking. When leadership is reactive, not proactive and issues are dealt with only after something has gone wrong a cycle of negativity is created, particularly when issues are raised and even then, there is no change. Compassionate leadership ensures a greater likelihood of creating a productive and harmonious workplace whatever the external pressures – for example, a global pandemic! may be. Properly using and integrating the above four pillars of compassionate leadership into a company’s functioning allows for a collective focus and corresponding collective responsibility on issues arising in the workplace in achieving and maintaining goals and targets – a huge win for any company. This in turn, leads to a workplace where the collective good is prioritised over individual needs and reduces friction between both individuals and groups regardless of status, again an enormous positive when, especially in times of increased pressures. Whether an SME or micro business, I believe compassionate leadership is key to keeping a company functioning well at any time, and absolutely critical in times of huge stress. Investing in and ensuring that the simple pillars of listen, understand, empathise and help are in place, can make the difference between the survival and failure of businesses in a bruising world of change. Two years in and no business can have any real clarity about what 2022 will bring. The best way to prepare is to commit to ensuring that your own business is emotionally robust and prepared for the worst while very much hoping for the best. With compassionate leadership baked in, it will have every chance.
FEBRUARY | 27 | www.insightssuccess.com
FEBRUARY | 28 | www.insightssuccess.com
The 10 Most Disrup ve Women Entrepreneurs to Watch in 2022
FEBRUARY | 31 | www.insightssuccess.com
Nikia Londy Filling in the Confidence to Step Out in Style
C
onfidence speaks through multiple elements of one's body language. From hair, eyes, smile, looks, and much more confidence can exert from one. However, this confidence can be lowered when women lose their hair due to a few medical conditions in some situations. It is why Nikia Londy started her venture, Intriguing Hair, to help women with medical hair loss regain their confidence. Intriguing Hair is a one-stop solution for women from all ethnicities wanting to purchase high-quality human hair extensions, hairpieces, and wigs. As the Founder and CEO, Nikia has changed the lives of many women and aims to go above and beyond to become the best pioneer the industry has ever seen. An Unparalleled Journey Pursuing her career as a business leader, Nikia always envisioned herself in the C suite as she climbed the ladder of a Fortune 500 organization. After working for nine years at an organization, she experienced and learned the personal sacrifices required to succeed in the early years. She took leadership after everyone else took the shifts and completed FEBRUARY | 34 | www.insightssuccess.com
The 10 Most Disruptive Women Entrepreneurs to Watch in 2022
the task no one wanted, as most of her counterparts were much older and had tenure within the company. Nikia's leadership resulted in building grit, determination, and strong work ethics; however, those feelings changed and were devalued and went unappreciated over time. Even after working around 50-70 hours a week, she worked weekends, never calling out and rarely taking any vacations, leading to imposter syndrome. She overcame this hurdle and learned that success isn't always equal to sacrifice; she doesn't have to be burnt out and achieve the next level. She learned to say NO, and it was the first step to becoming the confident and successful leader she is today. Dedicated Mission & Vision Nikia's mission through venture Intriguing Hair is to be the best in the world at what it does. To help women of all ethnicities suffering from medical hair loss regain their confidence by providing the most realistic and natural hair parts on the market. The company's vision is to be the leading hair augmentation and non-surgical hair
replacement company in the United States. Nikia expresses that Intriguing Hair specializes exclusively in hair extensions, hairpieces, and wigs. The four values that matter the most are sourcing the best quality hair, handcraftsmanship at the highest level of detail, quality of both product and service, and building trust within its community. Effective Impact in the Niche Nikia remains most proud of her company's ability to bill insurance companies directly for medical wigs or have them reimbursed. It is one of the few companies that can do it. She mentions that even though all private insurance companies have different requirements, it took several years as many doors were closed. However, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley introduced legislation. Once the legislation is passed, it would be easier for individuals to Medicare to pay for wigs and hairpieces for those experiencing hair loss, which Nikia is super excited about. Supportive Value Intriguing Hair believes in the quality of its products and services. Transparency and honesty are at the heart of the company, so it is the best at what it does. Nikia states that pursuing to become the best of the best requires extensive training, a winning mindset, and experience. The company provides a unique experience that distinguishes it from competitors. She believes in not leaving out on the fun because work should be enjoyable. The Implementation of Technology Talking about technology, Nikia says, "It is such an essential part of how we interact and communicate with our customers. Just before Covid came, we were set to launch our smart vending machines. Due to the drastic change in how consumers shop, we have pivoted our strategy.” Currently, Intriguing Hair is preparing a nationwide pop-up shop, beauty lounge, and hair show tour to test out different markets for its smart vending machines and plans to visit Atlanta, Houston, Miami, Los Angeles, New York D.C., and Boston. FEBRUARY | 36 | www.insightssuccess.com
“Your gateway to the widest range of natural-looking, hassle-free luxury hair extensions and wigs.”
One Wishful Change
Over the Horizons
Speaking about bringing changes, Nikia expresses that the hair extension industry is currently not regulated. Changing this would be beneficial worldwide, starting from where and from whom the hair comes. Ensuring hair is ethically sourced, and individuals are fairly compensated, including distribution and marketing as human hair. Almost all hair extensions are advertised as human hair, but they are usually mixed with synthetic fibers or animal hair.
Nikia envisions her future and intends to make Intriguing Hair the largest hair augmentation and non-surgical hair replacement company in the United States, alongside her co-founder and husband, Baron Langston.
Shift in Tides Nikia thinks real products that help the hair loss consumer can be the next significant change in the industry. For years, she has tested every waterproof adhesive on the market for her customers and even paid $200 for one; unfortunately, it never worked. Nikia found one that works and for an extended period. She is excited to partner with celebrity hairstylist Patrick Thorton to release H20 Proof Lace Glue, a fantastic product, especially for the hair loss consumer. She also believes insurance companies will make it easier for the hair loss consumer to seek reimbursement or pay directly for cranial prosthesis, the medical term for wigs. 70% of women will experience hair loss within their lifetime.
She plans to continue her work as a beauty brand strategist and help women build their million-dollar beauty businesses while securing major retail distribution for the company. She aims to launch Intriguing Hair's non-profit sector to assist women experiencing medical hair loss and trans women. Encouraging Advice Nikia advises aspiring entrepreneurs to join the startup communities in their area. She says, "There is now so much more accessibility for women through incubators and accelerator programs. I highly recommend joining Julia Pimsleur's Million Dollar Women community. It aided our organization tremendously with strategy. The retail sector has been hit hardest due to the Covid pandemic. I believe there is an opportunity for companies to empower their retail employees and make them feel valued, which is an integral part of an organization's success."
FEBRUARY | 37 | www.insightssuccess.com
Shattering the Glass
Bringing a Compassionate Approach to the Table
T
here’s something to be said about the people, both men and women, who feel that a woman can’t do certain things. On second thought, there’s nothing to be said about this mentality. It’s all been said before. These are relics of the past, and we should just leave them in the past. At present, many women occupy the most dignified roles as some of the top thinkers, creators, entrepreneurs, educators, politicians, and world leaders. And they are just getting started. Significantly more women are earning growing prominence and power in the financial sector, particularly in the realm of asset management. According to the Boston Consulting Group’s ‘global wealth report’, women owned nearly onethird of the global wealth in 2016, and that factor is growing fast.
Wealth management has always been a male-dominated field. Not only are men the great majority of financial counsellors (female participation is barely 15% across channels), but men are also significantly more likely than women to make financial decisions. Men are the primary financial decision-makers in two-thirds of affluent homes in the United States. This, however, is about to change. Female clientele is becoming increasingly important to private banks. But one might ask, what are the main characteristics and distinct approach patterns that have made women the new face of the wealth management arena? How exactly are women contributing to the evolving dynamics of the finance world? Let us look at some of the characteristics from the arsenal of the ladies in the wealth management game and bringing a compassionate approach to the table.
FEBRUARY | 38 | www.insightssuccess.com
Multitasking Aficionados People who are adept at multitasking must maintain attention and discipline in order to avoid succumbing to temptation and engaging in distractions such as conversing with co-workers or checking social media while doing job duties. But, perhaps most significantly, and maybe counterintuitively, multitasking necessitates a great deal of patience. According to research, the female brain is better in patience and attention, just as the male brain is better at learning capacity. This indicates that with practice, both males and girls may become good multi-taskers, albeit females have a tiny advantage.
Humanising the Mortgage Industry The mortgage industry is tough. Even with record low interest rates, purchasing a home or refinancing a mortgage is becoming more difficult, and some consumer advocates are concerned that the pandemic’s aftermath will disproportionately affect those who have the most to lose. The prospect of a mortgage causes the feeling of helplessness in many. But with the graceful and empathizing touch of female advisors, the process can become a whole lot easy. The inherent talents of the ladies, such as abundant patience, high emotional intelligence, exceptional communication skills, and the habits of listening to everyone and giving them an equal say in crucial matters, just mean women can naturally humanize the mortgage industry.
The Win-Win situation The notion that someone must lose in order for someone else to succeed has been debunked time and time again. The word compassion, which used to hold a negative connotation in a business sense, has been turned over its head. The feminine perspective acknowledges that compromising is about listening to the other person, understanding other’s needs, and then finding a suitable solution accordingly. The People-whisperers The psychological community agrees that females are generally more interested in people, whereas males are generally more interested in things or devices. More studies show that the female perspective is more inquisitive towards other people; more open to pursuing knowledge about other people’s feelings, desires, goals, and needs. All of these qualities make for the best people-whisperers. Women are just better at dealing with people than men are, as a general rule. Conclusion It would be cliché to state that women are “making new paths for themselves” or “breaking the ceiling”, or some bromide of that sort. The reality is that women are already the top players of the wealth management game. Women make it to the top on the basis of their skills, their competencies, their exuberance, their vitality, their nevergive-up attitude, their adaptability, and devotion to their goals, as well as the work that they love. Their femininity only works as an advantage; Just remember how they sport a happy-go-lucky smile while they take the top job.
FEBRUARY | 39 | www.insightssuccess.com
Torre Capistran
Owner & Creative Director Hooked On Code
The 10 Most Disruptive Women Entrepreneurs to Watch in 2022
Torre Capistran of Hooked On Code Smashing The Norms by Instilling Simplicity at The Core
T
he principle of KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) is not a common one to find in the web development space, where it seems everything has a way of getting overly complex. Hooked On Code, however, considers simplicity its primary core value and main competitive advantage, implementing it throughout its operations to deliver beautiful, flexible websites in guaranteed timelines that clients can update themselves if desired. Led by Torre Capistran, Hooked On Code has constantly been challenging the traditional norms of the web development industry, combatting various accepted standard operating procedures that she believes lead to overpromised expectations and inflexible solutions. Torre and her team conduct a client training session at the end of every project to give them the knowledge and administrative power to make internal edits. Her team also remains involved with ongoing technical maintenance and content updates as needed, guaranteeing ticket turnaround times and keeping client satisfaction high with their second core value: Do What You Say. By understanding her clients' difficulties, Torre has cultivated a work culture that focuses on creating a delightful experience without putting unnecessary responsibility on the client for providing all aspects of the website content, ranging from images to text. Instead, built into Hooked On Code's proven process are action-oriented steps where the team gathers content and drafts it for review and approval, rather than putting the burden completely on the already busy client. Hooked On Code is continuously streamlining its operations with further simplified processes with the hope of creating transformative shifts in the industry.
The Initial Lead Up Stepping into the business world after graduating from SMU Cox School of Business in Dallas with a degree in Marketing, the jobs available were primarily in sales. Knowing that for her, taking a career in sales would be worse than having no job at all, she moved to live on a resort in Riviera Maya with her two cats and now husband. Torre had a keen interest in business strategy, operations, and design. While living on the beach, she put her heart into learning how to build websites in her free time. When Torre moved back to Dallas six months later, she landed a digital marketing job in corporate America and remembers being frequently appreciated for her work ethic and results. However, realizing that the corporate world wasn't where she wanted to be long-term, Torre left the job in June of 2014, venturing to start Hooked On Code. Flipping Negative Experiences to Delightful Ones After being on the client-side of a large-scale web development project during her time in a corporate job, Torre thought it ridiculous that the experience had to be so negative. She analyzed the web development niche and its typical processes, studied existing problems that created unneeded bloat in both timelines and billing, and found simple solutions to cut the B.S. in every operational and development decision possible. The result is that her agency delivers delight, rather than the horrendous experiences that the industry is known for, such as: • • • • •
Missed deadlines/ghosting Poor communication Bloated/self-serving processes Inflexible solutions Holding client websites hostage
FEBRUARY | 41 | www.insightssuccess.com
“
We bet you a nickle you’ve never had so much fun working on a website project.
“
Torre explains, "Many of these issues are resolved through clear and prompt communication. By setting detailed expectations, ensuring we do not overpromise along the way, clients feel informed and our team is better equipped to meet deadlines and do what we say. Our high level of proactive communication and structure sets us apart from many in our industry." She and her team keep a partner's perspective that helps them actively look for the things to lessen clients' worries while ensuring they are heard. Sharing one of her favorite facts about her agency, Torre tells us, "We have never missed a launch date.” Foundational Values Hooked On Cooked is rooted on the firm foundation of four pillars (their Core Values): Simplicity: finding straightforward, effective, and sustainable solutions, and avoiding unnecessary complexity. Relentless Forward Motion: Constantly learning, improving, and finding innovative approaches compared to conventional methods.
Do What You Say: Defying the odds in an industry with exact opposite norms. And finally, striving to spread Delight in every interaction. Growth Goals Torre loves her work but also shared her frustration with the haphazard norms that she encounters when taking over client websites who've had negative experiences in the past. She says, "The norms in the web development space are mostly inefficient, inflexible, and work in favor of agencies but not clients. I am working to address these ridiculous and outdated practices in our niche, starting with our own operations, hoping that the positive impact of doing so will spread.” Torre envisions growing Hooked On Code to 25 people, which she believes is a size that will allow the team to stay nimble, efficient, and most of all fun. One of the reasons she hopes to see the team grow is to create more dream jobs, especially for women with families seeking a level of
FEBRUARY | 42 | www.insightssuccess.com
flexibility that isn't common. She wants to create a workplace culture that allows her team to be autonomous, valued for their expertise and contributions, and challenged. She dreams of Hooked On Code being known as the best place to work in the remote creative agency space, and delivering incredible experiences to more clients. Bequeathing Guidance We asked Torre what advice she might give to other women interested in breaking into the technology or entrepreneurial space. She advised women entrepreneurs aspiring to venture into the Web Development sector to learn as much as possible. She recalls interning (unpaid) one afternoon a week for a small agency for several months which she says helped her learn about the reality of running a small creative agency, and what she could do differently. Torre expresses, "If possible, find a mentor who has been where you are and who has taken their business where you want to go. Their time and experience are a valuable gift."
She adds that entrepreneur organization and programs like EO Accelerator can also be hugely impactful. She feels that these groups help you gain access to both community and rock-solid guidance to grow your business while dealing with the toughest challenges. Torre says, "Surround yourself with intelligent, motivated women who want to be a part of making a difference in their world —partner with them. Work for them. And most of all, hire them.” "Hire women who want to succeed and then do everything in your power to help them reach their goals, even if those goals take them away from your company. The dreams, ideas, and solutions that come out of a team full of people like that can change industries," Torre concludes. Looking for the right partner for your website redesign? Visit hookedoncode.com for more
FEBRUARY | 43 | www.insightssuccess.com
informa on on this 5 star rated agency.