1 00:00:04,840 --> 00:00:09,160 Speaker 1: Welcome to Possible Now Stories of Possibilities, the podcast where 2 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:13,200 Speaker 1: we dive into the leadership frameworks, bold ideas, and personal 3 00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:19,280 Speaker 1: stories shaping the future of marketing, technology and leadership. Before 4 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:22,479 Speaker 1: we begin, step into a moment. Walk into a room 5 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:26,800 Speaker 1: where the future is being decided. Power sits comfortably, influence 6 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:31,320 Speaker 1: circulates easily, and the rules feel invisible because they were 7 00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 1: written by those already inside. And then you realize you 8 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:38,800 Speaker 1: were never expected to be there. And now imagine not 9 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 1: just finding your voice in that room, but redesigning it entirely. 10 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 1: This is Possible Now Stories of Possibilities. I'm Christian Muppe, 11 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:49,920 Speaker 1: co founder and global president of Possible and your host, 12 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:54,400 Speaker 1: and today's conversation is personal. Shelley and I didn't meet 13 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:57,960 Speaker 1: by chance. Our path crossed in the global arenas where 14 00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 1: leadership is tested and future of business is negotiated. Over 15 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:05,760 Speaker 1: the years, I've watched her do what very few leaders 16 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:09,600 Speaker 1: have the courage and consistency to do. She doesn't adapt 17 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 1: to broken systems, She challenges them, and then she builds 18 00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:17,920 Speaker 1: something better boldly and at scale. Shelley Zealous does not 19 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:21,240 Speaker 1: wait for doors to open, She asks why they were 20 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 1: closed and who else is still standing outside. As the 21 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:28,360 Speaker 1: founder and CEO of the Female Quotient, she transformed a 22 00:01:28,440 --> 00:01:32,039 Speaker 1: single walk at CS into a global movement, building the 23 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:35,399 Speaker 1: largest community of women in business, not as a network, 24 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:39,920 Speaker 1: but as a force for structural change. A place where 25 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 1: equality is operationalized, where dialogue becomes commitment, and where connection 26 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:49,480 Speaker 1: drives measurable progress, where leadership is defined not by title 27 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 1: but by responsibility. What makes this moment especially meaningful is 28 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:57,560 Speaker 1: that Shelley is now bringing the same urgency and catalytic 29 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:00,880 Speaker 1: leadership to possible. Together, we are raising the bar for 30 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:04,919 Speaker 1: our industry and reinforcing a belief we both share. Equality 31 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:07,920 Speaker 1: is not a side conversation. It is central to how 32 00:02:07,960 --> 00:02:11,840 Speaker 1: the future gets built. She calls herself the chief troublemaker, 33 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:16,480 Speaker 1: and that's not branding, it's conviction and motion. A LinkedIn 34 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:20,239 Speaker 1: top voice, contributor to Time and Forbes, and one of 35 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:24,080 Speaker 1: the most respected champions of modern leadership, Shelley is helping 36 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:30,280 Speaker 1: architect a new blueprint grounded in inclusion, accountability, and courageous action. 37 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:34,800 Speaker 1: This conversation is about courage, about rewriting rules instead of 38 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:37,959 Speaker 1: surviving them, About why compassion is not a weakness but 39 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:42,679 Speaker 1: a strategic advantage and ultimately about a truth too important 40 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:46,480 Speaker 1: to ignore. Equality is not an aspiration, It is a decision. 41 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:50,120 Speaker 1: Shelley's adis my friend, my collaborator, and one of the 42 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:53,800 Speaker 1: defining leadership voices shaping what comes next. Welcome to Possible 43 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:56,279 Speaker 1: now wow, Shelly, Welcome. 44 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:59,440 Speaker 2: Christ And I have to say that probably was one 45 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:08,480 Speaker 2: of the most powerful, passionate, purpose driven and fabulous introductions 46 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:11,640 Speaker 2: I have ever had, So thank you, my dear friend, 47 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:11,920 Speaker 2: for that. 48 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 1: But Shaddy, you deserve it because this is about you. 49 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:18,639 Speaker 1: I would love to start, obviously, was when things started 50 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 1: like this. You know, as part of my introduction, I 51 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:23,720 Speaker 1: called you the chief troublemaker because you call yourself the 52 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:27,280 Speaker 1: chief troublemaker for some time, law, So let's start when 53 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:30,640 Speaker 1: things started to be you know, not just difficult, but 54 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 1: stop feeling risky and start feeling necessary. Let us know 55 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:37,240 Speaker 1: about when you felt you know, this is something you 56 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:40,440 Speaker 1: had to do. So let's share your story why things 57 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 1: happened like this and when you know. 58 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:47,200 Speaker 2: I think it started when I had my first bad review. 59 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 2: I was twenty five years old. I was young, and 60 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:54,160 Speaker 2: I was working in a traditional research company and I 61 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:57,480 Speaker 2: walked into my first review and I thought I was perfect. 62 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:00,640 Speaker 2: I came in early, I stayed late, said yes as 63 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:04,040 Speaker 2: a team player, I'm smart, I'm talented, I questioned things, 64 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:07,040 Speaker 2: you know whatever. And we had typewriters at the time, 65 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 2: we didn't have computers. And my boss, a man, gave 66 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:17,000 Speaker 2: me this ten page typewritten review, and I'm thinking, God, 67 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:19,240 Speaker 2: I'm going to leave here with a raise and a promotion. 68 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:24,120 Speaker 2: And the first paragraph was all nice things, that I'm 69 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:26,120 Speaker 2: a team player and I'm smart and all that. Then 70 00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:29,240 Speaker 2: the rest ripped me to shreds of what I wasn't 71 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:32,120 Speaker 2: and what they expected of me was to be an 72 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:35,600 Speaker 2: order taker, to take clients out to lunch, and just 73 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:40,000 Speaker 2: to say yes to what we could do, not to possibility. 74 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 2: And at the end of the review, they wanted me 75 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:47,360 Speaker 2: to sign the review that I agreed with them, and 76 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 2: I couldn't sign it because my head said sign I 77 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:54,200 Speaker 2: need the job. My heart said, but you're wrong. And 78 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:57,239 Speaker 2: what came out of my mouth was telling my boss, 79 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:00,400 Speaker 2: you are so wrong, and you've just made the biggest 80 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:04,240 Speaker 2: mistake of your life. I said, because I think relationships 81 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:07,080 Speaker 2: are so important, and that if the client wants to 82 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:10,040 Speaker 2: add new things to market research, we should be saying yes, 83 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:13,599 Speaker 2: not no, and only do status quo types of things. 84 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:15,880 Speaker 2: And so I didn't sign the review, and as a 85 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:19,599 Speaker 2: result I got demoted and a person was put above me, 86 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:22,240 Speaker 2: and I was told this is a research company, she's 87 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:27,599 Speaker 2: a researcher. What don't you get crazy Enough years later, 88 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:30,520 Speaker 2: Bill is still a really good friend of mine. I 89 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:32,920 Speaker 2: was written up about in some magazine and it was 90 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:35,479 Speaker 2: a huge spread and they said, well, what was the 91 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:37,919 Speaker 2: craziest thing that happened to you? And how did you 92 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:40,760 Speaker 2: take the name chief Troublemaker? I said it was my 93 00:05:40,839 --> 00:05:42,880 Speaker 2: first review and they said, well, how do you think 94 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:46,719 Speaker 2: Bill would feel today about that review? I said, I 95 00:05:46,760 --> 00:05:50,239 Speaker 2: don't know, Call him ask them. So they called Bill 96 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:53,120 Speaker 2: and they said, Bill, do you remember that review you 97 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:56,040 Speaker 2: gave her? He says, of course I do. And this 98 00:05:56,160 --> 00:05:59,240 Speaker 2: was thirty years ago. There's a long time ago. And 99 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:01,680 Speaker 2: they said, well, well, do you regret that decision? And 100 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 2: he said no, And so I jump on the phone. 101 00:06:04,720 --> 00:06:06,760 Speaker 2: I'm like, what do you mean you don't regret that? 102 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:08,360 Speaker 1: Would you do it again? Right? Yeah? 103 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:11,039 Speaker 2: That hurt my feelings so much. And you demoted me 104 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:17,720 Speaker 2: because had you have signed that paper agreeing you wouldn't 105 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:20,960 Speaker 2: be where you are today, breaking all the rules that 106 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:24,560 Speaker 2: make no sense and creating new ones. And that was 107 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:29,080 Speaker 2: that moment of truth for me that I do think 108 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:32,400 Speaker 2: the things that have not happened yet, and it might 109 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:35,120 Speaker 2: be ten years ahead of itself, but I have to 110 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 2: believe in who I am and follow my heart. And 111 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:42,880 Speaker 2: so chief troublemaker comes with following your heart. And sometimes 112 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:45,240 Speaker 2: you're creating a new trend. Sometimes you got to break 113 00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:47,440 Speaker 2: a pattern and create a new one. So that's really 114 00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:48,360 Speaker 2: where it started. 115 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:52,080 Speaker 1: So when was a moment, if there was a single 116 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:55,160 Speaker 1: moment for you when you realize success alone wouldn't change 117 00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:57,800 Speaker 1: the system. I mean at this time, maybe I'm wrong, 118 00:06:57,839 --> 00:07:00,920 Speaker 1: but you had still your career ahead of you, right, 119 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 1: so maybe you would say I'm not successful yet to 120 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:07,360 Speaker 1: change the world. When was that time? And to do 121 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:11,280 Speaker 1: something bigger than what was required, you know, just being successful, 122 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:12,560 Speaker 1: but doing more than that. 123 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:16,160 Speaker 2: I was always told that I'm not the right one. 124 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:19,200 Speaker 2: It's too early, it's not the right time, it's never 125 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:22,680 Speaker 2: been done before. You need to wait. And I was 126 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:26,120 Speaker 2: on a panel. So I was in traditional telephone market 127 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:29,000 Speaker 2: research and the company was called ASI. It later got 128 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 2: acquired by Yipsy's. I was sitting on a panel with 129 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:36,560 Speaker 2: the chief research officer of Procter and Gamble. His name 130 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:40,720 Speaker 2: was Larry Mock, and I had this crazy idea to 131 00:07:40,800 --> 00:07:45,120 Speaker 2: migrate research from offline to online. But it was in 132 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:47,040 Speaker 2: a day and age where only wealthy old men with 133 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:51,400 Speaker 2: broadband connections were online. My boss and my boss's boss 134 00:07:51,440 --> 00:07:53,960 Speaker 2: and boss's boss told me it wasn't the right time 135 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:57,360 Speaker 2: and I need to wait for the right time. So 136 00:07:57,440 --> 00:07:59,560 Speaker 2: I'm with Larry and my bosses are all on the 137 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:04,640 Speaker 2: front right, and I'm whispering to Larry on the dais 138 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:07,400 Speaker 2: and I come off the stage and my boss is all, 139 00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 2: what did you talk to him about? What did you 140 00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:12,200 Speaker 2: talk to Hi about? I said, I just asked him, 141 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:15,600 Speaker 2: very clearly, when is the right time to come to 142 00:08:15,720 --> 00:08:19,520 Speaker 2: Procter and Gamble and talk about migrating research from offline 143 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:21,840 Speaker 2: to online? And they said, what. 144 00:08:21,760 --> 00:08:22,400 Speaker 1: Did he say? 145 00:08:22,840 --> 00:08:25,000 Speaker 2: What did he say? I said, we have a meeting 146 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:29,000 Speaker 2: next week at Procter and Gamble, and my bosses all said, great, 147 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:31,280 Speaker 2: John will go, Paul will go, Ringo will go, and 148 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:34,960 Speaker 2: Star will go. And I'm like, what about Shelley. I 149 00:08:35,040 --> 00:08:37,360 Speaker 2: got the meeting and they said, you know, it's a 150 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:40,040 Speaker 2: boys club. At Procter and Gamble. That's the right team. 151 00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:43,000 Speaker 2: We're going to go. And that was the moment of 152 00:08:43,040 --> 00:08:46,760 Speaker 2: truth for me, Christian that I realized, why am I 153 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:50,760 Speaker 2: waiting for someone to give me permission? I'm going to 154 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:52,800 Speaker 2: go to that meeting. So I looked at my bosses 155 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:55,640 Speaker 2: and I said to them, well, if I'm not going, 156 00:08:56,160 --> 00:08:58,760 Speaker 2: I'm going to cancel the meeting, and you can all 157 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:01,320 Speaker 2: wait for the right time, because you think there's a 158 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:05,280 Speaker 2: right time. And that was that, and it was that 159 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:09,560 Speaker 2: internal voice that said, I'd rather be in charge. Why 160 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:12,720 Speaker 2: am I always waiting for permission to be told what 161 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:14,880 Speaker 2: to do when to do it. I'm not going to 162 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:17,480 Speaker 2: wait and watch. And I left and I started my 163 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:23,720 Speaker 2: own company, o t X Online Testing Exchange. I had 164 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:26,640 Speaker 2: no idea how to run a business. I had no 165 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:30,200 Speaker 2: idea that I should be doing that, but my heart 166 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:33,160 Speaker 2: pulled me in that direction. And that was a very 167 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:35,640 Speaker 2: big moment of change for me. 168 00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:39,079 Speaker 1: So you've mentioned OTX. So you founded this, I think 169 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:42,920 Speaker 1: you ran it for twelve, thirteen, fourteen years, something like this, 170 00:09:43,120 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 1: and then you sold it to Ipsosia. Right, you're a 171 00:09:45,800 --> 00:09:49,959 Speaker 1: company builder, You're an entrepreneur, and then you became even more, 172 00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:53,959 Speaker 1: I call it a movement builder. So you successfully built 173 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:55,880 Speaker 1: and sold a company. Why do you think there was 174 00:09:56,480 --> 00:09:59,800 Speaker 1: more than just doing this successfully? I mean a lot 175 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:01,760 Speaker 1: of people do it, you know, and of course they 176 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:04,160 Speaker 1: get a lot of reputation because they do what they do, 177 00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:08,480 Speaker 1: and they also increase their influences in the market where 178 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:11,440 Speaker 1: they're doing their business. But you obviously thought, okay, there 179 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:15,040 Speaker 1: is definitely more to create a movement. Was it running 180 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:17,319 Speaker 1: this company? Was it when you sold this and then 181 00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:19,600 Speaker 1: you thought about, okay, what's next? What happened? Then? 182 00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:23,000 Speaker 2: I talk a lot about power. The pack company alone 183 00:10:23,040 --> 00:10:26,600 Speaker 2: has power collectively with impact, and that has been I 184 00:10:26,640 --> 00:10:31,600 Speaker 2: think historically how I've been successful bringing something that has 185 00:10:31,679 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 2: never been done to market four times. So I'm a 186 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:38,280 Speaker 2: four time movement maker. And the first one was while 187 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:43,440 Speaker 2: I was still at ASI where online advertising. You know, 188 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:47,160 Speaker 2: if you look back at nineteen ninety five nineteen ninety seven, 189 00:10:47,440 --> 00:10:51,080 Speaker 2: there were no online ad standards at the time, and 190 00:10:51,920 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 2: every single Fortune five hundred brand was creating websites to 191 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:58,280 Speaker 2: advertise in two hundred pages for Tampaks and two hundred 192 00:10:58,280 --> 00:11:01,920 Speaker 2: pages for Tied Lodgey Detergent. But I thought to myself, 193 00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:05,560 Speaker 2: you know, we don't create programming on television to advertise in. 194 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:10,000 Speaker 2: We put our advertising in other people's programs. And so 195 00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:15,640 Speaker 2: I called up ten non competitive companies, Procter and Gamble, 196 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:19,559 Speaker 2: Coca Cola, IBM, and I said, let's get together and 197 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:23,120 Speaker 2: create a consortium. I called it IIx at the time, 198 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:26,640 Speaker 2: Interactive ID Exchange, and the other one was CIA Consortium 199 00:11:26,640 --> 00:11:30,240 Speaker 2: for Interactive Advertisers. And I said, why are we creating 200 00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:35,200 Speaker 2: two hundred page websites. We need to move our advertising 201 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:37,680 Speaker 2: to other people's websites. And I said, you know, we 202 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:41,320 Speaker 2: don't have thirty second commercials, thirty two second commercials, thirty 203 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:45,720 Speaker 2: four second commercials. We have three standards fifteen thirty sixty. 204 00:11:46,280 --> 00:11:51,200 Speaker 2: So I said, everyone give me ten banner ads, ten interstitials, 205 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:56,000 Speaker 2: ten split screens ten and we created a normative database. 206 00:11:56,320 --> 00:11:59,840 Speaker 2: And it was pretty amazing at the time because that 207 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:02,720 Speaker 2: it ever existed. People were creating all different sized banner ads, 208 00:12:02,760 --> 00:12:05,760 Speaker 2: so you couldn't do across media buy. And we did 209 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:08,120 Speaker 2: that for about a year and a half two years, 210 00:12:08,559 --> 00:12:10,800 Speaker 2: and then gave it to the IAB, and that's how 211 00:12:10,840 --> 00:12:15,880 Speaker 2: the IEB formed Interactive Advertising Bureau to create standards. But 212 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:19,079 Speaker 2: we created benchmarks for change, and you can create a 213 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:24,080 Speaker 2: benchmark by yourself in isolation, you need the collective action. 214 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:29,200 Speaker 2: And then the second movement was obviously OTX migrating research 215 00:12:29,240 --> 00:12:33,000 Speaker 2: from offline to online, but there was no online sample, 216 00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:37,040 Speaker 2: so having to create a whole sample methodology, which I 217 00:12:37,080 --> 00:12:40,400 Speaker 2: called one fish to fish, redfish, bluefish, was really important 218 00:12:40,400 --> 00:12:45,319 Speaker 2: to create online research. And then the third was see 219 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:49,720 Speaker 2: her creating a new advertising measurement not just for persuasion 220 00:12:49,760 --> 00:12:54,560 Speaker 2: and relevance and likability, but for gender representation and reflection. 221 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:57,160 Speaker 2: And so we brought it to the a Anda to 222 00:12:57,240 --> 00:13:01,320 Speaker 2: have collective action for change and to create normative databases. 223 00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:05,360 Speaker 2: And then of course the fourth really is the female quotion, 224 00:13:05,960 --> 00:13:11,040 Speaker 2: creating this global community of change makers, but all at 225 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:14,520 Speaker 2: once that we're not waiting for permission, but we're taking 226 00:13:14,559 --> 00:13:18,319 Speaker 2: it by showing up collectively. I think for me, the 227 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:21,280 Speaker 2: theme has always been collective action for change and not 228 00:13:21,559 --> 00:13:24,080 Speaker 2: going in as one. As one. You're invisible, and you 229 00:13:24,160 --> 00:13:26,680 Speaker 2: talked about that and you're opening, but when you're a 230 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:32,239 Speaker 2: seven and a half million person community that is driving change, 231 00:13:32,679 --> 00:13:35,800 Speaker 2: you don't miss us. We're a force that you've got 232 00:13:35,840 --> 00:13:38,600 Speaker 2: to reckon with because boom bam, BAM, but. 233 00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:41,280 Speaker 1: Especially with female quoting that was obviously well. It didn't 234 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:43,720 Speaker 1: start as a master plan obviously, right, It started with 235 00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:47,320 Speaker 1: the walk at CS And this movement obviously is different 236 00:13:47,400 --> 00:13:51,959 Speaker 1: because collecting millions of different voices. I mean, I understand 237 00:13:51,960 --> 00:13:54,040 Speaker 1: that it was tricky at this time to set up 238 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:57,800 Speaker 1: standards which didn't exist, but to collect a handful players 239 00:13:57,800 --> 00:14:00,160 Speaker 1: in the market and bring them together, which is a 240 00:14:00,160 --> 00:14:03,480 Speaker 1: different approach. But now we talk about millions of sounds. 241 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:08,440 Speaker 1: This is extremely powerful. That must feel so differently. You're 242 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:11,360 Speaker 1: responsible now for so many more people, not for their 243 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:13,839 Speaker 1: action and what they do every day and how they behave, 244 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:17,480 Speaker 1: but you're telling them something, You're sharing your own experiences, 245 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:20,800 Speaker 1: they're providing their feedback to you. This is a complete 246 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:23,280 Speaker 1: different movement, I think, right, it's much more powerful. 247 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:27,239 Speaker 2: But even when we need to create online ad standards, 248 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:31,360 Speaker 2: that was never done. It did need the collective we 249 00:14:32,280 --> 00:14:34,440 Speaker 2: you know, to make it happen. It wasn't just about 250 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:37,480 Speaker 2: norms or benchmarks. It was about people committing time to 251 00:14:37,560 --> 00:14:42,240 Speaker 2: something that didn't exist. Or even when I did online research, 252 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:44,600 Speaker 2: I went to the movie business, to the movie industry. 253 00:14:44,640 --> 00:14:47,800 Speaker 2: They had companies they used, you know, and I remember 254 00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:51,280 Speaker 2: going to the chief research officer of Warner Brothers saying, 255 00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:56,000 Speaker 2: are you completely perfectly satisfied with how you do research? 256 00:14:56,080 --> 00:14:56,440 Speaker 1: Today? 257 00:14:56,520 --> 00:14:58,520 Speaker 2: There was only one company in the world with a 258 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:04,680 Speaker 2: monopoly on entertainm research. It needed the collective wei or 259 00:15:04,920 --> 00:15:08,720 Speaker 2: see her collective we that advertisers would now embrace it 260 00:15:08,760 --> 00:15:11,880 Speaker 2: and put that measure into their copy testing. And the 261 00:15:11,960 --> 00:15:16,320 Speaker 2: same thing with the female quotion It needed not the voice. 262 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:21,640 Speaker 2: It is the collective lived experience that really is transformative, 263 00:15:21,960 --> 00:15:25,960 Speaker 2: including you know, big companies to realize that's how change happens, 264 00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:30,640 Speaker 2: and especially rewriting the rules in the corporate world. It 265 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:33,040 Speaker 2: never happened before, you know. I remember when I was 266 00:15:33,040 --> 00:15:38,040 Speaker 2: selling my research company to IPSOS. I had some vcs 267 00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:42,480 Speaker 2: that were partnering with me and they said, oh, your 268 00:15:42,520 --> 00:15:45,120 Speaker 2: bank book, how you're going to sell the company needs 269 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:48,120 Speaker 2: to look like this, And I looked at it and 270 00:15:48,160 --> 00:15:51,280 Speaker 2: I'm like, but that's not who we are. I'm not 271 00:15:51,360 --> 00:15:55,920 Speaker 2: just numbers on a page and getting them to understand 272 00:15:56,440 --> 00:15:59,960 Speaker 2: that it is something different and there is no swa 273 00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:03,800 Speaker 2: analysis because it's never been done. It's the same thing 274 00:16:03,840 --> 00:16:05,800 Speaker 2: with the female quotient. When I got invited to the 275 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:09,200 Speaker 2: World Economic Form as the girls Lounge of the Female Quotient. 276 00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:11,480 Speaker 2: I was told we wanted to come, but you might 277 00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:15,800 Speaker 2: not feel welcome. Imagine that invitation. And so I showed 278 00:16:15,880 --> 00:16:19,080 Speaker 2: up with fifty women as a slumber party at the 279 00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:23,600 Speaker 2: World Economic Forum. And that was only my third lounge 280 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:24,680 Speaker 2: or fourth lounge ever. 281 00:16:25,040 --> 00:16:28,480 Speaker 1: When was that obviously pre COVID ride that was. 282 00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:34,720 Speaker 2: Twenty fifteen, unheard of and scary as shit. But if 283 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:38,320 Speaker 2: you believe, and this is everything Christian you've created, if 284 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:42,800 Speaker 2: you believe in possible, if you believe in possibility, you 285 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:45,760 Speaker 2: have to find a way, and there's always a solution. 286 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:47,040 Speaker 2: You just got to find it. 287 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:50,440 Speaker 1: So sheldy, and what does it cost to you personally? 288 00:16:50,720 --> 00:16:53,600 Speaker 1: I mean, to create a movement? You cannot stop this anymore, 289 00:16:53,720 --> 00:16:57,720 Speaker 1: which is a positive thing, but it comes along with responsibilities, right. 290 00:16:57,760 --> 00:16:59,600 Speaker 1: You cannot just say hey, I'm starting this and then 291 00:16:59,640 --> 00:17:01,840 Speaker 1: I'm all. I mean, you would never do it, I know, 292 00:17:01,920 --> 00:17:04,879 Speaker 1: But tell me, is it higher level of commitment you feel? 293 00:17:05,440 --> 00:17:08,200 Speaker 1: Is it a kind of bigger burden you feel? Sometimes? 294 00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:10,880 Speaker 1: I mean it provides joy as well and a lot 295 00:17:10,920 --> 00:17:14,440 Speaker 1: of great moments. But this is not just always positive 296 00:17:14,720 --> 00:17:17,200 Speaker 1: as it looks like, what does it cost for you personally. 297 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:20,920 Speaker 2: You know, I don't think I've ever worked harder in 298 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:27,520 Speaker 2: my entire life. But I've also never felt more exhilarated, hopeful, 299 00:17:28,320 --> 00:17:30,720 Speaker 2: purpose driven and impactful. You know, I would say, when 300 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:35,119 Speaker 2: purpose makes passion, you're unstoppable. I'm unstoppable now, And I 301 00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:38,520 Speaker 2: think that it's also part of my mindset that I 302 00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:42,639 Speaker 2: wasn't waiting and watching for permission, because who knows how 303 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:45,080 Speaker 2: long it would have taken me to get it. I 304 00:17:45,119 --> 00:17:48,920 Speaker 2: invested my own money, my own time in doing this, 305 00:17:49,240 --> 00:17:55,320 Speaker 2: and this is for me legacy every single day, and 306 00:17:55,680 --> 00:17:59,399 Speaker 2: I'm so proud of the work we are collectively doing. 307 00:18:00,280 --> 00:18:05,159 Speaker 2: I am so inspired by the work that we are doing, 308 00:18:05,480 --> 00:18:08,280 Speaker 2: especially because we are activating to We're not just talking 309 00:18:08,320 --> 00:18:11,159 Speaker 2: about what we're going to do. We are creating solutions 310 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:15,679 Speaker 2: for change and coming in as this amazing network of 311 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:18,280 Speaker 2: fortune five hundred companies and we have over one hundred 312 00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:21,680 Speaker 2: partners probably in creating the changes that we want to see. 313 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:24,320 Speaker 2: And the answer is yes, and then the next question 314 00:18:24,440 --> 00:18:27,239 Speaker 2: is how, and then we come up with solutions and 315 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:29,359 Speaker 2: their collective solutions. 316 00:18:43,760 --> 00:18:46,920 Speaker 1: So the FEMA quot launch. Whenever I step into this 317 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:50,600 Speaker 1: special environment, it feels very different what is the one 318 00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:55,280 Speaker 1: unspoken rule inside that space and what behavior has become 319 00:18:55,440 --> 00:18:57,080 Speaker 1: unacceptable in this room? 320 00:18:57,640 --> 00:19:00,239 Speaker 2: I want to say before I say that, if you 321 00:19:00,280 --> 00:19:06,280 Speaker 2: were one of those believers Christian, when we went to 322 00:19:06,359 --> 00:19:09,880 Speaker 2: the conference in Germany and you were running that and 323 00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:13,520 Speaker 2: we had the girls lounge at the Female Quotient, you 324 00:19:13,560 --> 00:19:17,280 Speaker 2: said yes, you said, we want you to be here. 325 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:20,480 Speaker 2: We are a very inclusive space. We are the unbadged 326 00:19:20,560 --> 00:19:24,240 Speaker 2: in badge spaces, and a lot of people didn't understand that, 327 00:19:24,320 --> 00:19:28,360 Speaker 2: including myself, until you know, we started doing more. Why 328 00:19:28,359 --> 00:19:29,240 Speaker 2: did you say yes? 329 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:33,160 Speaker 1: Then? It felt exactly the right thing at the right time. 330 00:19:33,640 --> 00:19:36,400 Speaker 1: So it's hard sometimes to explain it. And you're right. 331 00:19:36,880 --> 00:19:39,119 Speaker 1: I was asked by journalists, you know, does it belong 332 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:41,600 Speaker 1: to our industry? Does it belong to this event? And 333 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:43,840 Speaker 1: the answer was pretty simple. Yes, it belonged to this 334 00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:46,160 Speaker 1: industry and of course to this event and to all 335 00:19:46,200 --> 00:19:48,880 Speaker 1: other events as well. It felt right at the right time. 336 00:19:49,600 --> 00:19:52,440 Speaker 1: I had no idea before you showed up, right, what 337 00:19:52,560 --> 00:19:55,560 Speaker 1: really happens inside the space and what kind of rules 338 00:19:55,560 --> 00:19:58,240 Speaker 1: are set up? Is it such a complete different environment, 339 00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:01,560 Speaker 1: Will it create such a different Of course it does, 340 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:04,080 Speaker 1: But I think you are in the better position to 341 00:20:04,160 --> 00:20:06,919 Speaker 1: explain why this happens inside, why is it such a 342 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:07,560 Speaker 1: different space. 343 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:09,840 Speaker 2: You know, I don't know if you remember this, but 344 00:20:09,960 --> 00:20:13,280 Speaker 2: when you came to talk to me about the Possible Conference, 345 00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:17,720 Speaker 2: and I said, wow, that is amazing and the name 346 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:22,920 Speaker 2: is perfect because anything is possible if you want it. 347 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:27,400 Speaker 2: And that is when you ask me about the lounge. 348 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:32,000 Speaker 2: It's so beyond a lounge, but in a lounge or 349 00:20:32,040 --> 00:20:36,040 Speaker 2: in our community, whether you are a partner or you 350 00:20:36,119 --> 00:20:40,200 Speaker 2: are an attendee, you know, joining you get a hug Helona. 351 00:20:40,280 --> 00:20:40,480 Speaker 1: Yes. 352 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:44,040 Speaker 2: And that is not created by a rule book. That 353 00:20:44,200 --> 00:20:49,080 Speaker 2: is not something intellectualized from the head or that there's 354 00:20:49,119 --> 00:20:52,840 Speaker 2: a playbook for what success looks like. It's something that 355 00:20:52,920 --> 00:20:55,720 Speaker 2: comes from the heart. But boom boom, boom boo boom, 356 00:20:55,760 --> 00:20:58,560 Speaker 2: when you walk in there, you're going to pay it forward. 357 00:20:58,920 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 2: And that is how we've grown, not just in our 358 00:21:02,040 --> 00:21:05,560 Speaker 2: real life, in our physical lounges, but also we broadcast 359 00:21:05,600 --> 00:21:10,240 Speaker 2: out to the world. And it is about that feeling 360 00:21:10,320 --> 00:21:14,199 Speaker 2: you get when you walk in, male or female, that 361 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:21,120 Speaker 2: anything is possible. And sometimes it's about creating the new 362 00:21:21,200 --> 00:21:26,080 Speaker 2: rules that don't exist, but knowing it can if you 363 00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:30,679 Speaker 2: want it to. And the more we all share, the 364 00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:33,680 Speaker 2: faster and further we're going to go. And so every 365 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:37,960 Speaker 2: single person that comes into our lounges knows they're going 366 00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:40,480 Speaker 2: to get a hug colony. Yes, and that's why there's 367 00:21:40,520 --> 00:21:44,600 Speaker 2: no badge. You're going to come in unbadged. And it's 368 00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:48,639 Speaker 2: thanks to amazing partners like you that allow us to 369 00:21:48,720 --> 00:21:52,200 Speaker 2: do that. They might not have access to the whole conference, 370 00:21:52,200 --> 00:21:55,879 Speaker 2: but in our space, everyone feels like they belong. And 371 00:21:55,960 --> 00:21:59,800 Speaker 2: also they talk off script. They're not with their comms 372 00:21:59,800 --> 00:22:02,879 Speaker 2: teams to say you can say this, you can't say that. 373 00:22:03,359 --> 00:22:09,400 Speaker 2: It's talking about the things based on lived experience and possibility, and. 374 00:22:09,320 --> 00:22:12,359 Speaker 1: It's not about titles and responsibilities. It's about the person, 375 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:13,560 Speaker 1: the personalities. 376 00:22:14,040 --> 00:22:16,000 Speaker 2: And no one is going to meet you because you're 377 00:22:16,040 --> 00:22:19,280 Speaker 2: a certain title or a certain company. You're forced to 378 00:22:19,359 --> 00:22:21,639 Speaker 2: talk to anyone in there because you don't know who 379 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:22,040 Speaker 2: they are. 380 00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:26,000 Speaker 1: Surprise, you mentioned people coming in, and of course they 381 00:22:26,040 --> 00:22:28,840 Speaker 1: feel the difference. But their leaders coming in, who are 382 00:22:28,920 --> 00:22:31,840 Speaker 1: in such a position, let's face it, they show up, 383 00:22:31,920 --> 00:22:36,720 Speaker 1: they take pictures, and they leave unchanged. What goes through 384 00:22:36,760 --> 00:22:39,800 Speaker 1: your mind when you see this still happen, And of 385 00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:42,000 Speaker 1: course it happens. You know, not everybody gets at the 386 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:44,879 Speaker 1: meeting in such a way. Do you feel bad about 387 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:46,720 Speaker 1: this or do you think you know? No, it will happen. 388 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:47,959 Speaker 1: At some stage, it will happen. 389 00:22:48,359 --> 00:22:51,280 Speaker 2: First of all, you might walk in unconscious and you 390 00:22:51,359 --> 00:22:56,359 Speaker 2: leave conscious. Everyone either is or is now a conscious leader. 391 00:22:56,680 --> 00:22:58,080 Speaker 2: I don't care if you're a man or woman. If 392 00:22:58,119 --> 00:22:59,800 Speaker 2: you're in a position of power, use that power to 393 00:23:00,119 --> 00:23:02,679 Speaker 2: others up and to create the changes you want to see. 394 00:23:02,760 --> 00:23:06,919 Speaker 2: Everyone has the power to do that. So if you 395 00:23:07,080 --> 00:23:10,960 Speaker 2: walk in not sure, I'll call it unconscious, you will 396 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:14,520 Speaker 2: become conscious by the time you leave. And once you're conscious, 397 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:17,360 Speaker 2: you have a choice do something or don't. And if 398 00:23:17,359 --> 00:23:21,560 Speaker 2: you're going to keep coming to a lounge, you're going 399 00:23:21,600 --> 00:23:25,520 Speaker 2: to continuously be more and more conscious. You're going to 400 00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:28,960 Speaker 2: get more and more halo effect of what others are doing, 401 00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:31,120 Speaker 2: and it's going to be kind of strange if you're 402 00:23:31,160 --> 00:23:34,240 Speaker 2: not going to actually activate. So that's the first thing, 403 00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:36,800 Speaker 2: and I think the second thing is, you know, we 404 00:23:36,960 --> 00:23:42,480 Speaker 2: are a lounge of activations, activating solutions for change, and 405 00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:45,560 Speaker 2: you feel a lot more comfortable doing that collectively than 406 00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:49,760 Speaker 2: doing it alone. And then the third is you will 407 00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:56,560 Speaker 2: absolutely leave the lounge with more connections that are real 408 00:23:57,240 --> 00:24:00,800 Speaker 2: and authentic as you did coming in. So well, it's 409 00:24:01,320 --> 00:24:04,760 Speaker 2: three things that will happen instantaneously. 410 00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:06,440 Speaker 1: Right, And the good thing is then it's no longer 411 00:24:06,520 --> 00:24:09,200 Speaker 1: your own responsibility. You connect the right people and they 412 00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:11,600 Speaker 1: take it further. And this is of course how this 413 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:15,479 Speaker 1: movement is created. I think I've read a previous interview 414 00:24:15,480 --> 00:24:19,399 Speaker 1: where you said compassion and care are essential leadership skills. 415 00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:22,440 Speaker 1: Let's talk about leadership. When did you learn they could 416 00:24:22,560 --> 00:24:26,720 Speaker 1: coexist with pressure and performance, which comes along with leadership. 417 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:31,399 Speaker 2: I always believed I led with not the female, but 418 00:24:31,440 --> 00:24:35,919 Speaker 2: the feminine, So the masculine decisive, linear, regressive, assertive, the 419 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:42,560 Speaker 2: feminine compassionate, passionate, empathetic, human real. I've always led that way. 420 00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:48,200 Speaker 2: But I think where I really felt I needed to 421 00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:52,760 Speaker 2: do something was when I sold my company to IPSOS. 422 00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:56,600 Speaker 2: I now once again am on a board, two women 423 00:24:56,840 --> 00:25:00,199 Speaker 2: on a board of twenty six of a publicly traded company. 424 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:02,920 Speaker 2: I just sold my company to them. I had two 425 00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:07,120 Speaker 2: hundred and fifty employees operating in six cities, doing sixty 426 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:11,080 Speaker 2: million in profitfule revenue. I sold to a company doing 427 00:25:11,119 --> 00:25:14,960 Speaker 2: two point six billion dollars of revenue operating in eighty 428 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:21,119 Speaker 2: three countries with sixteen thousand employees, and so all of 429 00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:22,960 Speaker 2: a sudden, I'm now on this board and they were 430 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:27,560 Speaker 2: taking my employees and moving them like chess pieces, and 431 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:30,440 Speaker 2: tears came down my eyes. It was my first week, 432 00:25:30,560 --> 00:25:33,520 Speaker 2: first board meeting, and after the board meeting, I was 433 00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:36,840 Speaker 2: pulled aside and I was told there's no room for 434 00:25:36,880 --> 00:25:40,280 Speaker 2: emotion in the boardroom. They just bought my company for 435 00:25:40,480 --> 00:25:43,440 Speaker 2: a lot of money. And I was a really well 436 00:25:43,480 --> 00:25:48,360 Speaker 2: known chief trouble maker around the globe, creating a research 437 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:52,280 Speaker 2: company that never existed before. And I'm being told and 438 00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:55,120 Speaker 2: disciplined again, there's no room for emotion in the boardroom. 439 00:25:55,760 --> 00:26:02,120 Speaker 2: I had two options follow my head, just agree, or 440 00:26:02,440 --> 00:26:05,760 Speaker 2: do what I did the following week, which was give 441 00:26:05,760 --> 00:26:09,040 Speaker 2: a speech to thousands I don't know, and I called 442 00:26:09,080 --> 00:26:17,439 Speaker 2: it bring a motion to the boardroom. Heart, heart, heart, exclamation, exclamation, exclamation, 443 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:21,480 Speaker 2: and that was that. And it was the first time 444 00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:26,879 Speaker 2: I found myself talking about the power of compassion, empathy, 445 00:26:27,560 --> 00:26:31,160 Speaker 2: being human. Tears are not a sign of weakness, They're 446 00:26:31,160 --> 00:26:34,080 Speaker 2: a sign of strength. It is not soft skills, it 447 00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:37,520 Speaker 2: is the critical essential skills of leadership today. And that 448 00:26:37,720 --> 00:26:40,760 Speaker 2: was years and years ago. Nobody was talking about that. 449 00:26:41,760 --> 00:26:45,280 Speaker 2: And that's when I decided, Hell, I don't care. They 450 00:26:45,359 --> 00:26:48,120 Speaker 2: bought me for a reason. I was successful in business 451 00:26:48,119 --> 00:26:51,200 Speaker 2: for a reason. I'm going to bring Shelley to every 452 00:26:51,240 --> 00:26:54,280 Speaker 2: table I sit at. I'm not going to pretend to 453 00:26:54,320 --> 00:26:57,040 Speaker 2: not be who I am. And that was a turning 454 00:26:57,040 --> 00:26:58,399 Speaker 2: point moment again for me. 455 00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:02,359 Speaker 1: And others would maybe think about to quit, but you didn't. 456 00:27:02,840 --> 00:27:07,000 Speaker 1: You decided to change the world again. And it happened leaders, 457 00:27:07,359 --> 00:27:09,840 Speaker 1: whether they are in such a position for years or 458 00:27:09,880 --> 00:27:12,960 Speaker 1: the next generation of leaders. What does the most uncomfortable 459 00:27:13,119 --> 00:27:16,840 Speaker 1: truths leaders resist when it comes to a quality. You 460 00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:19,600 Speaker 1: talk to all of them. You can share some of 461 00:27:19,640 --> 00:27:22,600 Speaker 1: those insights or learnings at the end, and what gives 462 00:27:22,640 --> 00:27:26,520 Speaker 1: you hope that at the end everybody will change something. 463 00:27:27,400 --> 00:27:30,600 Speaker 2: First of all, we are not in the business of women, 464 00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:32,879 Speaker 2: and we are not in the business of d e 465 00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:36,439 Speaker 2: and I we are in the business of opportunity. And 466 00:27:36,840 --> 00:27:40,960 Speaker 2: you know, I actually think that diversity is not about 467 00:27:41,240 --> 00:27:45,159 Speaker 2: diversity of race, religion, age, intersectionality. It's about diversity of 468 00:27:45,240 --> 00:27:52,479 Speaker 2: lived experience. You must have representation of lived experience on 469 00:27:52,520 --> 00:27:55,800 Speaker 2: the inside to reflect the society serve on the outside. 470 00:27:56,400 --> 00:27:58,600 Speaker 2: And if you want to be in business today, you 471 00:27:58,760 --> 00:28:02,520 Speaker 2: need to be reflective of the world you serve. So 472 00:28:02,560 --> 00:28:09,360 Speaker 2: for me, it is about growth, scale, innovation, and reflection. 473 00:28:10,280 --> 00:28:12,960 Speaker 2: I mean, if you think about it, just it's so obvious. 474 00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:18,400 Speaker 2: It's not about equality for equality sake. It is about 475 00:28:18,920 --> 00:28:24,000 Speaker 2: the representation factor. And you need to be equal on 476 00:28:24,119 --> 00:28:27,600 Speaker 2: the inside to reflect the equal on the outside. To 477 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:32,400 Speaker 2: ensure that your products, your services, your business, your philosophy, 478 00:28:32,560 --> 00:28:36,320 Speaker 2: your purpose is representing the business you serve. And if 479 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:40,360 Speaker 2: you miss that, you will become Kodak or polaroid. If 480 00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:44,960 Speaker 2: you truly want to sustain the test of time, you 481 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:51,760 Speaker 2: need to ensure that you are evolving, innovating, refreshing, and 482 00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:55,440 Speaker 2: having that kind of representation on the inside and the outside. 483 00:28:56,080 --> 00:28:58,920 Speaker 1: And you mentioned this, I say quite often it feels 484 00:28:59,000 --> 00:29:01,640 Speaker 1: more complex. Things are happening more and more at the 485 00:29:01,640 --> 00:29:04,520 Speaker 1: same time. This is my kind of impression, whether on 486 00:29:04,520 --> 00:29:09,240 Speaker 1: a political level, social level, technology level. Given that dramatic transformation, 487 00:29:09,920 --> 00:29:13,920 Speaker 1: do you think that culture changes faster through media in 488 00:29:13,960 --> 00:29:17,920 Speaker 1: today's world or through the workplace where we come from. 489 00:29:18,800 --> 00:29:25,400 Speaker 2: I have bet my bottom dollar on private sector and 490 00:29:26,040 --> 00:29:30,720 Speaker 2: fortune five hundred companies that there is nothing a Fortune 491 00:29:30,720 --> 00:29:36,040 Speaker 2: five hundred company can't do if they want to buy themselves, 492 00:29:36,280 --> 00:29:39,720 Speaker 2: And we don't need to wait for any government to 493 00:29:39,800 --> 00:29:43,720 Speaker 2: give us permission or the power to do it. So 494 00:29:43,840 --> 00:29:46,960 Speaker 2: when you look at the pay gap, you look at 495 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:50,479 Speaker 2: the care gap, you look at the access gap, you 496 00:29:50,520 --> 00:29:53,520 Speaker 2: look at the supply chain, lessen one percent of supply 497 00:29:53,680 --> 00:29:58,160 Speaker 2: chain dollars procurement dollars goes to women owned businesses. Why, 498 00:29:58,840 --> 00:30:01,800 Speaker 2: it's all about choice and it is about the power 499 00:30:02,200 --> 00:30:06,080 Speaker 2: within you to say yes, I will fix this in 500 00:30:06,120 --> 00:30:11,959 Speaker 2: the lifetime of my leadership. Nothing is not possible we 501 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:16,120 Speaker 2: can close all those gaps. So, yes, media is the 502 00:30:16,200 --> 00:30:21,840 Speaker 2: greatest amplifier and a great accelerator. But the stories we 503 00:30:21,920 --> 00:30:24,080 Speaker 2: need to be telling are the stories based on real 504 00:30:24,080 --> 00:30:30,600 Speaker 2: life experiences of I can, I will, I am, and 505 00:30:31,040 --> 00:30:35,479 Speaker 2: all those things. Fortune five hundred CEO has the power 506 00:30:35,520 --> 00:30:37,520 Speaker 2: to achieve if they want to. 507 00:30:38,080 --> 00:30:40,800 Speaker 1: Let me follow up on that and make our perspective 508 00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:46,360 Speaker 1: even broader with specifically the technology revolution, transformation whatever we 509 00:30:46,440 --> 00:30:50,400 Speaker 1: call it, especially with AI et cetera. Given that speed 510 00:30:50,680 --> 00:30:56,000 Speaker 1: around us, are we moving faster than our ethical frameworks? 511 00:30:56,280 --> 00:30:59,560 Speaker 1: Can we still follow that? What we try to create 512 00:30:59,560 --> 00:31:02,360 Speaker 1: at the same time everything you talked about, is this 513 00:31:02,520 --> 00:31:05,959 Speaker 1: still possible when things are speeding up so dramatically. 514 00:31:06,640 --> 00:31:10,160 Speaker 2: I think it is the greatest opportunity of a lifetime. 515 00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:13,520 Speaker 2: If you think about the rules of the workplace, nothing 516 00:31:13,560 --> 00:31:18,200 Speaker 2: has changed over one hundred years until the pandemic. You 517 00:31:18,280 --> 00:31:22,840 Speaker 2: could intellectualize change all you want, and when you try 518 00:31:22,840 --> 00:31:26,080 Speaker 2: to intellectualize it and justify it and textbook eyze it 519 00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:28,640 Speaker 2: or whatever it is, nothing's going to happen. So that 520 00:31:28,760 --> 00:31:31,680 Speaker 2: is quos easier. Change is hard. Change is scary for 521 00:31:31,760 --> 00:31:36,440 Speaker 2: most people. And if you asked companies, would you go 522 00:31:36,640 --> 00:31:40,280 Speaker 2: and do remote work work from home? Would you create 523 00:31:40,520 --> 00:31:44,480 Speaker 2: Zoom and Slack and riverside? No, they all want is 524 00:31:44,480 --> 00:31:47,400 Speaker 2: said in no way. They didn't have a choice, And 525 00:31:47,480 --> 00:31:50,520 Speaker 2: all of a sudden we needed a different workforce structure, 526 00:31:50,560 --> 00:31:53,800 Speaker 2: We needed a different leadership structure. We had technology now 527 00:31:53,840 --> 00:31:58,280 Speaker 2: that kicked in. Who would have thunk Nobody would have 528 00:31:58,320 --> 00:32:03,320 Speaker 2: imagined that. The same thing with technology today, an AI 529 00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:10,480 Speaker 2: that is once again forcing us to think forward with possibility. 530 00:32:11,440 --> 00:32:16,000 Speaker 2: We've had AI forever. Look at Watson playing Jeopardy. It's 531 00:32:16,040 --> 00:32:20,800 Speaker 2: not a new thing. It's just reinventing how we work 532 00:32:21,720 --> 00:32:23,840 Speaker 2: and It's what a quote that I read somewhere that 533 00:32:23,920 --> 00:32:26,760 Speaker 2: now I've adapted as my language. AI is not going 534 00:32:26,800 --> 00:32:29,120 Speaker 2: to take your job. Someone who knows how to use 535 00:32:29,160 --> 00:32:32,640 Speaker 2: it will. Companies still have the same problems they had before. 536 00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:36,640 Speaker 2: We now have AI inside to help us accelerate and 537 00:32:36,680 --> 00:32:39,280 Speaker 2: close some of the data gaps with historical data and 538 00:32:39,440 --> 00:32:43,000 Speaker 2: algorithms and all of those things. It's just forcing us 539 00:32:43,320 --> 00:32:48,120 Speaker 2: to think differently, to actively, to build differently, to innovate differently, 540 00:32:48,520 --> 00:32:52,040 Speaker 2: and to elevate in a whole new way with speed 541 00:32:52,360 --> 00:32:56,440 Speaker 2: and smarts intelligence that we never used before. 542 00:32:57,360 --> 00:33:00,280 Speaker 1: So possible. What's happening in a couple of weeks two 543 00:33:00,280 --> 00:33:03,920 Speaker 1: months time when the female quotion brings the female Quotion 544 00:33:04,120 --> 00:33:08,160 Speaker 1: launch to possible? What responsibility do leaders carry when they 545 00:33:08,320 --> 00:33:11,600 Speaker 1: enter that space? You know, the audience, the next generation 546 00:33:11,640 --> 00:33:15,840 Speaker 1: of marketeers, so definitely the decision makers. What is your expectation. 547 00:33:16,800 --> 00:33:19,560 Speaker 2: I just want a possible mindset, and I would like 548 00:33:19,600 --> 00:33:22,920 Speaker 2: to see every leader, everyone on your stage, in the 549 00:33:23,000 --> 00:33:28,920 Speaker 2: space creating not only the top down inspiration, but the 550 00:33:28,920 --> 00:33:32,719 Speaker 2: bottom up and all around and being accessible. You know, 551 00:33:32,800 --> 00:33:36,120 Speaker 2: the accessibility is just really important. It's the one too 552 00:33:36,480 --> 00:33:39,000 Speaker 2: that we bring to each other. You know, you have 553 00:33:39,480 --> 00:33:43,600 Speaker 2: the formal stage, which is necessary. We have the informal 554 00:33:43,720 --> 00:33:46,720 Speaker 2: So it's tying them both together, which is what makes 555 00:33:47,080 --> 00:33:49,680 Speaker 2: everyone feels so good, and that when they come into 556 00:33:49,720 --> 00:33:53,959 Speaker 2: our lounge, especially people that might not know other people, 557 00:33:54,160 --> 00:33:57,000 Speaker 2: they're going to go back into the conference with confidence 558 00:33:57,280 --> 00:34:01,520 Speaker 2: because they're not alone. And that goes along way to transformation. 559 00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:05,239 Speaker 2: Confidence is the first. It's that internal confidence to know 560 00:34:05,320 --> 00:34:10,120 Speaker 2: that you are powerful, you are important, you make a difference. 561 00:34:10,400 --> 00:34:16,040 Speaker 2: And each individual me is the collective we for transformation. 562 00:34:15,920 --> 00:34:18,560 Speaker 1: And you know the combination of what we do both. 563 00:34:18,760 --> 00:34:21,120 Speaker 1: I think it's a great range of options for everybody 564 00:34:21,200 --> 00:34:23,560 Speaker 1: to make their own choices. I think this is what 565 00:34:23,600 --> 00:34:26,319 Speaker 1: we can do and what we offer here together. So 566 00:34:26,440 --> 00:34:29,640 Speaker 1: independent from possible or any other specific event, what is 567 00:34:29,680 --> 00:34:34,359 Speaker 1: one uncomfortable action, every leader listening right now could take 568 00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:36,600 Speaker 1: two more that would actually move the needle. 569 00:34:37,840 --> 00:34:42,560 Speaker 2: I think pay it forward with possibility, but also invest 570 00:34:43,040 --> 00:34:46,200 Speaker 2: invest in the changes you want to see. And look 571 00:34:46,200 --> 00:34:48,360 Speaker 2: at women's sports. I just came from, you know, the 572 00:34:48,400 --> 00:34:51,360 Speaker 2: Winter Olympics in Milan, and you don't get in the 573 00:34:51,360 --> 00:34:55,759 Speaker 2: game now, you're going to lose. And it's not just 574 00:34:55,800 --> 00:35:00,680 Speaker 2: in women's sports, it's in anything, Push go, even if 575 00:35:00,680 --> 00:35:04,120 Speaker 2: it's scary, Push go, and you're going to stretch yourself. 576 00:35:04,320 --> 00:35:07,359 Speaker 2: And we're going to build new models for measurement. But 577 00:35:07,400 --> 00:35:10,799 Speaker 2: don't look at measurement and then the investment. Look at 578 00:35:10,840 --> 00:35:13,440 Speaker 2: the investment and then the measurement, because right now the 579 00:35:13,520 --> 00:35:19,719 Speaker 2: measurement is eyeballs versus what can be. So invest in 580 00:35:19,880 --> 00:35:26,279 Speaker 2: possibility and then create the measurement to showcase. That's how 581 00:35:26,360 --> 00:35:27,640 Speaker 2: new models emerge. 582 00:35:28,840 --> 00:35:32,600 Speaker 1: What a great finale of today's conversation. But as we 583 00:35:32,600 --> 00:35:34,359 Speaker 1: said at the beginning, we could go on and go 584 00:35:34,440 --> 00:35:37,080 Speaker 1: on for hours and days. But the good thing is 585 00:35:37,239 --> 00:35:39,600 Speaker 1: we will do it very soon together and of course 586 00:35:39,640 --> 00:35:42,279 Speaker 1: our audience will have the opportunity to come and make 587 00:35:42,320 --> 00:35:45,399 Speaker 1: the choices and go wherever they feel they will find 588 00:35:45,440 --> 00:35:48,719 Speaker 1: the best benefits for themselves and their individual situation, which 589 00:35:48,760 --> 00:35:51,960 Speaker 1: is great. I think conversations like this remind all of 590 00:35:52,040 --> 00:35:55,319 Speaker 1: us that progress is never accidential. It is built by 591 00:35:55,400 --> 00:35:59,120 Speaker 1: leaders willing to challenge and what is comfortable and redesign 592 00:35:59,200 --> 00:36:01,880 Speaker 1: what no longers. So it's all about change. As you 593 00:36:01,960 --> 00:36:05,760 Speaker 1: highlighted several times, Thank you so much, Shelley, for pushing 594 00:36:05,960 --> 00:36:09,479 Speaker 1: the world forward, not just our business world, it goes 595 00:36:09,560 --> 00:36:13,960 Speaker 1: beyond that and for reminding us what becomes possible when 596 00:36:14,120 --> 00:36:16,000 Speaker 1: courage leads. Thank you so much. 597 00:36:19,000 --> 00:36:21,560 Speaker 2: I just can't tell you how grateful I am for 598 00:36:21,640 --> 00:36:26,560 Speaker 2: you all you do and you always since I've known you, 599 00:36:26,560 --> 00:36:29,200 Speaker 2: you've said yes, and then you say and what is 600 00:36:29,239 --> 00:36:32,279 Speaker 2: it that I can do for you? And that is 601 00:36:32,880 --> 00:36:35,680 Speaker 2: really important. You are a role model for so many 602 00:36:35,760 --> 00:36:38,840 Speaker 2: others to follow, and we are so proud to be 603 00:36:39,280 --> 00:36:43,160 Speaker 2: Possible partners, for me to be on the board of Possible, 604 00:36:43,400 --> 00:36:46,120 Speaker 2: and I just want to say publicly, I love you 605 00:36:46,200 --> 00:36:49,319 Speaker 2: so much and I am so grateful to have you 606 00:36:49,360 --> 00:36:50,840 Speaker 2: in my life. So thank you. 607 00:36:51,320 --> 00:36:53,879 Speaker 1: Thank you so much, Shendy, and to everybody out there, 608 00:36:53,920 --> 00:36:57,560 Speaker 1: I'm Kristiam. This is Possible Now, Stories of Possibilities, and 609 00:36:57,640 --> 00:37:00,839 Speaker 1: you can find our podcast on all IM platforms. Thank 610 00:37:00,880 --> 00:37:05,520 Speaker 1: you for listening and see you next. If you're curious 611 00:37:05,600 --> 00:37:08,280 Speaker 1: to learn more about Possible, sign up for our newsletter, 612 00:37:08,560 --> 00:37:10,280 Speaker 1: or if you want to join us at the Possible 613 00:37:10,320 --> 00:37:14,799 Speaker 1: Show in Miami, visit Possible event dot com. Possible Now 614 00:37:14,920 --> 00:37:18,560 Speaker 1: is a co production of iHeartMedia and Possible. Our executive 615 00:37:18,640 --> 00:37:23,120 Speaker 1: producers are Ryan Martz and Yasmin Melendez. Our supervising producer 616 00:37:23,200 --> 00:37:26,879 Speaker 1: is Meredith Barnes. Special thanks to Colleen Lawrence Mack from 617 00:37:26,920 --> 00:37:31,320 Speaker 1: our programming team. Our theme music is composed by Anthony Keatacoli. 618 00:37:31,880 --> 00:37:36,080 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from iHeart, visit the iheartapp, Apple Podcasts, 619 00:37:36,440 --> 00:37:38,480 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.