Stronger Together: Issue 1

CCWOMEN

STRONGER TOGETHER.

FEATURING INSIGHTS FROM NICAILA MATTHEWS OKOME, TIK-TOK STAR CORPORATE NATALIE, AND MORE! WEAVE ADVOCACY INTO YOUR RESILIENCE ROADMAP HOW TO ACHIEVE LIMITLESS GROWTH FUTURE-PROOF YOUR CX LEADERSHIP

SPRING 2025

Photo Credit: Monty Dunn

WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF CCWOMEN.

Photo Credit: Monty Dunn

By women, for women and allies.

CCWomen is a networking group committed to mutual empowerment.

We’re here to tell a story.

In 2018, I hosted an impromptu mimosa breakfast at a CCW flagship event. There, I broke bread with several accomplished customer contact executives who, with decades of industry expertise, unveiled a dire need for a space where

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women could share their experiences and spark unbridled inspiration.

Women’s successes deserve recognition, so why not create a platform for it?

Before I knew it, CCWomen became a light for that stage. Now, we operate as a fully-fledged team, continuously working to foster an authentic community that embodies excellence and advocates for gender equity.

We’re on a mission to revolutionize the customer contact and business world, one woman at a time.

ISSUE 1:

CULTIVATING CAREER RESILIENCE AMID ADVERSITY Amid vast economic uncertainty and understanding of today’s most innovative tech technological advancement, resilience is an solutions? essential skill for the modern working woman.

Stronger Together: Empowering Women in We believe that resilience goes beyond trying to Business is our first CCWomen magazine that stay afloat—it sustains our hope when the world features several CCWomen articles and interviews feels dark and fortifies our confidence when our from notable business leaders. Our purpose is to fears threaten to capsize us. Through trial and spotlight their diverse stories and best practices tribulation, we learn to persevere and rise above for navigating an ever-changing corporate world the noise, more confident than ever. strategically, empathetically, and collectively.

How does resilience empower women in male-dominated work environments?

Why is radical self-compassion vital for sustainable growth? How can we future-proof our

We can’t wait for you to dive into our inaugural issue—a trove of wisdom awaits you.

- SANDY KO FONSECA

MEET OUR CCWOMEN TEAM.

SHIWON OH EDITOR IN CHIEF

EMILY DUNN

HEAD OF MARKETING

MERCEDES MAYFIELD ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

SANDY KO FONSECA

FOUNDER & PRINCIPAL

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GET INDUCTED INTO THE CCWOMEN HALL OF FAME The CCW companies extraordinary

Excellence Awards recognize the most innovative and top-performing executives for their contributions to the customer contact profession.

The mission of the CCW Excellence Awards is to raise the bar for the contact center profession by identifying top practices, superior thinking, creativity, and execution across the full spectrum of contact center functions.

The 2025 Awards program celebrates stories of strength, endurance, perseverance, and operational continuity across the profession.

APPLY

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TODAY

ACCOMPLISH BUSINESS SUCCESS THROUGH

CAREER RESILIENCE Resilience and innovation go hand in hand, encouraging continuous reflection and improvement.

Without ongoing growth, companies can’t have a viable future. The more an organization strives to stay ahead of the curve, the more it needs to master the art of adaptability. Leaders know this reality all too well.

A 2023 SAS study on business resilience reveals that 97% of surveyed executives view resilience as somewhat or very important.1 While understanding the importance of company resilience, key decision-makers lack the confidence to survive unforeseen change. That’s not to say people aren’t trying—for instance,

during COVID, many were forced to pivot to keep their employees safe and their finances well maintained.

According to McKinsey, resilient organizations better navigated major disruptions from 2020 to 2021.

The consulting firm stated that leaders must prioritize agility, self-sufficiency, adaptive leadership, and top talent to build their grit properly.2 In other words, companies must move quickly, build more capable teams, embrace flexibility, and invest in their people so that when change inevitably comes, they can tackle it fearlessly.

1 Resiliency Rules Report. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, 2023, 5. https://www.sas.com/content/dam/SAS/documents/corporate-collateral/brochures/en-resiliency-rules-113364.pdf.

2 Dana Maor, Michael Park, and Brooke Weddle. “Raising the Resilience of Your Organization.” McKinsey & Company, October 12, 2022. https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/raising-the-resilience-of-your-organization.

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Below empower

are your

practical team in

ways to the process:

Reassess your expectations and adjust accordingly.

You may have projects in the queue that won’t meet their original deadline or growth goals you realistically can’t hit by the end of the quarter. While it may feel disappointing to bring your ideas back to the drawing board, sticking to a rigid timeline with no flexibility can do more harm.

Rather than a failure or setback, consider it a new opportunity to view your tasks differently.

Priorities change all the time, so it’s important to evolve on the go and make informed decisions that maintain your momentum.

Practice versatile leadership.

An adaptive leader molds themselves as they see fit, whether providing guidance during

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economic a team situation

uncertainty or encouraging to take creative risks. Every requires a different approach.

Cultivate a safe space for employees to voice their thoughts and listen to their concerns or ideas. If needed, delegate some of your responsibilities and allow them to take ownership—more often than not, you’ll get to your destination faster and with fewer road bumps.

Foster an open, celebratory culture.

To elevate your team’s career resilience, normalize a culture where people can acknowledge their learning curves without feeling ashamed.

A high-pressure, high-expectation environment can add unwanted stress and bring down morale.

Consistent employee appreciation, collaboration, and transparency will forge connections that can take you through the more difficult seasons of your business.

Four tips for building career resilience Career resilience improves over time as you learn how to respond to everyday stressors without falling into harsh self-criticism.

There are several critical approaches to nurturing this mindset effectively: 1. Identify how you respond to stress.

Everyone has unique stress responses.

You may tend to withdraw from others and mute your voice entirely or become overly loud and defensive to mask your deeper fears. Seek to understand your triggers and the coping mechanisms that follow, even if the process is uncomfortable.

Doing so lets you dig deeply into each root cause and strategize how to better respond to your patterns. Consider how you work under extreme pressure or conflict, and note how it controls you, your leadership, and your work.

2. Listen to your body.

The best way to maintain balance and avoid stress is to listen to your body. Focus on your physical cues: Do your muscles tense, or does your heart race? Is your sleep quality poor, and do you have trouble getting out of bed on workdays?

Your body has a remarkable ability to advocate for itself. It signifies when you need to pause and find an outlet to express your discontent—so pay

attention before

to your warning signals burnout becomes inevitable.

3. Prioritize your emotional health.

Like caring for your body, tending to your emotional wellness is vital. You can’t pour from an empty cup. You must intentionally carve out time to practice self-care and prioritize your well-being to empower yourself and your team.

Whether meditation, a mindfulness activity, or a creative pursuit outside of work, tap into an activity that gives you a break from your daily responsibilities. It’s easy to fall into the daily grind, but there’s value in dwelling in the stillness and putting your emotional health above your work.

4. Lean on your community.

Unveiling your hardships doesn’t make you weak; vulnerability leads to authentic connections crucial to your growth. Honing your resilience shouldn’t ever be a solo endeavor. Your circle of supporters—friends, family, mentors—can make a difference in your greatest times of need. ​ncertainty becomes all-consuming when you U have to recover from a setback or scramble for new solutions under a tight timeframe. Your community is there to offer you guidance to walk through uncharted territory confidently—and encouragement to power you through the roadblocks that feel unmovable.

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DEFINE BUSINESS AND CAREER RESILIENCE WITH

ANNETTE FRANZ

I’ve observed how deeply a strong foundation in customer and employee understanding, and bringing that to the heart of the business, bolsters resilience.

Annette Franz, renowned CX thought leader and CEO of CX Journey Inc., leads a top strategy consulting firm.

Leveraging her expertise in business transformation and customer satisfaction, she highlights how career resilience empowers professionals as they navigate a dynamic, high-demand industry.

How has your personal career journey influenced your perspective of business resilience?

My career journey has shaped my understanding of business resilience by giving me the ability to adapt and thrive amid constant change, particularly through customer-centric strategies.

Working across various industries, I’ve observed how deeply a strong foundation in customer and employee understanding, and bringing that to the heart of the business, bolsters resilience.

Whether it’s guiding organizations through culture transformations or leading initiatives to improve customer experience, I’ve learned that agility 7

and a commitment to delivering value are central to sustaining success. These experiences have reinforced my belief that resilience is not just about recovering from setbacks but proactively anticipating challenges by putting people —both employees and customers— at the center of every decision.

How can customer contact leaders build sustainable business resilience in the face of shifting customer expectations?

Contact leaders can build sustainable business resilience by fostering agility, leveraging technology, and emphasizing continuous improvement–built on a solid foundation, i.e., a customer-centric culture. Investing in AI-powered tools, such as predictive analytics and real-time support solutions, helps anticipate customer needs and deliver personalized experiences.

Additionally, empowering frontline teams with training and actionable insights ensures they can adapt to changing circumstances. Leaders should also prioritize customer feedback loops, using journey mapping and voice of the customer programs to pinpoint evolving expectations.

By aligning operations, technology, and talent around a unified vision of customer success, leaders can create adaptable systems that thrive amid uncertainty.

How does strengthening business resilience facilitate improved customer experiences?

Strengthening business resilience enhances customer experiences by enabling companies to respond swiftly and effectively to disruptions while maintaining service quality. Resilient organizations use data-driven insights to predict customer needs and address issues before they escalate, fostering trust and loyalty. They also build scalable systems that can handle surges in demand or operational challenges without compromising performance.

This proactive approach ensures that customers feel valued and supported, even during crises, creating a foundation for long-term engagement. In essence, resilience allows businesses to deliver consistent, seamless experiences, regardless of external pressures or internal challenges.

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What are some of your top journey mapping strategies for companies looking to identify and address resilience gaps?

One key strategy is to involve both employees and customers in the journey mapping process, ensuring diverse perspectives that uncover hidden pain points.

Pre-interviews with stakeholders provide valuable context, and starting with personas ensures everyone understands varying customer needs. Another critical tactic is to identify touchpoints that are vulnerable to disruptions, such as supply chain dependencies or tech system limitations.

Incorporating stress-testing scenarios into workshops can reveal gaps in preparedness and response capabilities.

Finally, aligning journey maps with business goals and resilience metrics ensures that insights translate into actionable strategies, driving both operational stability and improved customer outcomes.

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What role does leadership play in fostering business resilience amid uncertain times?

Leadership plays a pivotal role in fostering business resilience by setting the vision, creating a culture of learning and adaptability, and empowering teams to innovate.

Effective leaders model transparency and decisiveness, ensuring that employees understand the organization’s priorities and are equipped to navigate challenges.

By championing investments in technology, employee development, and customer engagement, leaders build the infrastructure needed for resilience. They also cultivate a culture of trust and collaboration, enabling cross-functional teams to respond nimbly to change.

Ultimately, leadership ensures that resilience is not just a strategy but a core organizational competency embedded into daily operations.

Empowering women to transform customer experience Women are reshaping customer experience (CX) by leveraging empathy, innovation and resilience to create personalized, impactful customer journeys. At Genesys, we proudly support the women driving this transformation.

Bridging the leadership gap

Join the movement

Women in CX face unique challenges but consistently rise above, breaking barriers and driving inclusive leadership. By fostering collaboration and embracing technological advancements, women leaders are redefining what it means to succeed in CX. Genesys is committed to amplifying their voices and providing the tools they need to drive innovation.

At Genesys, we are committed to accelerating women’s leadership in CX. We celebrate the trailblazing women redefining CX success.

Tools for empowerment Genesys provides solutions designed to help leaders streamline processes and enhance customer connections. Our capabilities, such as omnichannel engagement and AI-driven analytics, empower women leaders to build meaningful, human-centered relationships.

Explore actionable strategies in our contact center buyer’s guide, designed to equip leaders with the knowledge needed to help transform their customer and employee experience strategies.

Explore emerging CX trends The future of CX is rapidly evolving, with women driving change at the forefront. Gain insights into what’s next by watching our webinar, CX trends in 2025 and beyond. This session features expert insights into the innovations shaping the future of CX.

Be part of the movement to empower the next generation of women leaders.

Visit www.genesys.com.

EMPOWER YOUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY WITH

CORINNE GOBLE

Since 2019, Corinne Goble has led the Association of Women’s Business Centers (AWBC) as a CEO who steadily champions sustainability, empowerment, and growth. Her experiences highlight the power of resilience in guiding communities through the most challenging and unexpected transitions.

How has your personal work shaped your definition of business and career resilience?

I am the resilient mom and CEO that I am today because of what my mom modeled as a President and CEO of the Michigan-based trucking company she and my dad founded in 1978. First and foremost, you don’t grow up enduring Michigan winters without learning to be resilient! Back then, we put ourselves out on the ice and in the worst of the whiteout and blustery winter conditions to get our customers’ freight to its destinations—just like my mom promised, “on time and on budget.”

She put me through the gauntlet there working every position we had: driving trucks, dispatching, ensuring safety, maintaining accounting, and even managing IT. IT was the toughest because I was on call 24/7 to support our phones and satellite radio communications with the drivers. If the PC-based phone system or operations software went down at 2 AM, they called me. Back then, I couldn’t remote VPN all of the systems, so I had to drive into the office. I was expected to be there during regular office hours, too. This is what prepared me to own my own business one day.

When I got recruited to work for a Korean automaker in West Point, Georgia, I was ready for the long hours and hard work that job demanded. By the end of 2018, I was ready to take all of that experience working for myself, big companies, and a few other places and put it to work by helping women do what my mom did for her family. That’s when I joined the Association of Women’s Business Centers. Since then, I’ve been a witness to thousands of women and their stories of resilience as they endeavor to start and grow their businesses.

Why is it important for businesses to leverage community resources like AWBC to build resilience amid economic and social uncertainty?

Networks provide access to power beyond their own grasp. To be certain, men have been building their professional networks for generations. These dynamic and complex networks are passed down from father to son, uncle to nephew, and even golfing mentor to mentee. Through these mature and vast networks, people gain access to high value relationships with people in prominent positions of leadership at Fortune 500 companies and high-ranking government offices.

Access to these types of relationships are critical when a business owner is looking to pitch a new product to a potential buyer or even secure a commercial line of credit to expand their business.

With its network of 152 women’s business centers in every state plus D.C., Puerto Rico, and soon, the U.S. Virgin Islands, AWBC can help clients looking to grow or start their businesses by accessing local and national networks of resources, coaches, lenders, business owners, and government officials.

Additionally, women’s business centers provide the added benefit of (often free) education and training to help clients develop or pivot a business plan, apply for funding, or identify gaps in their business operations model. Whatever the stage or size of business, they’ll find a benefit in plugging into our network!

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In businesses small and large, especially new ones, everyday can feel like an exercise in crisis management. Figuring out the right step forward as quickly as possible can mean survival or failure, so it’s essential to have a close network of intimate and trusted advisors that can provide meaningful technical advice while also offering the emotional encouragement you might need in the moment.

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What are some core business lessons for navigating crises and fortifying resilience?

In businesses small and large, especially new ones, everyday can feel like an exercise in crisis management. Figuring out the right step forward as quickly as possible can mean survival or failure, so it’s essential to have a close network of intimate and trusted advisors that can provide meaningful technical advice while also offering the emotional encouragement you might need in the moment.

There’s a widely used acronym for the advisers you should cultivate to be at your beck and call. It’s your BAIL team that’ll help you avoid trouble. B is for banker. You need one you can trust, and someone who knows about deposits and loans while understanding the financial side of business. This is the person you can ask about your pricing strategy or review income statements to look for opportunities to cut costs and improve revenue.

A is for accountant. Your accountant is your tax strategist and another source of financial advice. Don’t be surprised if you get different answers to the same question, so ask a lot of whys until you understand the angle behind their opinion. I stands for insurance. Insurance is an important tool to protect you against business risks. There are more risks in some businesses than others, but just by hanging your shingle, you could be a target for lawsuits and even cyber attacks. You need insurance advice you can trust, and you need that before the risk becomes your reality.

Lastly, L is for lawyer. We all know that lawyers cost a lot of money, whether they’re billing you by the hour or a retainer. Hopefully, you can find a friend with expertise in areas that can help you steer clear of making bad decisions, like predatory leases or other contracts.

It’s ideal to have friends in various legal practice areas before you actually need one. Consider the importance of real estate, business, or international trade law in your line of business. What kind of lawyers should you start networking with?

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Resilience is m ore than survival.

Avoiding serious damage and pitfalls requires tapping into the often expensive experience paid for by others.

Photo Credit: Monty Dunn

What are the top strategies for businesses aiming to adapt to change and sustain growth?

One of the most common things we see in small businesses is that they’re looking to grow, but don’t want to borrow money to invest in their growth. Most businesses will require access to some form of capital. Before your product sales can increase, you may need to invest in the inventory or scale up your paid advertising. Many don’t have a plan for accessing that funding until they’re sitting in the need.

For example, we see a lot of businesses celebrate a new, sizable contract, but realize soon afterward they need money to mobilize equipment and people to deliver on the contract. The revenue comes after they’ve grown their payroll. Having access to a line of credit for the moment you need it can help you avoid common barriers.

Embracing technology is another important lesson.

Those that realize the benefits and risks of tech will be the quickest to adapt and take advantage of the efficiencies rather than being left behind. This is true today with AI and c y b e r s e c u r i t y.

How can businesses take practical measures to acquire, procure, and upskill capital? How do these processes build organizational resilience?

Businesses that haven’t fostered a strong bank relationship, such as maintaining a deposit or loan balance of $50k or more, will need help. We have banking partners—both traditional and non-traditional lenders—in our network that we can introduce.

It should also go without saying that businesses should be keeping their financial records in good order. There’s a lot of great accounting apps and software that make this easier than ever. You’ll need lots of forecasts and history when it comes time to secure capital of any size. Honestly, stay away from loans that aren’t forthcoming with an APR or percentage rate. We see a lot of businesses regretting their decisions when they take a loan that comes with payment calculated as a percentage of sales revenue. That percentage payment could exceed the profit margin and isn’t the most advantageous payback term for the borrower, especially when you consider that the APR may far exceed Wall Street Journal prime rates.

Paying too much for the money you borrow can be a fatal mistake for a small business.

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INVEST IN WORKFORCE RESILIENCE WITH

DR. TONYA E. BARKLEY Dr. Tonya E. Barkley is the CEO and Founder of Workforce Strategies and Solutions, a platform committed to empowering individuals and businesses with the tools to foster healthy professional growth. With a dynamic military career and a passion for building healthy, vibrant workforce communities, she explores the importance of organizational unity in the face of unexpected challenges.

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Photo Credit: Simon Pierre

How has career resilience empowered you during your professional journey?

Career and personal resilience come hand in hand. During army, my experiences have empowered me everything not as necessarily negative or positive, but

my

enlistment in the to look at as integral lessons.

When I face challenges, I ask myself, “What do I need to learn from this moment?” I look at them as lessons I need to have in order to get to the next chapter. This perspective propels me to do better and believe that all will work out for my good in the end.

Resilience allows you to lean more into your purpose. When you know your purpose, you’ll know early on whether a position isn’t for you. Take into account what you want to do. If you can’t identify it, you have a significantly harder time building your confidence.

How do you identify your areas of growth, then take action to fortify the skills you need to be successful in your role?

Early do

on in the

my career, one hard thing.

of my Do

mentors what

told me, nobody

“Don’t else

be is

afraid to doing.”

I went from being an HR Specialist to a Black Hawk helicopter pilot. It’s different, right? I needed to push myself out of my comfort zone. If you’re uncomfortable, it’s a surefire sign that you’re growing. If you stay comfortable, you won’t grow. It’s simple.

I have to lean into my discomfort to get results. I tell people that I know a little about a lot, not a lot about a little—because if I know a little about a lot, I grow my wingspan. But if I know just a little about a lot, I get pigeonholed in my career. So, I like having multiple buckets and options, which can be dangerous if you’re not careful. It steers you away from your true purpose.

How can an organization support its employees as they adapt to continuous change?

Prioritize communication and the leadership notifies that they’re the unknown because they

voice of the employee. The more an organization’s undergoing change, the better. People often fear aren’t sure if they can fill in the gaps.

If a company is going through an organizational change, workers might hear, “We’re downsizing,” and think their jobs are on the chopping block. When we talk about continuous change and support, we need to know what employees are feeling. A part of your business transformation can rely on an employee’s thoughts. Including their voice in the process can get you to the best ideas.

Leaders shouldn’t run from the fire, but toward it. When there’s any type of economic or industry disruption, grab it by the horns and deal with it. If you stay silent or laissez-faire about the issue, employees will fill in the blanks.

Lean into your employees. Take care of your people—they’ll take care of you in return. Wouldn’t it be more helpful to build a strong organization where everyone leans on one another, both leaders and frontline workers, and know they’re in it together?

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Why is employee resilience vital for sustainable business growth?

Let’s say a person is taking care of their family member with an illness. It takes a lot out of them, and it can wear them down. Who’s taking care of the caregiver?

I look at employee resilience in the same aspect. When you have agents on the frontline, they’re interacting with customers every day, taking all kinds of criticism. It can lead to burnout. Organizations frequently say the customer is always right, but that may not always be true.

You work for customer satisfaction, but at the same time, you have to take care of the employee.

Give them opportunities for growth. Show them that you support them and their work, and look at them as a human being. They’re not a machine; they have feelings. They have a life outside of their job.

I refer back to my military days.

When there’s something going on overseas, like a deployment, the first thing leaders ask soldiers is, “Is your family taken care of?” because they know once your loved ones are secure, you can focus.

Ensure you know your employees and what makes them tick. What excites and motivates them? Let them know they’re seen, just to get that extra push and be high performers.

What are your top takeaways for organizations that want to build their employees’ career resilience?

If you want to reduce turnover, increase retention and loyalty, and reduce recruitment expenses, invest in your workforce. Employees want to grow. It’s great to have employees who’ve been with you since day one. They know your organization and your customers—you can put them in the front, and they can sell your business because they know it like the back of their hand.

To let them get there, provide opportunity for growth. If someone seeks it elsewhere, their knowledge goes with them. Then, you have to pay more money in the end. Why not nurture the employees while they’re there?

In our organization, we offer individual development plan workshops to connect employees and supervisors with the resources to effectively map out their career goals. For instance, if someone is currently a secretary but wants to become a project manager, the supervisor will then connect them with necessary opportunities, such as additional certifications or schooling. You must know what your workers want for their development, then invest in them accordingly.

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WEAVE ADVOCACY INTO YOUR

RESILIENCE ROADMAP

Self-advocacy grows your influence. It helps you push for a promotion, secure a title change, or freely pursue opportunities that propel your career. Peer advocacy takes it a step further and inspires impact. Empowerment doesn’t stop with one person; it’s meant to be a ripple effect that enables you to champion others and instill a culture where everyone feels valued.

None of us can truly break the glass ceiling or repair the broken rung alone. But with others soaring alongside us, we’ll find that the path to our north star is all the more clearer—and our journey, rife with its own challenges and setbacks, won’t feel so isolated.

Without advocacy, people suffer—and companies take a hit, too.

Improper advocacy isn’t just harmful to the individual; it’s detrimental to the organization.

Imagine constantly feeling invisible, your needs not met, and your accomplishments ignored.

Symptoms like burnout, disengagement, and even turnover become inevitable.

According to a 2024 SHRM survey, nearly half of workers state experiencing burnout for various reasons, several of which are a lack of belonging. When people are in a constant state of mental exhaustion, doubt, and irritability, they’re significantly more likely to seek other roles that promise better treatment.1 Advocacy in the workplace strengthens belonging and solidarity. When people know they actively help their company meet its goals and their colleagues fully laud their efforts, they don’t 1

Theresa Agovino, “Mental Health, HR and the Workplace,” SHRM, May 15, 2024, https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/all-things-work/mental-health--hr-and-the-workplace.

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just feel like another cog in the machine—they’re an irreplaceable piece of a larger puzzle.

It’s simple. The more employees feel valued, the higher their engagement and productivity. Advocacy clarifies purpose, helping to create a supportive environment where the entire work community thrives.

On community advocacy Advocacy in the workplace takes many forms. It’s a multifaceted opportunity for companies to embody empowerment and set the standard for others to fo llo w.

T he r e ar e se v e ra l ways for organizations to prioritize their employees:

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•

Spotlight your DEIA initiatives: There’s no denying that DEIA is a win for everyone, not just the underrepresented and undervalued. For one, higher diversity increases the likelihood of financial o u t p e r f o r m a n c e .1 From implementing inclusive policies to providing regular educational discussions, DEIA requires action on all levels for all parties to see positive outcomes.

•

Provide relevant and tangible benefits: More than ever, people expect incentives that go beyond monetary compensation or resources to climb the corporate ladder. McKinsey reveals that the second top reason employees quit is due to a lack of benefits.2 To properly advocate for high-quality talent, leaders must provide rewards that matter, such as flexible work, ample time off, and inclusive healthcare coverage.

1 Sundiatu Dixon-Fyle, Celia Huber, María Del Mar Martínez Márquez, Sara Prince, and Ashley Thomas. “Diversity Matters Even More: The Case for Holistic Impact.” McKinsey & Company, December 5, 2023. https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/ diversity-matters-even-more-the-case-for-holistic-impact#/.

2 Dennis O’Reilly. “Best Employee Benefits in 2024.” Forbes, October 30, 2024. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/best-employee-benefits/.

On self-advocacy As companies learn to advocate on a macro level, you must know how to advocate for yourself. At the end of the day, you tell your story the best—and if you don’t know how to control your narrative, others will take the reins. Here are three simple ways to get started: •

Build confidence: Gone are the days where women were expected to be modest and unassuming. Advocacy starts when you believe in your capabilities and speak up about your needs, whether for professional development or recognition of your achievements. It takes patience, but honing self-confidence is essential for strengthening your voice.

•

Find your people: Surround yourself with a diverse community that will show up for you. It can be your manager, a mentor in another industry, or even a colleague. Your support system is there to help you navigate unique career challenges that require you to be firm and unapologetic.

•

Practice, practice, practice: Need to facilitate a difficult conversation? Still unaccustomed to boasting? Even the strongest leaders need time to gather their thoughts and share authentically. Prepare and practice, and remember you’re in a safe place to fall. You’ll be guaranteed to learn how to climb back up.

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REFRAME CAREER SETBACKS WITH

ANGELA PEREIRA SAAFIGUEROA Evolve with anxiety and fear as opposed to resisting and fighting it.

Owner, Therapist, and Clinical Supervisor at Heart of Amber Therapy LLC, Angela Pereira Saafigueroa expertly teaches the art of radical compassion. With an extensive, decade-long career in providing quality mental health treatment, she guides us through the discomfort of facing our hurdles—and the transformation that follows.

How can women find the courage to take career risks after facing disappointment?

Taking our risks and being vulnerable at the same time seems unrealistic; we think they can’t coexist. But they truly, truly can.

For too many people, it often feels safer to stay within a clear black and white mentality because it seems less overwhelming than acknowledging the reality of multiple valid lenses or perspectives.

Photo Credit: Emily Dunn

With vulnerability, uncertainty can actually be our best friend. When we allow vulnerability to be a part of this journey with us, we’re allowing ourselves to validate the tough choices we’re making, and

then we can feel more comfortable in the gray that we talked about. We can allow ourselves to be sensitive and emotional beings as we are and still be willing to take that leap of faith.

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How do you recommend shifting from an emotional to a more rational perspective when processing failure?

We’ve been conditioned to believe that even in corporate settings, we have to pull it together—but that has not been effective. If history has taught us anything, this is not a practical way to even be in a corporate setting.

My first advice would be to acknowledge and validate the emotion you feel. Recognize what it’s trying to tell you while ensuring that its intensity is appropriate to the actual situation.

This might involve stepping away from a triggering email or taking a brief break from work. Recalibrate and regulate before reengaging. It’s important not to dismiss the emotion in favor of pure rationality, because that invalidates you.

The goal should always be to integrate the emotional and rational parts of the mind.

Our rational mind can put together, I’m not going to be successful at everything. I’m going to fail at some point, at something. Our emotional mind doesn’t agree. It perceives failure as long-term pain and suffering that we can’t bear or survive. It may also perceive failure as, if I fail at this, people I care about will leave me. I’m going to disappoint them if I don’t do well.

Anxiety and fear tend to be frequent visitors when failure shows up. If we can view anxiety and fear as a way to protect us, we can lean into those difficult emotions with some compassion and say, I see you’re trying to protect me from something I don’t need protection from. I can still feel, regulate, experience, and sit here with you. We can survive and grow from it.

Evolve

with

anxiety

and

fear

as

opposed

to

resisting

and

fighting

it.

What role do leaders and organizations play in fostering an environment where vulnerability is accepted?

I recently read Dare to Lead by Brené Brown. She’s a pioneer in the study of vulnerability, and I would highly recommend her book to anyone working toward a leadership role. She argues that vulnerability is a strength because it requires leaders to show up even when success isn’t guaranteed.

We may think that a leader and their employees have to be successful in everything, and if they’re not, it’s their downfall. Brown states that owning your mistakes not only builds trust but also creates an environment where employees feel safe to be creative, take risks, and engage more deeply.

Vulnerability humanizes the workplace and fosters more connection.

Lead with empathy. Practice active listening even when you don’t have all the answers or solutions.

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How can leaders foster spaces that encourage employees to practice self-compassion and build resilience?

Being kind to Self-compassion

ourselves first lets encompasses

people

know three

how

we want different

to

be

treated. elements:

- Common humanity. Acknowledge your experiences and emotions are universal.

- Self-kindness. Offer yourself grace based on how you’re feeling.

- Mindfulness. Be aware of the discomfort that comes with whatever is happening. Just because we fall short in how we think and talk about ourselves doesn’t always mean we have to fully believe what we’re feeling. A way to be more practical with self-compassion is to identify the beliefs we have about ourselves and how they’re serving us.

Leaders should practice self-compassion themselves and model it for their workers.

Use language that recognizes others’ efforts. You can say something like, “I really struggled with this project, so I think it’s great we were able to complete it.” or “It sounds like this assignment was really difficult, and you still pushed through.”

Celebrate because incapable.

your team’s successes, but also acknowledge its areas of growth. Just an employee has a weakness doesn’t mean they’re They just need to practice and get more opportunities to improve.

When it comes to resilience, there are times you also need to sit with your “failure” and not rush.

Reflect on what went wrong, learn from it, then proceed.

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TRIUMPH OVER YOUR CAREER BARRIERS WITH

SHELLEY ZALIS Shelley Zalis is the CEO of The Female Quotient, a media company that fiercely champions gender equality in the workplace.

Through research, content, and collaboration, she and her team foster one of the largest networks for women leaders striving for excellence. Here, she maps an actionable path to help us tread through our greatest challenges.

Women regularly face barriers in and out of the workplace. What advice do you have for those who feel that their setbacks are unsurmountable?

Setbacks are just setups for comebacks. Every problem has a solution—it’s all about perspective. There are two types of people in this world: those who focus on what’s been done (followers of the status quo) and those who see possibilities. Be the one who sees possibilities. Look for the “yes” in every situation.

Don’t let a setbacktrip you up; reframe the problem, turn it on its head, and see the opportunity hiding inside.

With every door that closes, a window opens—and remember, you’re the one who can open it.

Surround yourself with people who believe in you, but first, you must believe in yourself. If you don’t, why would anyone else? There’s always a community ready to lift you up. Lean on them. Ask for help. Strength isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about having the courage to keep going.

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How can organizations address the stigma surrounding “career failure” and its disproportionate impact on women?

Organizations need to reframe “failure” as “risk-taking.” The word “failure” feels final and negative—who wants to be set up for that? But risk? That’s where curiosity and innovation thrive. Without risk, you’ll never know what’s possible.

Encourage your teams to ask: Would I rather take a risk and learn, or regret not trying at all?

In the worst-case scenario, you learn from a mistake; the best case is to innovate and break barriers. No risk, no reward. Women often face harsher judgment for missteps, but mistakes are life lessons, not career-ending events.

Companies can foster a growth mindset by celebrating risks taken, not just the wins achieved.

Leaders must model this by openly sharing their failures and how they grew from them. Normalizing risk and reframing mistakes as feedback will encourage women—and everyone else— to take bold, fearless steps forward.

What challenges have your organization faced in trying to close the gender gap? What are some foreseeable solutions?

The World Economic Forum predicts it will take 134 years to close the gender gap.1 That’s unacceptable.

Here’s the reality: equality is possible if leaders prioritize it.

In fact, it’sthe only global goal that can be achieved within a CEO’s tenure.

Leaders can’t fix every global problem during their careers, but they can close the gender gap in their workplaces.

Rejection and uncertainty thrive in isolation, but community is the antidote.

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1 Kusum Kali Pal, Kim Piaget, and Saadia Zahidi. Global Gender Gap Report 2024.

World Economic Forum, June 11, 2024. https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-gender-gap-report-2024/digest/.

History shows us that we can create monumental change when we prioritize it: the internet was created in 25 years, we sent humans to the moon in 10 years, and we developed vaccines for a global pandemic in under a year. The same focus and urgency can—and must—be applied to equality. We don’t need 134 years to figure out how to pay Sally the same as Paul for the same job.

One of the biggest challenges is moving companies from good intentions to intentional actions.

Supporting equality in theory is not enough—companies need measurable goals and accountability. Leaders measure what matters because what gets measured gets done. Closing the gender gap requires rewriting the rules of the workplace so everyone can thrive.

How can women leaders in your network strategically lean on a community to overcome imposter syndrome, rejection, and uncertainty?

Let’s stop calling it “imposter syndrome.” Both men and women experience self-doubt, but women tend to internalize it, and men ignore it. That voice of doubt isn’t real—so stop giving it power. Shut it down.

Rejection and uncertainty thrive in isolation, but community is the antidote. Surround yourself with women who’ve faced these challenges and come out stronger. Their stories will remind you that you’re not alone and will help you silence that inner critic. Lean on your network for advice, mentorship, and honest conversations.

Here’s the secret: the more you lift others up, the more you lift yourself. When we come together as a community, we create a superpower that helps everyone thrive.

What are some actionable ways women can empower one another and collectively advance equality?

A woman alone has power, but together, we have impact. That’s the power of the pack, and it’s what drives our global community of over six million women across 30 industries and 100 countries.

Collaboration is everything. Amplify each other’s voices. Share opportunities. Be intentional about mentorship and sponsorship. When you’re in the room, don’t just take a seat—pull up a chair for someone else. Speak someone’s name in rooms they’re not in.

Join forces at spaces like the Equality Lounge® where women gather to collaborate, connect, and create change, or simply show up for one another in everyday moments. Every action counts.

Equality is a team sport. Women don’t need to be “empowered,” as we have the power within us. When women use their power to help one another, that is how we play to win.

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BUILDING A PROFESSIONAL LEGACY BRIMMING WITH

FULFILLMENT AND PURPOSE

Legacy is a weighty word that makes us pause and think about the impact we’ll leave behind.

Whether a monetary or physical asset, tradition, or accomplishment, it’s a torch we pass down to the next generation, trusting that they’ll continue building what we started.

A professional legacy is no different. You can be an entrepreneur who hopes to give their business to a protégé, or a manager who plans to move up and provide their future replacement with the tools to succeed.

Here, we explore practical passions and ambitions

ways to create while making

a work legacy a meaningful

that aligns with your impact on others.

1. Embody excellence in everything you do.

Excellence is more than just a habit. No matter the task, you want to consistently hold yourself accountable, view every challenge with an actionable mindset, and strive to meet high standards.

It’s a commitment you make to put your best effort into all that you do, from customer engagement to project management.

Ask yourself: • • •

How do my achievements contribute to my long-term career goals?

Where do I have room to improve, and what steps can I take to get where I need to be?

Am I setting healthy boundaries while still maximizing efficiency?

Not only does this mindset benefit your business and team, but it also empowers you to be confident in your abilities and take ownership of your personal growth.

By committing yourself to excellence, you open doors to fresh opportunities and build resilience—and take growing pains and achievements in stride.

2. Prioritize fueling your curiosity.

In one way or another, all of us are lifelong learners. When we intentionally feed our knowledge through courses, mentorship, or professional development, we create more avenues for impactful upskilling. In fact, a 2023 study on the future of work reports that analytical and creative thinking are top skills for employees.1 We need to carefully adapt to our world as it continues to shift, now at a more rapid pace than ever due to constant digital transformation.

Our curiosity can take us far. It allows us to explore uncharted territory but with resources and support to properly expand our horizons and lead us to exciting discoveries. We can be starting an entry-level role or navigating a more senior position, but the truth remains: there’s always more to learn, and we must never tire of asking questions.

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1

The Future of Jobs Report 2023 (2023): https://www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2023/digest/.

3. Align your goals with a greater cause.

It’s important to walk into any job with our personal career goals, but aligning them with the greater picture takes our journey to the next level. As humans, we find deeper fulfillment when we work toward a goal that surpasses individual success. It’s why CCWomen focuses so much on celebrating women and revolutionizing the business world—without a larger mission, our personal achievements don’t shine as brightly.

Additionally, when we know others are championing a cause alongside us, we feel a sense of community that drives us to persist, even amid unforeseen difficulties. It’s why unity and solidarity are so vital to our professional ecosystem. So, if you haven’t already, ensure that your roadmap connects to a broader path.

4. Mentor and be mentored.

There’s no denying the benefits of mentorship. It accelerates growth for both mentees and their businesses while allowing for long-lasting, meaningful connections. Everyone needs mentors to: • • • •

Close learning gaps Gain deeper understanding of an industry Process significant career changes Receive support and celebrate big wins

Finding mentors can be taxing, but it’s worth the effort if you want to solidify your network with people to challenge and uplift you. They’ll show you the ropes and lead you through uncertainties, so when the time comes for you to share your own knowledge and experience, you have what it takes to pay it forward.

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There’ll always be someone who needs your insight, and becoming a source of empowerment is one of the most powerful ways to build a legacy that you can be proud of.

5. Celebrate yourself and your community.

Your legacy is the totality of your narrative. You want it to tell a complete, multifaceted timeline of your hardships, life lessons, and triumphs, because all of it is worth noting.

Especially as women, we’ve been socialized to keep quiet about our accomplishments.

But if we don’t advocate for ourselves, no one else can tell our story the way it deserves to be told.

In a similar realm, we must remember that we don’t get where we are alone. Without our community, our legacy is not the same.

Take the time to applaud yourself and your network of mentors, mentees, and colleagues.

It can be a simple reflection post on LinkedIn or an enjoyable reward you can share with others, such as a team outing or self-care activity. Big or small, feel free to indulge in any form of celebration that draws more eyes to your successes. Bit by bit, it’ll inspire others to do the same.

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30

EXPLORE CAREER FULFILLMENT WITH

MAYA C. POPA

Maya C. Popa is an award-winning author, a Publishers Weekly editor, a dynamic educator, and accomplished founder of Conscious Writers Collective (CWC), a six-figure business that offers a learning community for poets, fiction, and non-fiction writers. Writers at all stages in their writing journey meet five times a month over Zoom to be coached by Maya and other exceptional writers. Boasting a multifaceted journey, she shares how her experiences have defined her idea of fulfillment and how they continue to guide her entrepreneurial path.

Your work involves writing, educating, and building a community for other creatives. How have your various roles shaped your definition of career fulfillment?

Career fulfillment means having the flexibility and space to grow within whatever I’m doing. I’m very lucky that writing is never the same from project to project, poem to poem, or essay to essay. I’m at the point in my teaching career where I can design and choose which classes I teach and how I teach them. That agency guarantees I’m continuously learning and refining what I do, and how I do it.

In terms of building a community and coaching writers and artists, each person offering up their particular situation for guidance guarantees that my work always feels fresh. It’s tremendously fulfilling to hold a mirror up for others and help them identify and actualize their goals. It keeps me from feeling burnt out or apathetic, and again, a large part of it is that I can schedule meetings on my own terms. And part of that comes down to personality–I never loved the idea of having a schedule set on my behalf, and I suspect a lot of individuals who pursue entrepreneurial endeavors are in the same category.

How has your personal transformation informed your understanding of career growth?

I’m the daughter of immigrants who strongly emphasized academics, which suited me as I’ve always loved learning. I received a full merit scholarship to college and graduated from Barnard College Summa Cum Laude, then pursued two advanced degrees–at the same time–both on full fellowships. I felt safe in the notion that I was following a predictable career path towards academia.

But I also struggled with anxiety, which I finally addressed through CBT in my 20s.

I was afraid of failure, and I don’t think that you can be afraid of failure and fully realize your career ambitions, because part of what you’ll do is choose the path that seems safest each time, and that’s usually a path that has already been walked down by someone else.

I don’t consider myself an anxious person today, and I think my career growth can be attributed to the self-reflection and inner work I did to let go of the habit of fear, worry, and doubt that prevented me from hearing clearly what my motivations and ambitions were. Once I could hear myself clearly, I was in a position to figure out what I wanted to do, and how to set about doing it. When you get to that place, you’re no longer afraid of failure, because what you’re doing feels intuitive, and you understand there is no such thing as some platonic ideal of “failure.” If something doesn’t work the way you expected it to, you pivot. The sky doesn’t fall down, and you’re intact and ready to try again.

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I’ve prescribed to the belief that failure is the price of entry for success.

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What entrepreneurial practices have helped you build steady career resilience?

I’ve prescribed to the belief that failure is the price of entry for success. Accumulating hundreds of rejections as a writer teaches you that quickly. But as far as long term career resilience, it’s all about how you recalibrate after setbacks. You need to constantly fine-tune as an entrepreneur and assume that you’re not going to do everything effectively from the start.

You often won’t even know what “effectively” looks like until months out. You can read every business book out there and still not get your desired results in a launch. That doesn’t mean anything has gone wrong.

I had a vision for CWC and assumed my chief priority was to offer the most rigorous courses, contract the best possible speakers, and offer a space where everyone could push themselves to actualize their creative goals. But time and time again, the writers I worked with have remarked that it’s the community that they most appreciate, the chance to share their work with each other in small groups, and the times we get together to discuss and troubleshoot the internal and external blocks we’re dealing with in writing.

My priorities didn’t necessarily align with what members actually wanted. So, I have learned that you can have your vision, but it’s essential to listen to the community you’re serving and make adjustments towards those values where you can. There’s no way to go into any career or business knowing everything you will need to know upfront. You learn best by doing.

What advice would you give to professionals struggling to map meaningful career paths?

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In my twenties, I worked as an English teacher and program director in a private all-girls school full-time. I coached and tutored privately on the side, but I held jobs that were outlined and secure in ways that have made my current career possible. I think that’s important to mention because, too often, people are afraid of pursuing what has the potential to be a more fulfilling career path because they conflate doing so with leaving security behind.

No, you don’t have to quit your day job and paint full time. You don’t have to do anything. Your only imperative is to figure out if you even like painting in the first place, then slowly but surely, find ways to allocate more time and space for it in your life. In the short term, you can experience greater fulfillment by having the remaining hours in the day be spent in a way that’s meaningful to you.

Self-reflection is the ultimate tool here, as in every single other area of life. Spend as much time as possible learning who you are and what you enjoy, because that’s the baseline. I think people rush toward actionable change before they’ve even considered what makes them tick. Are you running towards something, or away from something else?

You can also pivot within your profession. Make a list of your professional strengths, then a list of what you actually enjoy doing at work. Then, you can make a case for why or how your skills are not being fully put to use and suggest an alternative. Identifying and articulating these qualities will serve you enormously whether you stay where you are or seek a different work environment.

Put that slow, deliberate step above everything else.

How can leaders build like-minded communities that actively encourage vulnerability and authenticity?

I’m a big believer in centering self-reflection so that people have the opportunity to discover what they actually think. I tell the writers I coach to think of a goal that they have and assign that goal a number of likelihood. 10 is most likely; one is least likely. If you’re at a seven, then your job is to somatically lean into that gap between seven and 10–what belief is occupying that bandwidth of doubt?

Those are your limiting beliefs, and they look very similar across the board for all of us across disciplines. I’m worried I’m not good enough. I don’t know how to do this. I’m afraid people won’t like me if–these are all profoundly human fears. But the next step isn’t just to hype the person up–-their beliefs are often deeply rooted and telling them what to think instead, “You’re good enough! You’ve got this! People will think it’s great!” isn’t likely to help them help themselves.

Instead, I love the question “What bad thing happens if you don’t have these limiting beliefs?” Who would you be if you didn’t think you weren’t good enough?

What bad thing happens if you believe you’re good enough?

Only then can we actually start undressing the fears beneath our fears and weed them out one by one.

It’s counterintuitive, but people–and perhaps artists especially–are actually afraid of success.

The brain isn’t wired to help you thrive, but to protect you by giving you all kinds of thoughts that prevent you from going full steam ahead into uncharted territory. And evolutionarily, that’s a good thing. But it’s not always the most useful stance if you’re trying to get your writing out into the world, for instance, and your mind doesn’t want you taking actionable steps towards that goal.

In those cases, it will feed you unhelpful stories to keep you safe from the idea of rejection, which is unfamiliar.

It’s up to you to override its narrative If we’re not aware of what we’re thinking, then it’s likely we’re also not aware of the part we play in the outcomes we’re experiencing. I called my group Conscious Writers Collective after Carl Jung’s spot-on insight that “until you make the unconscious conscious, it will rule your life, and you will call it fate.” Thoughts are just actions of the mind, neutral entities, and it’s the meaning we ascribe to them that makes us take action or not.

Being able to work on yourself, to self-regulate your thoughts and emotions, makes the experience of life far kinder–but it also helps you achieve your goals with greater clarity. It helps you act from a place of generosity, because you call BS on yourself more often and unsubscribe from a culture of competition and envy. You want to find ways to uplift others. You genuinely enjoy yourself more, all because you noticed the stories you were telling yourself weren’t serving you,and chose another. We get to choose again every day, and there’s greater vulnerability, authenticity, and purpose in that lifelong process.

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ACHIEVE LIMITLESS GROWTH WITH

NATALIE BECKERMAN

As the Global Head of Customer Support Operations at IHG Hotels & Resorts, Natalie Beckerman brings unwavering drive and purpose to everything she does. Guided by her core values, she channels them as a compass, propelling her toward continuous growth and success as she continues to garden a fruitful career.

How do you ensure that your core values remain central to your professional journey?

It’s a tough skill, but I’d say my number one priority is to constantly self-reflect and take time to reflect. Understand what truly matters to you, and if anything changes along the way.

I had a notebook where I wrote my 10 values, and I carried it so much that I never forgot what was important to me. How much do your circumstances, societal pressures, or conflicts align or misalign with your personal goals?

If you don’t have a strong understanding of yourself and what you really want, it isn’t going to work.

What are some practical strategies for facilitating effective conversations about your boundaries?

There’s always a way to challenge someone’s thinking without confrontation. The thing is, you’ll never be able to avoid difficult conversations. After all, boundaries are incredibly personal.

I recommend a strategy called reframing. I often tell people to reframe the way they’ll speak to someone about what’s important to them. If you say, “I’d like to share what’s meaningful to me,” or “Can you help me understand?” you’re humanizing your message. Communicate in a way that allows someone to want to be a part of your success.

What is your personal action plan for career growth and transformation?

I have a phrase I use in the sporting world, and it applies to my work: listen and learn from everyone, but decide what works best for you. I talk to everyone. I ask questions. I seek to understand, and I learn. I’m intrigued by new things that come out, especially all the discussion around AI and customer contact. Then, I’ll put my observations into my personal career and growth strategy.

My

“Nine

Beckerman

Points”

require

me

to

ask

the

following

1. Does the company or role align with my vision?

2. Will the experience allow me to embrace failure and disappointment?

3. Can I stay true to my values?

4. Can I set boundaries and have people respect them?

5. Am I allowed to take creative risks?

6. Will I be able to learn continuously?

7. Will I have the support I need to succeed?

8. Do I allow myself to practice self-compassion?

9. How do I celebrate my accomplishments?

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when

reflecting:

There’s always a way to challenge someone’s thinking without confrontation. The thing is, you’ll never be able to avoid difficult conversations. After all, boundaries are incredibly personal.

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How do your “Nine Beckerman Points” help shape your decision-making process?

My points didn’t evolve overnight. I believe intuition is critical, so when it comes knocking, it’s usually because something conflicts with the principles that guide my career. For instance, if my vision or values don’t align with the company, I can’t move forward. If I’m working in an environment that doesn’t allow me to grow, or am with people who don’t celebrate, I need to move on.

I spent years teaching myself how to fail and succeed.

My “Nine Beckerman Points” shape how I think and act. Again, I come from a sports background. I’m constantly looking for ways to improve and get better every single day.

How do you commit to celebrating your wins—big or small—as you navigate various challenges?

I acknowledge my team’s achievements on calls, then share them with our other colleagues and loved ones. For instance, I have a huge project I’m working on right now that’ll be significant to my organization, and I find myself sharing about it in every interaction.

I also like to celebrate with rewards. A small reward might be allowing myself to watch a game, have a special meal, or go out with some friends and enjoy our time together. But as a whole, and as a person, I like to analyze what led to my success—and how it could have been easier or faster for me to get the same results. I set new goals and keep having fun with continuous growth.

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THE GIFT OF EMPOWERMENT:

A CCWOMEN HOLIDAY TALE

CCWomen+ Members witness the Times Square billbaord for the first time at the December Meet Up in 2024.

Sandy Ko Fonseca made it her mission to bring her vision of an empowering, inclusive, women-led community to life. In the first week of December 2024, she stood proudly in the heart of Times Square, illuminated by resplendent city lights and a slideshow of photos and videos that captured the CCWomen spirit. With a light flurry of snow creating a scenic backdrop for her walk down memory lane, she witnessed just a glimpse of her handiwork—a vibrant network of women leaders who found sanctuary in one another.

Our beloved CCWomen+ members gathered for their first NYC-based meetup to enjoy festive dining, mingling, and sightseeing. From the city streets, to the four-star restaurants, and to our rented photo studio, our attendees kindled an endless stream of inspiration and warmth. It was a wonder to convene with those who actively pushed our mission forward, and representing their achievements on the Big Apple’s brightest stage was one of many ways we expressed our gratitude.

Thank you for being a part of our whirlwind of an adventure. Here’s to many more!

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Photo Credit: Monty Dunn

How does your organization support you and other women in their career journeys?

“I work with a wonderful team and feel fully supported whenever we’re together. We run a different number of events, both trade shows and our own end-user experiences, and we collaborate to make the best possible outcome for our customers. It’s been a fantastic journey with my CallMiner colleagues.”

- Ashley Keating, Senior Director, Events and Field Marketing

“Cloudlinx found me when I was coming out of a significant hardship. They allowed me to climb back up the ladder after falling, and contributed heavily to my success by giving me the confidence to keep going. Once I stepped into my role, they immediately connected me to CCWomen, making sure I had advocates, allies, and outlets to succeed. They ensured I had access to outside resources.”

- Devin Helber, MBA, Marketing Director

“My CEO is one of the most supportive gentlemen I’ve ever met in tech.

He empowers women and anyone of a non-included class, and makes it a real part of our company culture. I’m also blessed with my allies. My Chief Marketing Officer, Joe Andrews, is a real ally to women. He’s spoken publicly with Sandy and CCWomen, and has helped me in many amazing ways. ”

- Judith Platz, Chief Customer Officer 39

“One of the first things our Cloudlinx leaders said to me was, “If you need us, give us a call.” They lifted me up, reiterated how grateful they were to have me on their team, and reaffirmed my value. I work hard, and I’m proud of myself, but having our leadership spotlight my efforts is huge. Our wins as women leaders are their wins, and vice versa.”

- Kate Nelson, Managing Director, CX Solutions

Photo Credit: Monty Dunn

“When I started [C-Lect], I was a single mom, so family has always been first and foremost to me. I always believed that if you do a good job, you create a good product, and business will naturally follow. However, work-life balance is vital. I constantly instill the importance of it with my employees. I tell them, “You cannot be the best in your position if you’re not the best person in your life.”

- Kathy Phelps, President

“Nutun gave me the opportunity to explore the world. They’ve given me a platform to grow, make connections, and create a network of women that help me grow. I don’t come from a traditional CX background; I’m a scientist.

I didn’t know anything about the customer contact industry. But my company provided me a safe space to make mistakes, learn, and grow. Now, I’m more open to trying out new things, because I know I can only ever “fail” forward. ” - Nokwanda Ntshingila, MSc, Senior Outsourcing Manager - NA 40

TAP INTO YOUR CAREER POTENTIAL

THROUGH UPSKILLING

At the height of the pandemic, employers witnessed the Great Resignation where millions of people, in want of better pay or fulfillment, quit their jobs to pursue new opportunities. Career innovation doesn’t just apply to organizational processes or product updates—it enables you to transform your career no matter where you are in your journey.

1. Become comfortable with the unknown.

Consider:

While the unknown presents inevitable risk, it also opens you up to new opportunities. Reframing your mindset allows you to adapt and build resilience, so as you navigate the uncertainty, you’ll be better equipped.

•

2. Evolve your existing strengths.

• • •

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Here are some of our core principles to guide you in your transformation.

Do I want a minor or major change in my career?

What drives my need for innovation? Do I feel that my growth has become stagnant, or my role no longer aligns with my core values?

What do I want to leave behind, and what are some immediate steps I can take?

What gives me purpose, and how can a career transition help me tap into it?

The good news: you don’t have to start from scratch when revamping your career. No matter what, you’re bound to have accumulated skills at your present or previous role that will still be transferable to your next job.

It’s important to identify those strengths to upskill them. By refining your capabilities—even if they’re soft skills you want to take into a new field—you gradually set yourself up for success.

3. Connect with people outside your usual network.

Expanding your network doesn’t have to be an extensive process. There are many ways to get started, even by relying on your current community to elevate and sponsor you.

Whether your mentor, manager, or colleague, don’t hesitate to ask for help. Advocate for your needs and demonstrate your commitment to your career growth goals, and they’ll be sure to provide support.

1

4. Allow failures to become opportunities.

No one likes to accept failure, but it’s an inevitable, sometimes necessary process that takes you a step closer to career reinvention. Don’t let it determine your ability or worth; consider every shortcoming as a learning experience to lead you toward the right direction.

5. Reimagine your personal brand.

Everyone has a brand that influences how they’re perceived. For companies that want to build customer trust, optimizing a strong brand presence remains a high priority because, above all, people actively prefer authentic connections over surface-level communication.1

Audrey Chee-Read, “Trust in 2023 Is Essential for Business Growth,” Forrester, June 20, 2023. https://www.forrester.com/blogs/trust-in-2023-is-essential-for-business-growth/.

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FUTURE-PROOF YOUR CX LEADERSHIP WITH

BLAKE MORGAN You can have your cake and eat it too if you solve gaps with technologies, but also create a human experience for customers that establishes trust and makes them want to come back and tell their friends.

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Crowned “The Queen of CX” by Meta, Blake Morgan speaks about the future of CX across the globe, helping to transform their leadership with industry experience and research.

Committed to delivering exceptional CX insights, she highlights how agents and leaders can leverage AI to deliver a seamless customer journey.

How has your career journey shaped your perspective of effective customer experience—one that keeps people coming back?

I’ve always been interested in technology, communication and people.

I started studying customer experience and the internet. In 2007, we called it “Web 2.0,” but the internet and smartphones forever changed the way businesses interact with customers.

Suddenly, companies had to be better communicators, and customer experience had a big impact on building the brand.

In the last 15 years, your communication with customers started shaping your brand in a way we haven’t seen before. The contact center has earned a seat at the table, and now, all eyes are on how AI can further transform the employee and customer experience.

A McKinsey analysis revealed that, between 2016 and 2021, companies leading in customer experience (CX) achieved more than double the revenue growth compared to those lagging in CX—stats like these are generating the attention of CEOs everywhere.1 For two decades, I’ve worked at startups and Fortune 100 companies, and for the past ten years, I’ve flown to the far corners of the earth to bring my keynote speeches to audiences everywhere.

How does technology like AI harmonize the balance between seamless CX and authentic human-to-human engagement?

Most businesses are using or exploring AI to enhance CX, with many expecting it to transform key aspects like response time and personalization.2 Another report highlighted that executives believe AI has the potential to boost productivity by 40% and will become the most significant competitive advantage in the future.3 AI enhances customer service by automating routine tasks, providing real-time support, and improving overall service efficiency. Chatbots and virtual assistants provide faster response times and ensure 24/7 availability. Analyzing customer sentiment and offering suggestions for more effective interactions ultimately improves service quality. There are many ways AI creates efficiencies in customer experience, but the unknown is how businesses will redeploy their resources that they no longer need in the contact center.

There are also many ways to add value to customers’ lives, and time will tell if the displaced contact center agents will fulfill other roles. It will be a long time before AI doesn’t need oversight by humans, but many predict that day will come.

My third book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules For Building A Business Around Today’s Customer. I’ve also produced a LinkedIn course that almost 10,000 people have taken on change management and AI in the contact center.

1 Bough, Victoria, Oliver Ehrlich, Harald Fanderl, and Robert Schiff. “Experience-Led Growth: A New Way to Create Value.” McKinsey & Company, March 23, 2023. https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/experience-led-growth-a-new-way-to-create-value.

3 Generative AI Holds Huge Economic Potential for the Global Economy. McKinsey & Company, July 4, 2023. https://www.mckinsey.com/fi/news/generative-ai-holds-huge-economic-potential-for-the-global-economy.

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Photo Credit: Monty Dunn

How can contact centers integrate technology and upskilling resources into their growth strategy?

According to Deloitte, a leading Fortune 500 software company conducted a trial of a new generative AI solution within its customer service division. This was the latest iteration of a GPT platform—developed with data gathered from past interactions among their 5,000 agents.

The solution was designed to provide real-time recommendations to agents, offering guidance on how to respond to customer inquiries effectively and providing pertinent internal resources to tackle technical issues.1 The results of this trial were impressive. The company experienced a 14% improvement in the number of customer chats successfully resolved per hour. This improvement was even more significant among less seasoned agents, with a substantial increase of 35%. This indicates that the AI system was particularly effective in helping newer agents accelerate their progression along the learning curve, allowing them to perform at higher levels more quickly.

Research shows that agents trained on AI in supportive groups adopt the technology better. With that said, consider training your agents in groups so they can share best practices and lessons learned, 45

1

Deloitte, https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en.html

rather

than

making

them

go

at

it

alone.

Building a future-proof and resilient workforce is essential. How can current technologies equip leaders?

It’s extremely important that at the top of the company, technology decisions are made across the business, not in different fiefdoms. Having a central team or group of people that are looking to solve AI gaps across the business is crucial.

Many companies are seeing success with a digital sandbox where employees can test new technologies and try new things. It’s a different mindset that embraces change and disruption.

What are some top lessons for businesses looking to differentiate themselves in a competitive marketplace leveraging AI and other digital tools?

The best way to compete is through customer experience. If you find ways to add value to customers’ lives, you will never be without customers. If you’re just looking to cut costs by throwing AI at customers, this is a mistake. You can have your cake and eat it too if you solve gaps with technologies, but also create a human experience for customers that establishes trustand makes them want to come back and tell their friends.

HARNESS AI TO INSPIRE YOUR WORKFORCE WITH

WHITNEE HAWTHORNE Whitnee Hawthorne is the Global Head of Tr a v e l and Hospitality at Snowflake and CEO of the Savvy Working Mom, a platform dedicated to empowering working mothers. As a seasoned ex e c u t i v e and tech enthusiast, she spotlights top workforce d e v e l o p m e n t practices that embrace AI without jeopardizing h u m a n - t o - h u m a n connection in business.

What are some key challenges you noticed when implementing more chatbot support for customer contact?

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•

Preserving Brand Voice: A s a C X l e a d e r, i t ’s vital to ensure chatbots reflect the company’s tone and values. One challenge is programming bots to provide e m p a t h e t i c , h u m a n - l i ke responses that align with the brand identity.

•

Building Customer Trust: Many customers feel hesitant about chatbot capabilities. Clear communication about what the chatbot can and cannot do is essential to manage expectations and build confidence.

•

Closing the Feedback Loop: CX leaders must

AI and automation are powerful tools, but they’re only as impactful as the people who use them. By empowering employees with the skills, insights, and confidence to embrace these technologies, organizations can build resilient, future-proof teams that thrive in a rapidly changing world.

ensure that chatbots capture valuable customer feedback into improving both bot functionality and

insights and integrate that the overall customer journey.

•

Maintaining Continuity: Seamlessly transitioning customers from AI to human agents without losing context is a key challenge in preserving the customer experience.

•

Customer Expectations: Customers expect immediate, seamless, and human-like interactions with chatbots.

Meeting these high expectations often requires significant investment in advanced AI capabilities.

•

Data Integration: Chatbots rely on comprehensive, high-quality data to deliver relevant responses. Siloed or inconsistent data can lead to inaccuracies and frustration for users.

•

Change Management: whomight fear position chatbots

•

Balancing Cost and Effectiveness: Striking the right balance between automation and escalation to a human agent is a challenge. While chatbots can handle many queries, ensuring they hand over more complex issues smoothly is critical.

Introducing chatbots requires job displacement. as complementary tools

getting buy-in from employees Leaders need to rather than replacements.

How can leaders integrate automation/AI into their customer interactions without compromising the human touch?

•

Customer-Centric AI: Use AI to enhance, not replace, the human touch. AI can analyze customer data to suggest personalized solutions or flag complex issues that require human expertise.

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Hybrid Service Models: Implement a tiered support model where AI handles routine queries, freeing up human agents to focus on high-value, emotionally sensitive interactions.

•

Transparency: Ensure customers know when they’re interacting with a chatbot versus a human. Transparency fosters trust and sets the stage for a better experience.

•

Empowerment: Equip human agents with AI-driven insights, enabling them to deliver tailored, efficient resolutions that make customers feel understood and valued.

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•

Empathy at Scale: Invest in soft skills training, such as emotional intelligence, to ensure that as automation grows, human interactions remain empathetic and impactful.

What are some top takeaways for leaders looking to use tools (like CSAT and NPS) and AI to empower their workforce?

•

Turning Data into Action: AI can help CX leaders analyze CSAT and NPS data to identify actionable insights, such as trends in customer dissatisfaction or opportunities for proactive outreach.

•

Empowering Agents with Insights: Provide frontline teams with AI tools that deliver real-time data about customer history, preferences, and pain points, enabling more personalized and effective interactions.

•

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Proactive CX Strategies: Use AI to predict potential service issues based on historical data, enabling teams

to intervene escalate and •

before impact

problems satisfaction.

Aligning Metrics with Experience: Tie CSAT and NPS results directly to customer experience goals, using AI to track progress and demonstrate ROI to stakeholders.

Closing Thoughts AI and automation are powerful tools, but they’re only as impactful as the people who use them. By empowering employees with the skills, insights, and confidence to embrace these technologies, organizations can build resilient, future-proof teams that thrive in a rapidly changing world.

As a leader, you’re at the forefront of shaping memorable customer experiences.

Leveraging AI and empowering your teams through upskilling and actionable insights ensures operational success and deep, long-lasting customer loyalty.

RECREATE YOUR BRAND:

A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

When you think of Brené Brown, what words or titles come to mind? Perhaps researcher, author, and speaker. What about Michelle Obama? Maybe former first lady, attorney, and writer.

Both women don’t just define themselves by their achievements—they explicitly name their identities and declare their worth. In her memoir, Becoming, Obama simply states, “Am I good enough? Yes, I am.”

It’s a confidence all of us should carry, but often struggle to when faced with societal barriers or career challenges. We must remember that everyone has a brand, even if they’re not as high-profile. So, how can you, a woman leader, take the reins of your story and ensure people recognize and value your presence?

Photo Credit: Monty Dunn

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Photo Credit: Monty Dunn

1. Reflect on your journey.

To lay the foundations for an impactful leadership story, you must have a clear timeline that leads youraudience through a compelling experience. In the beginning, you may have identified a need that inspired you to search for potential solutions and rise up as a leader to bring them to fruition. Detail the rest of your journey with insights that got you where you are now, and will continue to take you toward your greater goals.

2. Narrow down your why.

Every memorable leader has their personal why. Some women want to pioneer DEI efforts to transform their workplace or equip future generations with the tools to rise to greater heights.

To shape your brand properly, you must have an underlying reason to drive your actions more meaningfully. Allow it to become your foundation as you grow your public identity.

3. Identify your desired outcomes.

Although you shouldn’t particularly have an end goal for your brand visibility, creating specific growth milestones can help you measure your progress as a leader. Whether it’s a specific metric, like your number of speaking opportunities, or a more qualitative indicator, like positive interactions with your audience, make sure to monitor your successes to then map out future possibilities.

4. Be shamelessly proud of your wins.

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Women don’t boast about themselves enough. You can be balancing a full-time job and parenthood or fighting for a well-deserved promotion—no matter how big or small you think your accomplishment is, make it known to everyone in your network. It can be as simple as a LinkedIn post or a highlight during a team meeting. Don’t hesitate to bring more eyes to your potential for greatness.

5. Build your digital presence to boost brand visibility.

When building your brand, social media can feel like an entirely separate job.

However, in our current day and age, it’s a necessary strategy to get as many eyes on your story as possible. Crafting a digital presence may be difficult in its initial stages, but once you have a general understanding of what you post and who you engage with, it can easily become second nature.

6. Lean into thought leadership opportunities.

Thought leadership has become a trendy buzz phrase in the corporate world, but for good reason. It demonstrates your ability to lead others through similar challenges, providing audiences with best practices that can clarify their own careers. Unfortunately, there continues to be a severe shortage of women leaders.1 More than ever, we need people to fill the gap and represent us.

7. Consider mentorship as your way of giving back.

Mentorship is a mutually beneficial relationship that equips the mentee with career resources and empowers mentors to build supportive communities. As you guide others and build credibility in your respective industry, you can organically expand your circle, strengthening your brand in the process.

8. Find a community to run the race together.

Brand innovation doesn’t happen overnight and can’t be effective if you operate alone. It takes multiple people—colleagues, mentees, sponsors—to build and promote your leadership presence. Join a community where you can uplift others, and in turn, receive their support as you navigate your journey.

1 Numbers Matter: To Fix the Multilateral System Start by Including Women. GWL Voices, February 28, 2023. https://gwlvoices.com/download/numbers-matter-to-fix-the-multilateral-system-start-by-including-women.

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ENGAGE IN AUTHENTIC DIGITAL CONNECTIONS WITH

CORPORATE NATALIE Known for her viral TikToks with all-too-relevant corporate humor, Corporate Natalie has taken the digital realm by storm. Her skits, while poking lighthearted fun at our current work culture, highlight the power of shared experiences and how they unite us across industries. In this exclusive interview, Natalie shares insights on curating an impactful and resilient online presence amid a rapidly shifting social media environment.

How did you leverage a blend of humor, honesty, and authenticity to create a distinct digital presence?

When my videos first started gaining traction on social media, I took careful note of the things that were working. In fact, when I started posting, I wasn’t “Corporate Natalie”—it wasn’t until I saw that the corporate videos were performing the best that I decided to lean in and change my username.

Humor and relatability became the foundation of my content strategy, shaping every video I create to this day. I’m constantly listening to my community’s feedback, and making adjustments if I feel like videos (both sponsored and organic) are veering away from these two key pillars. If shares fall below a certain threshold, comments start to take a negative spin, or I get a piece of feedback from a loyal follower, I know I need to course correct. By keeping humor and relatability at the heart of my work, I’ve been able to craft what I believe to be the one-of-a-kind character of Corporate Natalie.

What brand identity lessons did you learn from becoming a viral content creator?

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The most important lesson I learned while building my brand is that not everyone needs to be a fan. A successful brand isn’t about pleasing everyone; it’s about connecting deeply with your target audience.

As a 23-year old woman starting out on TikTok, the reality of not being liked by everyone was a hard pill to swallow. However, now, after five years in the content game, I realize that having fewer dedicated followers is actually my superpower. Social media users get smarter every day. They can sniff out unauthentic content, know when ads are forced, and see when creators are trying to be someone they’re not. When I’m creating content, I tell myself it should “flow out of me”—when I find myself sitting with a bit, staring at my laptop, struggling to write a script, I abandon the idea quite quickly and pivot to something else.

This allows me to better serve the niche audience I value and appreciate so much.

How have your entrepreneurial experiences built resilience amid an ever-evolving social media economy?

Every content creator you talk to will tell you they have a notes page with a running list of content ideas. I have the content list, yes, but I also have a list of startups. While I’d like to make short-form video content forever, I know that if I’m not constantly refining my strategy and coming up with new revenue streams, brand pillars, and businesses, I’ll fall behind.

A recent example of this entrepreneurial drive was when I noticed a massive administrative burden on creators.

I was spending most of my day emailing brands, scheduling content and brand kickoff calls, invoicing brands, booking travel for brand trips and shoots, and running payment checks. In parallel, I knew that the current “era of the side hustle” has many people wanting make side income remotely.

I quickly founded a virtual assistant company, ExpandVA, to match creators with people interested in getting involved in the influencer economy.

I also joined the Advisory Board of Rella,

As a 23-year old woman starting out on TikTok, the reality of not being liked by everyone was a hard pill to swallow. However, now, after five years in the content game, I realize that having fewer, dedicated followers is actually my superpower. Social media users get smarter every day.

They can sniff out unauthentic content, know when ads are forced, and see when creators are trying to be someone they’re not.

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a content planning tool for creators, to continue to deepen my knowledge of what creators need most.

I urge creators reading this to think of your next big idea. How can you apply what you do with short-form video in different ways—perhaps taking equity from a startup you care about to advise on social media strategies, or maybe starting a business of your own around a core pillar of your content. You’re constantly innovating with your content, but what’s next?

4. What are some best practices for professionals looking to create a brand narrative that engages their desired audiences?

Engage directly with your audience! Ask them what they’d like to see more of or what challenges they’re facing.

By creating content tailored to their needs and interests, you build a deeper connection and foster a stronger sense of loyalty to your brand.

better than you. Start with a written post about a recent conference you attended, or a moment in a meeting that helped you look at a problem in a different way. People on LinkedIn are there to learn from industry experts like you, so start there!

5. How can professionals use social media as a powerful storytelling tool to build meaningful and resilient community connections?

People follow accounts that they feel connected to in some way. We see this not only with creators but also with successful brand accounts.

Duolingo has amassed 13.6 million followers on TikTok by creating a personality for the brand mascot. We feel like we know the TikTok bird, the team, and it keeps us coming back for more videos.

Real connection—and an abundance of trust—comes from sharing your true self (I’ll try to step off of my soapbox now, but it’s true!).

It doesn’t matter if the video isn’t perfect. No video is. Don’t sit on your drafts because you On a more micro level, I encourage working “aren’t sure” or “still have things to edit”—no professionals to start with posting on one will see them if you don’t post them, and the LinkedIn. Don’t feel like you have to download moment might pass!

Authenticity TikTok, buy a ring light, and start posting videos fosters the kind of resilient community every day (unless that fires you up!). We do our every social media creator aspires to build. jobs 40+ hours a week, and no one knows your job

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Photo Credit: Monty Dunn

Is Your Enterprise Ready to Embrace the GenAI? Revolution in CX?

By Sheila Morin, Chief Marketing Officer, Coveo Customer experience (CX) is experiencing a revolution.

AI is disrupting how enterprises interact with customers.

For years, marketing strategies were shaped around the assumed behaviors of Baby Boomers, Millennials, and Gen Z. Today, expectations once segmented by age are now universal. Features thought visionary — like seamless self-service, live personalization, and frictionless help — are baseline.

Let’s take a deeper look into what is driving these changes, and what your enterprise needs to adapt.

Rise of Universal (And Personalized) Expectations Generation Z led the consumerization of digital convenience, demanding simplicity and speed. And they are no longer alone; other generations have embraced those standards.

Coveo’s CX Report revealed that 56% of respondents across generations want to find answers on their own, in their preferred channels, when they want.

Search and generative AI are collaborators. In using both, enterprises provide users with a seamless flow of information, advice, and next steps in one experience.

Real Results: ROI Through Generative Adoption For many businesses, generative AI still feels like hype.

Yet there are enterprises with real adoption success on public, customer-facing sites. Two examples of female CX leaders spearheading the organizational use of generative AI include Michelle Lewis-Miller, VP, Head of Strategy & Transformation at SAP Concur, and Laurel Poertner, Sr. Director, Digital Services at F5 Networks.

Widespread internet access means information findability is baseline for companies aiming to connect with audiences.

Especially audiences who increasingly prefer to educate themselves before talking to sales, let alone buying.

“Even six months ago, [generative AI] was this floodgate. We were trying to understand what use cases are most valuable?”

Laurel Poertner reported in a recent TSIA webinar. Today, F5 achieves an 11% improvement in self-service resolution as a result of their collaboration with Coveo.

As enterprises, we must focus on individual intent.

The key? Leveraging AI and search tools to better understand preferences, predict needs, and deliver proactive answers and advice.

“Early on, we realized the compelling benefits of retrieval augmented generation,” Poertner explained. “It added accuracy and confidence, which drove us to putting [generative AI] in front of our customers.”

Generative AI: Redefining CX Our CX Report also found that 42% go straight to a brand website to get customer service and support — can your site handle this influx of high-intent traffic? Serving personalization at this scale requires technology like generative AI.

Similarly, SAP Concur transformed how their customers search for and consume knowledge. Michelle Lewis-Miller said: “we’ve dramatically improved customers’ ability to find what they’re looking for… often combining multiple pieces of information from different assets into one solution.”

Before generative AI, search would return a list of links or a (nongenerative) snippet. These results only answered “what’s happening?” Modern tech is empowering systems to answer “what’s next?” Unsatisfied with superficial responses, customers want contextually rich insights like:

SAP Concur reported a 30% decline in case submissions, and the number of searches performed by customers before finding the answers they needed dropped by 91%.

A What to do next

These are not isolated wins. As enterprises embrace AI solutions, the leaders piloting these transformations are turning tech investments into measurable ROI.

A Potential challenges and opportunities

A New Standard for Digital Excellence

This reflects a growing expectation for actionable intelligence that empowers decision-making and problem-solving. And this is where retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) comes in. Enterprises successful with generative AI are partnering with industry experts to combine advanced retrieval systems with AI generation capabilities — crafting experiences that are both accurate, secure, and actionable.

CX is a continuum. Generative AI is one step in this evolution; enterprises that delay adoption risk falling behind. Equally critical, however, is investing in a robust foundational information retrieval architecture that can adapt to each new wave of innovation. Today, it’s generative AI; tomorrow, the landscape will shift again.

A Why an issue occurred

Future-proof your enterprise with the infrastructure needed to meet the individualized demands of your customer base and multigenerational workforce — not just for now, but for the innovations of the future.

Don’t be afraid to let people see the passion behind your work. It’s the connection to your audience, the way your story makes them feel seen, that helps you stand out. When you let your journey shine through, you’re not just building a brand—you’re building trust and community.

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PRACTICE MEMORABLE BRAND STORYTELLING WITH

NICAILA MATTHEWS OKOME

Nicaila Matthews Okome is an entrepreneur, digital marketing expert, and creator and host of “Side Hustle Pro,” an award-winning podcast that elevates successful Black women entrepreneurs.

Featured on platforms like Today, TED, CNBC, and more, she uses her voice to strategically empower underrepresented stories and make them known all across the world.

How has your personal journey influenced your efforts to empower and equip underrepresented entrepreneurs?

My journey from corporate roles at companies like Google, NPR, and MTV Networks to creating Side Hustle Pro has deeply shaped my mission to empower underrepresented entrepreneurs. Growing up in Jamaica and later in the Bronx, I saw firsthand the resilience and creativity it takes to succeed when opportunities aren’t handed to you.

That upbringing instilled a sense of possibility and determination that I channel into my work.

When I transitioned from my side hustle to running my business full-time, I realized how important it was to see examples of people who looked like me succeeding. That’s why Side Hustle Pro exists—to spotlight bold, Black women entrepreneurs and provide the inspiration and tools needed to thrive in spaces where we’ve historically been underrepresented.

How does your podcast, Side Hustle Pro, serve as a storytelling tool that builds professionals’ career resilience?

Side Hustle Pro is a platform that celebrates real, relatable journeys. By sharing the stories of entrepreneurs who have successfully transitioned from side hustles to thriving businesses, the podcast highlights the perseverance, pivots, and persistence behind success. Each episode is a testament to the fact that obstacles don’t define you—your response to them does.

This storytelling not only inspires listeners but also equips them with actionable insights to overcome their own challenges.

It reinforces the idea that setbacks are stepping stones and resilience is a skill that can be cultivated.

How can entrepreneurs craft unique brand stories that help them stand out in today’s competitive market?

Your unique brand story starts with your “why.” Why are you doing this work, and how does your personal experience connect to the problem you’re solving? People connect with real, human stories—not just polished marketing speak. Share the moments that sparked your business idea and the values that drive you. Don’t be afraid to let people see the passion behind your work. It’s the connection to your audience, the way your story makes them feel seen, that helps you stand out. When you let your journey shine through, you’re not just building a brand—you’re building trust and community.

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What advice do you have for professionals struggling to craft authentic brand stories that resonate with their audience?

Start by letting go of the idea that your story has to be perfect. It doesn’t. In fact, the real magic happens when you embrace the imperfections and share the journey as it really is. Think about the challenges you’ve faced—those “aha!” moments or even the missteps that taught you something valuable. Share them. People don’t connect to perfection; they connect to honesty and relatability. Also, don’t forget to listen to your audience. What are they struggling with? When you weave their struggles into your story, you’re showing them that you’re not just selling—you’re serving. And above all, take action. Don’t wait until it feels perfect—just start sharing and refine as you go.

Why is it crucial to cultivate a reliable brand image for those looking to grow their side hustle?

Your brand image is the first thing people notice—and for side hustlers especially, it has to communicate, “You can trust me” right from the start. When you’re consistent in how you show up—whether it’s through your social media, your customer service, or your product quality—you’re building credibility. And credibility is what gets people to choose you, even if you’re just starting out or don’t have a big budget. At the end of the day, people invest in people they trust. So your job is to show up authentically, consistently, and with a clear message that tells them, “I’m here to help, and I’ve got what you need.”

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CMP Research Prism

QA & QM

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Copyright 2025 | Customer Contact Women and Customer Management Practice Photo credit to be given, unless otherwise noted, to the below: The Pollack Group Vincent & Chie Photography Cover photo credit: Head of Marketing, Emily Dunn All content creation, unless otherwise noted, is credited to CCWomen Editor in Chief, Shiwon Oh.