Claudia Chan
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Perseverance

"…no one has the right to define me but me." — Linda Descano

Ella Gorgla

Ella Gorgla ON Perseverance

Founder, I-ELLA

Q: Is there an example in your life of a time when others were against you or your dream, yet you persevered?

A: I’d like to think I’m living that moment now. Entrepreneurship is not easy. At all. The highs and lows are incredibly close. Perseverance for me stems from an unfettered belief in the potential of I-ELLA. READ MORE »

ToryBurch Headshot

Tory Burch ON Perseverance

CEO & Designer, Tory Burch

Q: Is there an example in your life of a time when others were against you or your dream, yet you persevered?

A: There was a lot of skepticism when I decided to start the company; I wasn’t a designer and didn’t have a retail background. People also questioned the wisdom of creating a business with a foundation and social responsibility in mind. My parents gave me great advice, which was to think of negativity as noise, and believe in yourself.  I took ... READ MORE »

Jennifer Siebel Newsom

Jennifer Siebel Newsom ON Perseverance

Founder and CEO, MissRepresentation

Q: Is there an example in your life of a time when others were against you or your dream, yet you persevered?

A: I made this film despite early naysayers. Friends and family questioned the film concept.  Long time feminists and women’s rights supporters were skeptical. Many said Miss Representation had been done before and questioned who I was to be making this film. People even told me I was wasting my time as things had gotten better for women. Well, we proved ... READ MORE »

Rosetta Stander_Headshot_2

Rosetta Stander ON Perseverance

Executive Director, Zimele Community

Q: Is there an example in your life of a time when others were against you or your dream, yet you persevered?

A: Being a child of the racial segregation era of South Africa, my family and friends did not understand my passion to work with the black people of South Africa. They also did not understand the need for my non-profit efforts. But I knew that my responsibility to live out my destiny came with the great cost of keeping a healthy ... READ MORE »

Alyse Nelson

Alyse Nelson ON Perseverance

President & CEO, Vital Voices Global Partnership

Q: Who or what in your life gives you the strength to persevere?

A: In the last year, we have seen women in the Middle East and North Africa advocate for phenomenal, unprecedented shifts — shifts in civic engagement, in politics, in cultural perception and social interaction — shifts in the very language and means we use to communicate. While we all know that change takes time, these women and the movements that they ... READ MORE »

Sheila Kelley

Sheila Kelley ON Perseverance

Founder & CEO, Sheila Kelley S Factor

Q: Is there an example in your life of a time when others were against you or your dream, yet you persevered?

A: You're talking to the woman who founded pole dance fitness! I most certainly did. That little eviction warning I found attached to my front door when I was teaching S Factor out of my home, was the result of queries from my neighbors. What can I say? At that time (and today to some extent), the definition of "pole dancing" ... READ MORE »