Beyond Representation: Why Women Entrepreneurs Need Systemic Disruption, Not Just a Seat at the T...

From celebrating women’s representation to demanding true systemic disruption, I’m opening 2026 with a hard look at why nearly half of new businesses are started by women, yet so few ever cross the million-dollar mark.


In this solo episode of She Leads, I unpack a paradox that should stop every founder and leader in her tracks: women launched 49% of new businesses in 2024, but only 4.2% reached $1 million in revenue. This isn’t a conversation about confidence or competence, it’s about systems. And more importantly, it’s about how women who succeed within existing frameworks are rewarded, while those who challenge and redesign those frameworks face resistance at every turn.


I introduce a three-level disruption framework that reframes how we think about success in entrepreneurship. Level one is representation and women building profitable companies in spaces never designed for them. Level two is model disruption and changing how industries operate, from regenerative construction practices to ethical beauty brands that challenge labor and sourcing norms. And level three is systemic disruption, where success redistributes power itself, creating new pathways through employee ownership, transparent supply chains, and reinvestment into underrepresented founders.


This episode also confronts uncomfortable truths: how venture capital flows toward “acceptable” women-led industries, how algorithms and infrastructure quietly reinforce bias, and how family responsibilities still disproportionately force women out of business. The data is clear, and the issue isn’t ambition or ability, it’s a system built around invisible labor and outdated definitions of success.


As we step into 2026, I invite you to ask a bigger question: not just how much you want to build, but what you’re building toward. Because hitting a million dollars may require grit, but building something that lasts, scales, and changes the rules demands disruption. Tune in for a powerful redefinition of what it truly means to lead.


Chapters


🎉 00:56 Celebrating Women Entrepreneurs


⚡ 01:44 The Real Challenges Facing Women-Led Businesses


🧩 08:58 Understanding the Three Levels of Disruption


🏗️ 12:02 Representation and Rethinking Business Models


🌍 15:37 What Systemic Disruption Really Looks Like


💰 36:38 Why Capital and Infrastructure Matter


🚀 43:24 Expanding the Global Vision of She Leads


✨ 49:20 Closing Reflections and a Call to Action



Thank you to our podcast sponsor


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Links


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• (00:56) - 🎉 Celebrating Women Entrepreneurs



• (01:44) - ⚡ The Real Challenges Facing Women-Led Businesses



• (08:58) - 🧩 Understanding the Three Levels of Disruption



• (12:02) - 🏗️ Representation and Rethinking Business Models



• (15:37) - 🌍 What Systemic Disruption Really Looks Like



• (36:38) - 💰 Why Capital and Infrastructure Matter



• (43:24) - 🚀 Expanding the Global Vision of She Leads



• (49:20) - ✨ Closing Reflections and a Call to Action