15 Women Who Inspire Us
4 minute read
This International Women’s Day, The Beautiful Truth is uplifting the voices of the women who inspire us – leaders and thinkers who embody the values of courage, conviction, connection, compassion, and growth. Across industries, cultures and experiences, these women reflect on the qualities that have shaped their own journeys – and are essential for building a better world.
Their insights highlight wisdom, encourage positivity, and remind us of the extraordinary power that women embody every day.
Never Miss A Story
Courage and Conviction
Natalia Oropeza, Global Chief Cybersecurity and Chief Diversity Officer, Siemens
“Resilience is fundamental…Resilience means that you can recover, and that you never lose, because you either win or you learn.”
Kim Dabbs, Global VP of Impact, Steelcase
“Don’t be afraid to ask tough questions and challenge the status quo. At the same time, be patient and persistent. Change doesn’t happen overnight, but if you stay focused on your values and keep pushing forward, you can make a real impact.”
Didem Ün Ates, Responsible AI executive and certified coach, CEO & Founder of LotusAI
“It all starts with mindset and culture, especially at the top. If the leadership isn’t courageous and committed, nothing else matters.”
Margaret Heffernan, entrepreneur, CEO, writer and keynote speaker
“Poets, painters, storytellers, musicians, dancers, designers, and architects grapple with not knowing every day. They begin with nothing and sail into the unknown with the passion to make something of who and where they are – a vivid demonstration of our capacity not just to tolerate uncertainty, but to flourish within it.”
“We need to remember our own heroic nature, our capacity for courage, compassion and action, to remember those who came before us who took action against the odds and sometimes won.”
Rebecca Solnit, Writer, Historian, and Activist
Connection and Compassion
Rosie Brown, Co-CEO, Cook
“I care deeply about creating good relationships and relational ways of thinking and doing business. I think we’reall interconnected and the stronger the relationships between us are, the better off we all are.”
Cherie Blair, Human rights lawyer and campaigner for women’s equality, Cherie Blair Foundation for Women
“As we’ve been working with these women, we’ve come to understand that having the confidence to pitch yourself, your business, and to believe that people will want to do business with you is a crucial part of success.”
Claire Lamb, Head of People, BGF
“Our growth as individuals should take place in a supportive environment where we are also empowered. So in that sense, I think good growth is also a personal concept about how we can change and develop as people.”
Jennifer Sproul, Chief Executive, Institute of Internal Communication
“I try to focus on the small things. People inspire me. Conversations and moments are inspirational…I think the way we share energy, support one another, and make each other feel is really important. We need to find inspiration from the humans around us.”
“If we can balance competition with compassion and collaboration, we could create a kinder, more compassionate world.”
Kim Polman, Co-founder and Chair, Reboot the Future
Growth, Purpose and Inner Alignment
Amanda Brock, CEO, OpenUK
“I am unashamed of being vulnerable and when something is wrong I open up to my team and colleagues. That also means that I am willing to question myself and to accept that I am wrong and make mistakes. A culture where that’s okay and we can learn from this is essential to me.”
Judith Green, Chief Strategy and Communications Officer, Eversheds Sutherland
“I feel most purposeful when I’m part of affecting that change, challenging the status quo to create good where it can’t happen on its own. It gives me a buzz that I’m always a bit hungry for.”
Krista Tippett, journalist, author and host of On Being
“Questions elicit answers in their likeness. So you call forth something beautiful by asking a beautiful question.”
Sarah Gillard, CEO, A Blueprint for Better Business
“The context may be challenging, but this is the time to navigate uncertainty while holding firm to a long-term sense of purpose. It’s time to bridge the gap between what is and what could be.”
“Think of kindness as a muscle. In some people, that muscle is naturally stronger than in others, but it can grow stronger in everyone with exercise.”
Emily Esfahani Smith, Writer, Speaker, Psychotherapist-in-training
