Sizing Up Inclusive Needs: Co-Founder and Designer Makes It Fit

One size does not fit all.

Tanya Zhang is filling a fashion void with her new clothing line of shirts. But it is not for herself or other women, but for her spouse, father, and other Asian American Pacific Islander men who swear their shirts don’t fit.

Ambition / Intention, Career success, Changing the Power Par..., Entrepreneur, Inspirational Role Models, Leadership tools and tipsMichele WeldonMarch 23, 2020Take The Lead, Female Entrepreneurs, How women can advance their careers, Entrepreneurs, InclusionComment

Leading In The Time of COVID-19: Take The Lead Co-Founder Offers Virtual Solutions

The global workplace is experiencing economic and cultural disruption arising from the COVIV-19 or Coronavirus spread. Updates expand daily, affecting leaders, employees and entrepreneurs everywhere. Cancellations from Coachella and South by Southwest to classes on university campuses, sporting events, professional conferences and political campaigns heighten awareness and also create chaos.

Change Leadership, Entrepreneur, Inspirational Role Models, Leadership tools and tips, Leadership/Organizational, ParityMichele WeldonMarch 13, 2020Take The Lead, Womens Leadership, Coronavirus, Covid-19, Leadership, Leadership Skills, Digital Workspace Comment

Women’s History Month: How Will You Make History?

As March was declared by U.S. Congress in 1987 as Women’s History Month—lengthened from the original week seven years earlier—it is time in 2020 to salute this year’s theme, “Valiant Women of the Vote.” In an election year that will likely not see a woman as a final presidential candidate, the theme can expand to include the past of women who fought for voting parity as well as the present and future advocates for voting women and equality.

Leadership tools and tips, Inspirational Role Models, Parity, Changing the Workplace, Leadership Power ToolsMichele WeldonMarch 10, 2020Gender Equality, Womens History Month, Take The Lead, Gender Parity, Gloria Feldt, Womens Leadership, Women EqualityComment

Be Who You Are: 4 Tips From Hair Care Product Founder On Natural Answers

“Be bold. Be Bomba. Be who you are.” This is Lulu Cordero’s mantra. The founder and creator of Bomba Curls, took a turn from her pre-med studies to economics at the University of Chicago, back to her Dominican Republic roots to develop a hair care company that celebrates the natural beauty of women.

Career success, Ambition / Intention, Change Leadership, Changing the Workplace, Inspirational Role ModelsMichele WeldonMarch 9, 2020Female Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurs, Womens Leadership, Take The Lead, How women can advance their careersComment

The Right Thing To Do: Equity Leader Leon Silver Honored At Power Up Conference

“I’m just some guy doing good work.”Modesty aside, Leon Silver, member of Take The Lead’s board of directors, and honoree at the upcoming Power Up Conference, may downplay the enormity of his role and influence in gender equity work for decades. But recognizing his dedication to gender parity is what is easy.

Ambition / Intention, Change Leadership, Changing the Power Par..., Event, Inspirational Role ModelsMichele WeldonFebruary 21, 2020Power Up Conference, Leon Silver, Take The Lead, Womens Leadership, Gender Parity, Gloria FeldtComment

Tell The Power Story: Power Up Conference Keynoter Leads Panel of 3 Arizona Mayors

Telling your story is a lot more than just saying what happened. It can be a powerful tool to advance your career and connect to community. “Stories have to service the community,” says Megan Finnerty, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, director of the Storytellers Brand Studio, founder and director of the USA TODAY Storytellers Project and moderator of the Power Up Conference panel, “Why Women Should Take The Lead in Politics.”

Ambition / Intention, Change Leadership, Inspirational Role Models, Parity, Leadership Power ToolsMichele WeldonFebruary 17, 2020Entrepreneurs, Gender Equality, Take The Lead, Women In Leadership, Power Up ConferenceComment

No Try, Do: Founder Entrepreneur Offers Tips on Success

Some entrepreneurs have a knack for turning personal needs into great ideas, and then turning those great ideas into huge successes.

Stacey Blackman, founder of Stacy Blackman Consulting, the Blacklight Channel and Stryke Club, is just that entrepreneur.

While she has been reaping rewards professional for two decades, early on, she was deterred.

Ambition / Intention, Career success, Inspirational Role Models, Career choices, Change LeadershipMichele WeldonFebruary 14, 2020Entrepreneurs, Female Entrepreneurs, How women can advance their careers, Womens Leadership, Take The LeadComment

Tapping Your Higher Power: Jamia Wilson on Fulfilling Your Authentic Mission

Oh no, he didn’t. When Jamia Wilson was an undergraduate at American University majoring in broadcast journalism, an older white male professor emeritus called her into his office over what he called “a cause for concern.” Wilson, now Executive Director and Publisher of Feminist Press at City University of New York, knew it was not about her grades, her work, her performance or anything she could imagine.

Ambition / Intention, Change Leadership, Inspirational Role Models, Parity, Leadership Power ToolsMichele WeldonFebruary 11, 2020Take The Lead, Women in leadership, gender issues, Women Equality, Gloria Feldt, Power Up ConferenceComment

Oscars so mellow, Jane Fonda is an icon, Parasite rules, a musical female first but Natalie Portman shows not so much progress

Miky Lee perked me up from nearly nodding off toward the end of my friend’s Oscar party. While the staging was gorgeous, the tone had been much mellower than last year’s symbolic #metoo moments and other years when full throated political declarations ripped the air.

Even the iconic Jane Fonda, who most recently has been getting arrested weekly to raise awareness for climate change, stuck with the script as she presented the best picture Oscar.

Ambition / Intention, Changing the Power Par..., Inspirational Role Models, Change LeadershipGloria FeldtFebruary 11, 2020Oscars, Gloria Feldt, Womens Leadership, Gender Equality, Take The LeadComment

A Band of Sisters: Leading For Confidence And Solutions For Working Moms

The middle of three sisters raised in Bloomfield, Michigan, Lori Caden always knew sisterhood was a key part of her life. Indeed, sisterhood would drive her professional success and be a factor in her helping other women entrepreneurs launch their business dreams.

Career success, Ambition / Intention, Change Leadership, Inspirational Role Models, Career choicesMichele WeldonFebruary 7, 2020Take The Lead, Female Entrepreneurs, Womens Leadership, How women can advance their careers, Women Equality, Working MomsComment

Welcome to the power packed month of February: First, Black History Month

Despite the drolly delivered good news that Punxsutawney Phil predicts an early spring, I entered February still mourning basketball great Kobe Bryant, who died along with his daughter and seven others in a helicopter crash on January 26. I can’t get this tragic loss of life, loss of potential, and loss of a history-making African American athlete off of my mind. I begin my Sum column this week with condolences to the families of all who perished.

The Sum, Parity, Inspirational Role Models, Changing the Power Par...Gloria FeldtFebruary 3, 2020Gloria Feldt, Take The Lead, The Sum, Black History Month, Womens LeadershipComment

The Power To Change Is Yours: Power Up Conference Is Jet Fuel For Your Career

You can definitely find scores of reasons to attend Take The Lead’s “Power Up: Igniting The Intentional Leader Within” conference later this month in Scottsdale, Az. What you can’t find is a reason not to attend. Gloria Feldt, co-founder and president of Take The Lead, will be revealing for the first time to conference attendees leadership power tools she has been developing.