"Each time I tried to choose just one area to focus on, I felt like I was cutting out a piece of my soul…I finally said screw conventional wisdom and let myself pursue all my passions at once…clarity comes from engagement, not thought." — Marie Forleo
Founder, Plum Benefits
A: My father is a great influence. He was born in Russia during World War II and his parents were killed shortly thereafter. He was raised by his grandparents in a displaced persons camp after the war in Munich. He came to the United States through Ellis Island, landing in Brooklyn at the age of eleven. From there he made it ... READ MORE »
Founder & CEO, The Marketing Zen Group
A: Definitely my husband, Arshil Kabani. I tend to work in intense bursts, and that means I also allow myself to burn out easily. He is always there to remind me to take it easy, and to show me that life is more than about just work! READ MORE »
CEO, Luminary Labs
A: All the time! The majority of people don’t want to see you succeed. Or perhaps it is that they themselves can’t envision success. I was told that I shouldn’t go to business school. That I shouldn’t move to another country. That I shouldn’t quit my job. That I shouldn't marry my husband. That my business was not scalable. That [name ... READ MORE »
Founder & Executive Director, GEMS: Girls Educational & Mentoring Services
A: When I first started GEMS, everyone literally told me I was crazy. There were so many obstacles in the beginning and it just seemed like a really foolish idea for me to start a non-profit at the age of 23, in a country I had only been in for a year, with no money, and only a GED. It was ... READ MORE »
Founder & President, Count Me In for Women's Economic Independence
A: The original concept for Count Me In for Women’s Economic Independence was born in 2000. It was meant to be a multi-million dollar loan fund to help women entrepreneurs start their own businesses. Through what we thought was an innovative month-long campaign supported by leaders in television, on-line, finance and media, we planned to raise $25-50 million for the fund ... READ MORE »
President & CEO, International Medical Corps
A: I am constantly inspired by the people we serve: the mother in Afghanistan, the midwife whom we trained in South Sudan. I have worked with women who have faced unfathomable obstacles - threats to themselves, their families, the loss of children. Yet they are incredibly hopeful and resilient, determined to rebuild their lives or make a better life. These women are ... READ MORE »