You need to see it to become it. That’s why we’re sharing this list of women who changed the way we think and inspire us to see the world differently. We delight in the work of these women whose purpose and creativity is reshaping how we see not only the world around us, but how we might sit in that world. 

As Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie puts it, “Culture does not make people. People make culture.” And these storytellers, leaders, experts and artists are doing just that. Reshaping industries, ideas, and the way we imagine our world. This list is an invitation to recognise that the future is being written by those imagining a world that’s almost within grasp.

If you don’t know Isabel Berwick by name, you might recognise her voice expertly guiding the sharp and well-researched narratives of her Working It podcast. I’ve often turned to these episodes to find clarity when navigating new corporate quirks or unpacking what a shift in society truly means for the workforce. I’m normally not a big podcast listener, but the solace she gives in that 20 minutes on my morning commute is unmatched; and feels very rare within a noisy space.

From her early days at The Independent to becoming the FT’s Work & Careers editor and now leading the Working It brand full-time with the podcast passing a million downloads, it seems many people hold a lot of trust in her journalism. I trust that each question she poses isn’t just answered with sharp journalism but it will be weighted with a personal touch, whether it’s her own career ups and downs or the honest and messy realities of work. You can hear her keen fascination for empathetic leaders and isn’t afraid to call out outdated ideas. Berwick’s voice is clear, thoughtful, and a reminder that work should be about thriving, not just getting by.

By Jenna Chick, Senior Partnerships Manager

I came across Maria Popova in 2020, during the first Covid lockdown and also my final year at university. It was through her blog, though that doesn’t nearly capture what she does; it’s more of a literary journal, a vibrant and meandering space for contemplation – I knew it as ‘Brain Pickings’ and it has since been renamed ‘The Marginalian’. Popova is on a constant hunt for meaning, weaving connections between the thoughts, ideas, philosophies, artworks, concepts and poems that she encounters. I remember feeling particularly adrift in 2020 – trapped inside, my dissertation stuck at loose ends. I found unexpected solace and a moment of connection in sharing Popova’s writing with my academic supervisor, especially in this quote: “What will survive of us are shoreless seeds and stardust.”

By Amy Butterworth, Editorial Marketing Manager

I read some of Vauhini Vara’s words after she published a moving but exciting essay that didn’t just capture the grief of losing a sister, but the emotions that could unfold even further when experimenting with GenAI to unravel her words – watch out for the last paragraph, it’s a tear-jerker.

She noted at the time that as a writer, she always found that technological capitalism was slowly suffocating her craft. Yet in a moment of profound loss, she tells her story of dancing with the large language model. As a technology reporter for some of the biggest newspapers in the US, her writing drew me in as someone who thought they would one-day specialise in a digital and technology career, but it didn’t end up being a technology trend that hooked me but her openness and sense of play that marked my memory, and perhaps struck me as one of those writers who demonstrates that journalism can be honest, hopeful storytelling. When the technological landscape quite often reads like a dystopia, I’m excited to eat up more of Vara’s storytelling.

By Brenna Spain, Staff Writer

I discovered Krista Tippett’s podcast, On Being, when I was a radio producer at Monocle. At the time, I was spending hours each day sifting through news sources, chasing stories, and working early mornings to produce live radio. The media world often felt fast-paced and transactional, so when I stumbled upon her work, it was like a breath of fresh air.

Krista is one of the finest journalists of our time, but what sets her apart is that her pursuit of truth extends beyond what can be seen and verified. She creates space for both facts and faith, for intellect and mystery, without diminishing either. She won a Peabody Award in 2008 for her public radio programme Speaking of Faith, which later became On Being, recognised for its deeply thoughtful and probing discussions on the spiritual and intellectual dimensions of human life.

As a Christian who is also a deep thinker, I found it profoundly moving to see such a respected journalist dismantle the false divide between faith and intellect. Her work affirms that curiosity, reason, and spirituality can not only coexist but enrich one another—an approach to journalism, and to life, that I find truly inspiring.

By Hannah Finch, Editor-in-chief