The concept of a ‘powerful leader’ has long been a fertile ground for stereotypes.
A stoic and hard-charging captain of the ship; the strong and charismatic CEO; the pioneering visionary; or the unstoppable force of creative energy.
These stereotypes exist because we see them and read about them. They get the press headline, inspire biopics, make waves, and prompt conversations.
However, beyond these pre-determined stereotypes, there exists a few powerful leaders who are truly genuine with their thoughts and actions.
These leaders make an effort to listen; they recognize the value of others; and motivate others towards success.
To celebrate the occasion of Women Entrepreneurship Day, we, at Exeleon Magazine, have made an effort to compile and highlight some of the most powerful women leaders that we have covered on our platform. These leaders go past the pre-conceived notions surrounding their gender and create stories that are empowering.
Cynthia Tsai Ekberg: Emphasizing the Role of People in Business
With over four decades of entrepreneurial experience, Cynthia Tsai Ekberg is an example of excellence for entrepreneurs across the globe.
The global leader banks on people who work with her. She pro-actively takes steps to make her colleagues feel valued, respected, and at home.
Her word for women wanting to excel in the tech space is simple: To draw up a personal success plan for attainable goals and network like a boss.
Given her relentless efforts to make medical and IT related advances, Cynthia is here to be a mentor and guide to global entrepreneurs at large.
Jennifer Myers: The Power of Being YOU
Jennifer Myers is one of the most powerful and resilient minds in the real estate space. After reaching the brim of her successful journey as a real agent, she went on to found Agent Grad School, an online business school for real estate agents who want to make six figures per year while also making a positive impact in their communities.
For Jennifer Myers, a powerful woman is someone who is willing to admit what they really want their life to look like and is willing to go the distance to achieve it.
Being a powerful woman herself, Jennifer has facilitated a similar mindset to impact the lives of others in the real estate industry and beyond.
Galit Ventura-Rozen: Making a Difference in the Lives of Others
Galit Ventura-Rozen is a globally recognized keynote speaker and award-winning entrepreneur. Having established a successful business in the commercial real estate space, she decided to give back; give back the value and experience that she has gained over the course of her journey to emerging women entrepreneurs.
Being a powerful entrepreneur, Galit’s professional journey exemplifies a tale of quality leadership, one which she has built and strengthened from the ground up whilst overcoming obstacles and challenges with dignity, courage, and determination.
Galit mentions that women leadership is more important than ever before. “We are at a time where women have the opportunity in the US to have a voice, to share their experience, to share what is important to them, and to make a difference by being an admired leader that others want to learn from, look up to, and observe.”
Sophia Felix: A Powerhouse in The Cannabis Industry
A public relations spokesperson, a passionate philanthropist, an institutional leader, Sophia Felix is a woman of many hats.
As the Co-Founder and President of ICBWA, an L.A based non-profit organization, Sophia focuses on creating an encouraging environment for women in the cannabis industry. Invariably, she aims to educate these women entrepreneurs to see them transform into leaders in their own lives.
Her role in creating awareness about the effects of cannabis on people suffering with mental health issues is truly instrumental. Sophia Felix is a catalyst in providing equal opportunity to all women. She seeks to see them in an equitable, valuable, and powerful position by providing education and advocacy through workshops and network resources.
Larisa Miller: Bridging Gaps for Better Future
For years, Larisa Miller has been at the forefront of global leadership. She is a representative of change and has been part of various transformational campaigns that seeks to impact our lives, both today and tomorrow.
Larisa’s philosophy of entrepreneurship narrows down to a simple mantra – just pay attention. The past is always there to distract the one willing to take the initiative. The trick is to stay present and be brave enough to chart courses as per the need. To stay ahead of the competitors, one needs to be receptive enough to embrace new strategies and models.
The Founder and CEO of Phoenix Global incorporates social responsibility in her business model to empower both women and youth to be able to pursue their dreams of entrepreneurship and independence.
Gwendolyn Young: The Virtual Assistant Queen
With a dynamic leadership style, Gwendolyn Young has emerged as one of the most well-respected thought leaders in the Virtual Assistant sector.
Gwendolyn is the Founder & CEO of Your Virtual Admin Expert, LLC — an online business management support agency for professional service providers. Her dynamic leadership style inspires strength and positive change in others.
Empowering young girls as well as women leaders to start their entrepreneurial journey is very dear to her heart. 11 years ago, she created Seed of Hope Foundation — a non-profit dedicated to building leaders of integrity for the next generation. This has also helped her empower both teen girls and women through her mentorship programs.
Dayna Altman: Healing and Empowering People Through Acceptance
Dayna Altman, a mental health entrepreneur, author, and public health professional, couldn’t be a better example to showcase the power storytelling has in healing people. Overcoming and learning from the challenges that started in her college years, Dayna embarked on a journey to help others by creating her organizations specializing in mental health advocacy.
Struggling with mental health issues herself, Dayna decided to live a life of authenticity and empower others going through that same struggle. This strength led her into writing a book that combines mental health stories and cooking recipes from over forty different contributors.
Dayna inspires emerging and aspiring women entrepreneurs and leaders to get rid of any reasons to hide their struggles with mental health. She advices, “Struggling with your mental health is not shameful; in fact, it probably makes you an even more in-tune and empathetic leader. You do not have to struggle alone, nor do you have to lead alone.”
Karen Mangia: Powering Limitless Success
Karen Mangia is an international keynote speaker, author, and business personality whose mindset embodies the three dynamic A’s – Accept, Adapt and Accelerate. This mindset has laid the foundation of countless training, keynotes, and conversations that has helped her to lead through change.
She believes that when it comes to transformation, “these three concepts create a powerful playbook of new possibilities.” Moreover, she also resonates with a quote from Michael J. Fox, actor and advocate, “Acceptance doesn’t mean resignation; it means understanding that something is what it is, and there’s got to be a way through it.”
In her WSJ Bestseller – Success from Anywhere, Karen Mangia leans into the power of abundance and redefines what success means to you.
Kate Broddick: A Trendsetter in Real Estate
Inherently, entrepreneurship is a field that is risky. It is riddled with complications and is unpredictable in nature. However, persistence and belief go a long way in turning an entrepreneurial vision into reality.
While trying to establish her name as an entrepreneur, Kate Broddick faced a similar situation. And like any other powerful entrepreneur, she had to persevere and stick to her belief to ‘find her way’ in the real estate industry. Today, Kate Broddick is a pioneering name in the space and spearheads the #1 team of REALTORS® in Brantford.
Talking about her team, Kate mentions “We are a group of women with similar goals but yet we are all very unique in our personalities and that is what makes us so strong. Collectively, we are a powerhouse of women who strive to be better day in and day out.”
Amanda Russell: Putting the Human Back into the Digital World
Amanda Russell, a Professor at Northwestern University – Kellogg School of Management understands the need for human connection in marketing and is taking the concept of influence in order to build a relationship and nurture it. As a widely respected leader in business education alongside being an accomplished scholar, Amanda has taken the world of influencer marketing by storm.
She separates herself from the traps of technology and algorithms and focuses on people’s underlying needs and aspirations. Her vision for influencer marketing is for it to be an authentic partnership between brands and influencers.
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