Ilove stories. Being a writer, that’s no surprise. But I
think a good story can change the world more than a fact ever could. Stories, I believe, have the power of transformation – in both positive and negative ways. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the kind of stories you are telling yourself and the people you are identifying with.
The story you tell yourself is perhaps more important than the story you tell others. Are you the hero or the side character of your life? Are you the one to whom things happen, or are you the one who makes things happen? Do you write your story, or do you just read it? Your hero’s journey will be defined by the words you have chosen for yourself.
The pages of this magazine are full of stories. Stories of painters, teachers, lawyers, and others. Stories of people trying to make a failing business successful, of losing a passion to find another, of struggling to be kind in an industry that rewards the cutthroat. Stories of overcoming challenges, finding hope, and dreaming about the impossible.
In the latest edition of Insights Success, The 10 Most Empowering Women in Business, 2023, you will find stories of women who are leading the dynamic business arena. The starlets who have not let any obstacles come in the way of pursuing their dreams and women empowering others to do the same.
I hope that you see yourself in these stories. I hope you see that success is possible beyond the struggles you face, as these women have found. These stories will inspire you to dare and wish for more than you have.
These stories will teach you that doubts are just thoughts worth a penny, but dreams are infinitely precious, and failing is only a midpoint to winning. And remember, as the author of your life, you can, at any point, choose to rewrite your story.
All the best in your journey and Have a Delightful Read!
Featured Person
Ellen Voie CEO
Heather Anne Hubbell
Women In Trucking womenintrucking.org
Phundex phundex.com
Ellen Voie was honored as a Champion of Change for her time and effort developing innovative ways to help grow and expand the transportation industry.
Heather is passionate about enabling and driving strategic business transformation, particularly using digital tools, processes and applications to increase efficiency.
Kandy Lukats
Karen Leslie Simon
Kate Bolseth
Kim Robertson Smith
3GIG 3-gig.com
Emersons Commercial Real Estate emersonscre.com
Kandy was an amazingly energetic and fun person to work with, she'd come from BP and relished working in a small company.
Karen Leslie Simon is one of the first women realtors to forge this golden path with her sheer determination, hard work, and passion.
Kate's leadership is remarkable, high energy and works well across various departments and leaders Fortra helpsystems.com
Smile Foundation smilefoundationsa.org
Kim Robertson is a renowned performer, arranger and recording artist who has stretched the boundaries of the harp for a new generation of performers and audiences.
Lina Acosta
Melanie Lauer
Nilly Assia
Sian Morgan
CMO Managing Partner CEO CEO CEO CMO CEO CEO CEOGLT shipwithglt.com
TriSports kettlersport.com
G-CMO g-cmo.com
Hafan Cymru
hafancymru.co.ukLina is deeply passionate about getting our brand exposed by engaging not only our audience but also connecting more people with our story and purpose as a logistics company at GLT.
Melanie is an outstanding driver of Eagle's Marketing programs and always has new ideas, as well as is being open for new ways and activities from the outside.
Nilly Assia has a knack for building energetic marketing teams, and creating strategic, out-of-the-box marketing programs that aim to optimize marketing’s direct impact on business.
Sian has worked closely with Government both locally and nationally and has proved to work effectively within a number of arenas both social and political, with a clear understanding of the impact of devolution on a Country.
“I was the first female to head an industrial or to head any commercial department within the Miller organization. When I walked into a room, people knew who I was because I was the only woman.
Karen Simon, President, and Managing Partner Emersons Commercial Real Estate
Leading the way for other women, Karen Simon , a
three-decade real estate professional, has been fostering growth at Emersons Commercial Real Estate . Exhibiting sheer brilliance as the President and Managing Partner at the company, she started her career in the real estate industry at a time when few women chose the profession.
Karen now specializes in leasing and sales for the office, retail, industrial and land sectors. She was the first woman in Tarrant County to practise industrial real estate and the first female broker to become one of the department's top producers in the entire state.
In August, Karen achieved the recognition of “Businesswoman of the Year” when she was acknowledged to the famous Marquis Who's Who biographical directory. This honour was given in recognition of her position, notable achievements, exposure, and importance in the industry.
Emersons Commercial Real Estate is a skilled group of real estate experts committed to giving its clients all the advantages of an internal real estate management operation without the usual overhead, costs, or problems related to hiring their own employees. Its skilled team provides owners, developers, and tenants with expert property management services.
In an exclusive interview with Insights Success , Karen shares her journey as a woman in the real estate industry, the successes she experienced and the challenges she overcame.
Below are the highlights of the interview:
Brief us about your career path as a woman leader up until now to your current position at your organization. What were the challenges you had to overcome to scale your progress?
The Henry S. Miller company was the largest real estate company in Texas. They had no women filling roles as the chairperson of any department within the Miller organization other than its residential department.
I accepted their offer to start and chair an industrial and land division within the Henry S. Miller office in Tarrant County, specifically Fort Worth, where I live, the largest city in Tarrant County. Part of the opportunity of chairing that department was that they were willing to send me to
All clients wanted was someone who was concerned about their business, and was willing to get a job done. So, although I was the first, I always felt that I was pushing the envelope and that there was progress.
industrial real estate schools to learn the terms and the jargon and get a background in the field that I was going to attempt to grow for them. I held that job for six years.
In the late 1980s, the real estate market took a tremendous fall. Because I was a female and women and minorities were given opportunities with the federal government, I founded a company called the R.E. Group Advisors, Inc, known as “The Real Estate Group,” and got to have a lot more opportunities to do business for the federal government when it came to the disposal of all the foreclosed assets.
Another position I held was the head of the industrial department for the Woodmont Company, a large regional firm. In 2003, I was asked to start a commercial real estate office for the Bradford company in Tarrant County, and I held that position for the next 12 years. Ultimately, in 2016, I met the owners of Emerson’s commercial real estate, and they were looking to open an office in Tarrant County. One of them was from Fort Worth. They founded the company in 2004, and in 2016, we became equal partners in the Tarrant County office. That is where I am, the office I manage within their organization, and it has been a very fulfilling role.
At what stage did you realize that you were on the right track regarding your career?
I decided I was on the right track for my career when I
opened the office for Bradford, which was for a 12-year stint and was a normalizing experience. At Miller, I was actively in business, but then all of a sudden, we were no longer in business. With the real estate group, I knew that we had some time expiration because we were operating the way we did because we were primarily representing the federal government.
Bradford was a full-service company. We did management, sales, leasing, and consulting. We covered the waterfront of commercial real estate. Every day was different. I realized how much I enjoyed the fact that I had been given the opportunity to do something I love. I wasn’t completely satisfied when ownership was not available. Bradford is a highly well-run company. It’s run and owned by one individual. And although we got management participation in fees when our offices were successful, we were not partners. We might make suggestions, but we really had no serious input in the decisions as to how it was run.
Karen, can you tell me, being a woman, how difficult it is to survive in real estate?
Well, when I started in the industrial real estate business in 1983, I was the first woman in Dallas or Tarrant County. I was the first female to head an industrial or to head any commercial department within the Miller organization. When I walked into a room, people knew who I was because I was the only woman.
The first time I went to an industrial real estate school, there were 32 men and me. At the second one I went to, a year later, there were approx. three women out of 42. I played a role in the establishment of the first commercial real estate women’s organization in Tarrant County, and that was in 1987. So, we began to make some progress.
I learned that clients did not resent dealing with a woman at all. What they wanted was someone who was concerned about their business, was willing to say that they didn’t have an answer, but they would try to find out, and someone who was willing to work longer than from 9:00 to 5:00 if it was a requirement to get a job done within a specified time period. So, although I was the first, I always felt that I was pushing the envelope and that there was progress.
What strategies do you implement to promote gender diversity for various leadership positions in your organization?
I think within Emersons, gender has not been a significant
issue because when I came to work for them, they already had a woman who was in a leadership role on the accounting side. They also had women in other leadership positions within the organization. Gender has never been significant within Emersons, nor has racial ethnicity. Emersons is a very diverse group. If you were to see the members of Emersons and their co-partner, you would see that it crosses all racial and ethnic lines. It’s nothing I ever had to work for. That opportunity existed on its own.
What values do you incorporate to enhance the work culture at your organization?
Well, some of the people who worked with us during the worst part of COVID wanted to work remotely. And I understood that. A couple of them still work remotely. I don’t consider it ideal, but I do respect the fact that they feel more comfortable and choose to do that. They come
I think women need to be able to say, as should men, “I don’t know the answer to your question, but it’s a good question, and I will find out.”
I think that the humility of recognizing that you can’t be the best at absolutely everything and have all the answers is essential.
together with us when we have company meetings a couple of times a month. We try to allow people to work to the best of their ability within the framework that they feel comfortable working.
Do you feel in recent times that there is a difference in opportunities for women in real estate?
Well, women are still sort of recognized as being a minority as far as roles in commercial real estate. But there are a great many women today that play essential roles within their own organizations. I would venture to say that in the last 30 years, women have made leaps and bounds in recognition within this industry.
What do you believe is the significant factor for women in the business arena, and what is the most critical aspect of your success in adhering to these fundamentals?
I think women need to be able to say, as should men, “I don’t know the answer to your question, but it’s a good question, and I will find out.” I think the humility of recognizing that you can’t be the best at everything and have all the answers is essential.
The willingness to go the extra mile, I think, is significant. The willingness–– for example, if someone can’t see a building on a Monday through Friday and you feel an obligation to make it available on Saturday, you should be willing to do it yourself. You don’t necessarily need to “send someone.” You need to show that a client’s interests are vital enough to you to put yourself out.
What could be the next significant change in the modern business arena?
So much has gone digital that it has changed the way we do business in considerable measure. But we are still required, in my opinion, to meet a client face to face to show a property as opposed to telling someone that there is a lockbox and here is the combination, and you can get the key. I mean, I think we cannot push that envelope so far that we have a total disconnect from human contact. I sometimes feel that my younger associates are not practicing the art of conversation. They almost do everything by text or email. I don’t think that is the best method of great success. I think you must show a personal interest and participation.
What advice would you give to the next generation of women leaders willing to venture into the modern business arena, especially in a real state?
I would say, among other things, don’t allow gender to be an active part of your transaction. In other words, if you’re dealing with someone who is courtly and wants to open the door for you, let them do that as opposed to pushing back for a total lack of involvement from the feminine perspective. Be natural, be normal. But at the same time, be the best-educated person in the room. Be the person who is willing to go the extra mile. At the same time, don’t be disruptive because general behavioral patterns are such that we live in a society in which men generally do open doors or at least offer to do so.
Every nonprofit organization was formed from idea
by someone who saw a need. Currently, there are over 1.8 million nonprofit organizations in the United States, and they represent nearly six percent of the US economy. There are different types of nonprofits, and the largest category includes churches, schools, and foundations (40%) which are supported by charitable donations.
Another type of nonprofit is a trade or professional association, which comprise about fifteen percent of nonprofit organizations in the US. The Women In Trucking Association falls into this category but is a hybrid trade (representing organizations) and professional (representing individuals.)
I founded the Women In Trucking (WIT) Association because I recognized the need for an entity to represent women employed in the trucking industry. Our mission includes encouraging the employment of women in the industry, addressing obstacles that might keep women from succeeding, and celebrating the success of its members. Our membership includes both men and women who support the mission. We currently have over 8,000 members in ten countries.
Starting a nonprofit is a challenge, as fifty percent of all nonprofit organizations will fail. WIT was formed in 2007, which was right at the beginning of the recession. However, we reached our goal of 500 members our first year. The challenge was in obtaining the support for our mission, which has never wavered.
Many of our members joined us in our first year, but every one of them waited to see if we would execute our mission before they renewed. They needed to be confident in our ability to create positive change by increasing the ranks of women in all career levels, from the cab to the S-suite.
Sixteen years ago, gender diversity in the trucking industry was not a priority. In fact, the typical response from carriers was that they just hired the best employee. Once we pointed out the fact that there wasn't a level playing field for women, we started to convince them to change.
The trucks were designed for men, who are usually taller and have longer arms and legs. The truck stops were designed for men as well, as the lounges were only for men and the showers were locker room style with no privacy. Even the uniforms were men’s sizes and styles, and women had to adapt the shirts and pants to their smaller frames.
Additionally, there wasn’t much data available about women in the trucking industry. Companies didn’t even track the percentages of women as drivers, managers, CEOs, or directors. Beyond the demographic data, there was rarely information regarding safety or inspection by gender.
We had to create a movement by building a business case for gender diversity. Originally, we used any data relevant to female drivers or women as leaders. However, as we pushed for a more level playing field, we started seeing positive trends in attracting and retaining women.
This allowed us to start to measure diversity numbers and to identify best practices from the companies with higher female leaders, managers, and drivers. The data began to follow, and we were thrilled to learn than women are safer commercial drivers than men. We also found that women were typically easier on the equipment, better with paperwork and more engaging with customers.
Although women were not prevalent in the higher levels of companies, the ones who did promote and empower women into more powerful roles were finding their net profits were increasing. Women’s voices reflect different decisionmaking processes which creates a broader range of perception and understanding.
Instead of sons automatically assuming the trucking company lead role, many daughters were chosen to step into the top position. More and more companies are being started by women and run by women in the transportation industry.
The Women In Trucking Association has become the recognized resource in providing information, education, best practices and more for carriers to continue to advance the women in their organizations. Additionally, we are tracking the numbers and watching more women find successful careers as drivers, diesel technicians, safety directors, managers, and directors.
We will continue to monitor the progress of the industry and share best practices so more women can find a home in transportation. We are proud of our history of being the best resource and for starting a cultural change in all trucking related roles and we will continue these efforts until the gender imbalance is no longer an issue.
In the lead-up to International Women's Day, I've been
thinking about how things have changed since I started my working life. This year's theme is "Choose to Challenge," encouraging individuals to challenge gender bias and inequality in all aspects of their lives. That includes women's contributions to our families, communities, and societies.
When I was a young girl, people asked me if I wanted to be a teacher like my mother. No one ever asked me if I wanted to be an electrical engineer like my father. What I wanted was to be a fighter pilot like my father. Women weren't allowed in the air force then, so that wasn't an option for me, much to my disappointment.
In high school, girls learned cooking and sewing; boys took woodworking and metalwork. I knew how to cook and sew, so I wanted to try woodworking and metalwork. I negotiated with the teacher. I could if I found a boy who would swap with me. No problem. What's not to like about a class full of girls for a teenage boy?
During the first few years of my first career, I got turned down for promotion several times for not having the "right" experience, and then I had to train the man who did get the job. I then trained as a lawyer, only to have a managing partner tell me that women couldn't be litigators and have a family. Never mind that I didn't want to do litigation and already had my family! I politely wrote back and told the firm I wasn't interested in working for a law firm that felt that way. In those days, women weren't even allowed to wear trousers in the courtroom. How times have changed in some respects.
I was a working mother from the earliest days of my working life, juggling children and law school, working as a lawyer and then in banking. Multi-tasking wasn't an option – it was the only way to keep everything on track and on time. Thankfully my husband was pretty hands-on
with the children, especially once they got interested in sports.
I watched my male colleagues with frustration as their wives managed their family life and they got on with work. Then I realized that my children enriched my working life, and they could see first-hand that women could do any job they wanted. Although, when people asked my children if they wanted to be a lawyer like their mother, they both said, "no, that's way too much work!”
Having felt the inequality first-hand, I resolved to be very aware of my female colleagues and friends to see how I could proactively support them. I suggested they apply for jobs I thought they would be suitable for (even when they said, "I'm not sure I have the right skills"). I helped them craft their CVs and do interview practice. I also hired women for my teams, even if they would need extra training to do the job, because I knew it would be great for their longer-term careers. I especially looked for mothers as I knew exactly what they had to do to get to work in the morning and juggle work and home life. What better experience than that for being able to manage complicated jobs at work?
For most of the past 15 years, I've run my own businesses. That meant I could make decisions that worked for me and allowed me to work against discrimination and open new opportunities for women. There is nothing more soul destroying that not getting recognition or a promotion for your work and contribution, and I've tried hard to counter that with whatever support I could.
I have a challenge for you as we celebrate International Women's Day. Think about how you can make a difference in recognizing women's contributions or encourage others to do so. Start with one person at a time. You may never know how much that means to that person.
Having been an invaluable team member of Smile
Foundation since its inception 23 years ago, Kim has always been known for her never-give-up attitude and the invaluable positive impact she has made on the foundation. Inclusivity and the empowerment of others has always been the mainstay of this compassionate and visionary woman, who is determined to carry this into her role of leadership, as she supports and guides the vision and mission of Smile Foundation, defined by its Board of Directors.
Being a registered nurse and healthcare professional, Kim is a natural-born caregiver with medical insight that stands her in good stead for her role as CEO. With her extensive managerial experience in the medical sales and marketing arena, Kim is no stranger to managing, mentoring, organising, training, and motivating people – which further supports her belief that solid teamwork will continually grow an organisation. Apart from the medical field, Kim’s career spans across a different area of fundraising and outreach programmes for various organisations, aligning her even more so to her role as a strong leader with a clear vision and passion for Smile Foundation. Kim is a wellseasoned professional, who is caring and compassionate, and always up for a new challenge that requires a smarter solution.
“My aim is to continue, with the support of the incredible Smile team, to see all children smile. My life’s journey has always been to be involved with helping others and in this position, I can continue to do what I love - helping children to become the ‘Hero’ of their own story.” Kim Robertson Smith, CEO at Smile Foundation.
Every child deserves a secure sense of self – the very foundation from which their greatest potential can be reached. This is why we are Smile Foundation are deeply passionate about making a difference in the lives of South
African children living with facial conditions.
Smile Foundation is a South African Non-profit organisation operating in South Africa. Our NPO started at the behest of then President Nelson Mandela, 23 years ago. We believe that making a real difference is about bringing the right people together at the right time. In doing so, our non-profit organisation is able to facilitate expert surgical intervention for children living with facial paralysis, cleft lip, cleft palate, craniofacial abnormalities, and burn wounds.
We offer psychological support to patients and their families before, during and after surgery. We also offer “Parent to Parent” support which enables parents and caregivers to connect with other families who have walked the same journey.
Education and skills training is something we are passionate about, our passion towards upskilling surgeons in specialized techniques carries into the Smile Foundation skills training. In doing so the organisation is able to facilitate expert surgical intervention and pre and postoperative care for communities in need.
Smile Foundation works in partnership with 17 Academic Hospitals around South Africa where all our surgical procedures and skills programs are performed.
Not only do we facilitate academic skills programs for surgeons, nurses and other medical personnel, we also invest in the infrastructure of the public healthcare system through purchasing medical equipment, upgrading the surgical Departments in existing facilities to the benefit of previously disadvantaged South Africans.
To achieve these goals, we enthusiastically raise funds through our corporate and private donors. We also reach out to communities to share and understanding that children with facial conditions and burns can be helped.
We assist any child living in South Africa living with facial paralysis, cleft lip and cleft palate, craniofacial abnormalities, as well as ear, nose and hand conditions and burn wounds. Our contributions go beyond funding children’s surgery and recovery.
Our Vision
We help children live a life inspired by confidence and possibility, no matter their circumstances.
Our Mission
We transform the lives of children affected by facial abnormalities and severe burns through the best possible and psychological care.
