The 10 Most Inspiring Women Leaders to Follow in 2022
This edition features a handful of Women leaders across several sectors that are at the forefront of leading us into a digital future. Read More: https://www.insightssuccess.com/the-10-most-inspiring-women-leaders-to-follow-in-2022-vol8-june2022/
This edition features a handful of Women leaders across several sectors that are at the forefront of leading us into a digital future.
Read More: https://www.insightssuccess.com/the-10-most-inspiring-women-leaders-to-follow-in-2022-vol8-june2022/
- No tags were found...
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
The
Most
Inspiring
Women
Leaders
to Follow in
2022
Barbara
Antonucci
Womanhood
Unlocking the POTENTIAL
of WOMEN for WELFARE
of the WORLD
Door to Success
Leaders that
We Need Today
A Strategic Litigator in all Areas of Employment
Law and a Change Agent for DEI and More
VOL- 06 | ISSUE-04 | 2022
w×w×w×.inos¨ights¨s¨u¾cces¨s¨.cozm
Editor’s Desk
Remarkable
Leaders,
Remarkable
Results
“
he leader is one who, out of the clutter, brings
Tsimplicity… out of discord, harmony… and out of
difficulty, opportunity.” - Albert Einstein.
The corporate world is filled with organizations engaged in
a constant tug of war to reign supreme. However, a
company that constantly redevelops itself, brings something
new to the market every time, and keeps the quality intact,
is the one that succeeds. To run a successful company,
recruiting and retaining good employees is essential. Most
companies do this job well, but a few do it the best way
possible. Keeping employees happy can be done in multiple
ways, but the most effective is having one good employee
leading them- A good leader.
An effective leader does the work which equals the effort of
multiple employees under him by following a pattern that
brings results to the organization while keeping the physical
and mental health of the employees in an optimal condition.
As we progress into an age of history where resignations
are at a peak and employees pay an eye to detail about
every aspect of work, it is essential to have a leader that
understands these requirements and delivers curated
conditions for everyone.
Women have traditionally outperformed men in
professional connection building, workplace integrity, and
self-development involvement. However, contrary to
popular belief, the study found that women outperform
males when initiating new initiatives and being resultsoriented.
This is the primary reason women leaders have
been successful in their fields. The aggressive, demanding
market climate and changing company models that have led
to the evolution of women as leaders may also be to reason
for this rise. The instinctive agility that comes with being a
woman and the innate ability to multitask – thanks to
the upbringing pattern of women in our society –
enable them to take on difficult responsibilities and
solve complex business problems with ease reaping
great rewards for both themselves and the
organization.
This edition of “The 10 Most Inspiring Women
Leaders to Follow in 2022” showcases many great
women leaders who have broken the barriers of
gender bias and proved their worth in this intense
business environment. The cover features Barbara
Antonucci, who personally inspired me with her
dedication and incredible work ethic. She had to face
setbacks in her career yet prevailed strong, coming
out on top. Not only did Barbara develop her career
as a partner at her firm, but she also continued to
onboard and develop exciting talent, which makes
her an exceptional leader.
Let's read her inspirational journey along with the
other women leaders who encourage me to give my
best daily.
Raunak
Raunak Mhetre
raunak.mhetre@insightssuccess.com
I hope you enjoy this insightful read as much as my
in-house-editorial team, and I enjoyed writing it!
C O N T E N T S
08
C O V E R
S T O R Y
A R T I C L E S
Door to Success
Leaders that
Unlocking the POTENTIAL of
32 46
We Need Today
Womanhood
WOMEN for WELFARE of the WORLD
Cloé Caron
Guiding Leaders to Develop their
True Potential
16
Training Your Dog to be PAW-SOME
20
Elissa Weimer
Jaimine Johnson
Developing Strategies to Enhance the
Real Estate Industry
24
An Astute Digital Marketer Leading
28
Jillian Weston
with Relatability and Empathy
Karen Simon
Determined to Make the Most
34
An Ardent Legal Professional
36
Kathleen Waid
Exemplifying Passionate Leadership
Lisa Thee
Using Artificial Intelligence to
Improve Human Experience
42
An Accomplished Real Estate Broker and
48
Sherry Blinkhorn
a Passionate Advocate for the Mentally Ill
Tracy V. Green Engraining an Innovative Eyewear Culture
52
Editor-in-Chief
Merry D'Souza
Managing Editor
Anish Miller
Executive Editor
Raunak Mhetre
Assistant Editors
Jenny Fernandes
Visualizer
David King
Art & Design Director
Shyam Sonawane
Associate Designer
Revati Badkas
Senior Sales Manager
Kshitij S
Business Development Manager
Peter Collins
Marketing Manager
John Matthew
Sales Executives
David, Martin
Technical Head
Jacob Smile
Business Development Executives
Steve, Joe, Saurabh
Technical Specialist
Aditya
Digital Marketing Manager
Dominique T.
SME-SMO Executive
Atul Dhoran
Research Analyst
Frank Adams
Circulation Manager
Database Management Technology Consultant
Robert Brown Stella Andrew David Stokes
sales@insightssuccess.com
June, 2022
Follow us on : www.facebook.com/insightssuccess/ www.twitter.com/insightssuccess
We are also available on :
Copyright © 2022 Insights Success, All rights reserved. The content and images used in this magazine should not be reproduced or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from Insights Success.
Reprint rights remain solely with Insights Success.
The
Most Inspiring
Women Leaders
to Follow in
2022
Featured Person
Barbara Antonucci
Partner
Cloe Caron
Founder & President
Elissa Weimer
Owner & Professional
Trainer
Jaimine Johnson
Director of Asset
Management
Company Name
Constangy, Brooks,
Smith & Prophete,
LLP constangy.com
o2Coaching
o2coaching.ca
Paw & Order Dog Training
pawandorder.com
DRK and Company Realty
drk-realty.com
Description
Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete offers a wider lens on
workplace law.
o2coaching strongly believe that any person or organization can
acheive its goals by adopting simple fundamental shifts in
mindset, attitude and behaviour.
Paw & Order Dog Training offers certified dog training
programs.
DRK and Company Realty has 50 years of experience in all
aspects of commercial real estate.
Jillian Weston
Founder
Karen Simon
President & Managing
of Tarrant County
Division
Karina Tiwana
Vice President, Legal
Jillian's Circus
jillianscircus.com
Emersons Commercial
Real Estate
emersonscre.com
Infinera
infinera.com
Improving your Local Community using Traditional Values and
New-Age Technology.
Emersons Commercial Real Estate is a sophisticated team of
real estate professionals.
Infinera is a global supplier of innovative networking solutions.
Kathleen Waid
CRO
Prove
prove.com
Prove delivers digital trust, providing businesses the confidence
to do more.
Lisa Thee
Lead - Data for
Good Practice
Launch Consulting Group
launchconsulting.com
Launch Consulting Group is a digital transformation
consultancy that operates at the intersection of People, Data
and Technology.
Tracy V. Green
Co-Founder & CEO
VONTELLE
vontelle.com
Vontélle eyewear designs work to ensure this level of command
in every room.
Sherry Blinkhorn
Broker/Owner
Blinkhorn Real Estate Ltd
blinkhornrealestate.com
Blinkhorn Real Estate supports many non profit organizations
in the County and believes in giving back to the Community
that supports the business.
The 10 Most Inspiring Women Leaders to Follow in 2022
Barbara
Antonucci
A Strategic Litigator in all Areas of
Employment Law and a Change
Agent for DEI and More
One thing we’re doing at
Constangy is working directly
with software designers
to create in-house tools that
decrease our reliance on
expensive outside vendors
and offer tailored solutions that
can better meet our clients’ needs.
C O V E R S T O R Y
arbara Antonucci had to change hats and carry on
Bthe legacy of her dear friend and mentor, who
passed away unexpectedly. It was the start of a
more significant chapter in her life, filled with various
lessons and conflicts. Despite the challenges, she continued
to improve and move forward with the tenacity she has
shown since she entered the legal profession.
Barbara is a Partner at Constangy, Brooks, Smith &
Prophete, LLP, and is an accomplished employment
litigator who practices all aspects of employment law.
Succeeding on a Path of Thorns
After graduating from law school, Barbara spent 14 years
practicing law at two large firms before joining Constangy
in January 2017 to launch the firm's San Francisco office.
Through her prior experiences, she learned a great deal
about what makes a good litigator and advisor and the
characteristics of corporate culture that breed success and
happiness. When she joined Constangy, the firm had just
opened its first California office in LA, but had been
nationally renowned for more than 70 years for its labor and
employment practice. It was already gaining a reputation
for its commitment to diversity and flexible, collaborative
culture.
I look forward
to continuing
to serve on the
firm’s steering
committee for
diversity and
inclusion.
With this being a big draw for her, Barbara took a leap of
faith to join a smaller firm, which was the right decision
despite the unexpected challenges. Her great friend and
mentor Julius Turman – who recruited Barbara to
Constangy and served as the managing partner for the new
San Francisco office – passed away unexpectedly in May
2018, pressing her to jump into the role of leading the office
quickly.
It was an accelerated learning curve, but she and her team
have been extremely successful in bringing on new
attorneys and a full staff complement and establishing
strong client relationships in all major industry sectors. It
was important to Barbara to carry on the vision that she and
Julius had to grow a diverse and welcoming office. She
firmly believes that diversity in gender, race, ethnicity,
sexual orientation, and background is the key to success,
happiness, and a fair judicial system.
The Constangy San Francisco office is led by four women
partners – Barbara Antonucci, Sarah Robertson, Sarah
Hamilton and Jasmine Anderson. Its attorneys come from
all backgrounds: African American, Asian American,
Latinx, and LGBT. Barbara has been the managing partner
of the San Francisco Office for four years. She serves the
firm in several other leadership roles where she can carry
this vision forward on a greater scale as a member of the
firm's compensation committee and as part of Constangy's
steering committee for diversity and inclusion initiatives,
launched by Neil Wasser, who chairs the firm's executive
committee.
Progressing With Determination
In a survey a few years ago, one of Constangy's clients said,
"there is a soul to Constangy that is unique and refreshing,
that's not found with other firms." Barbara believes the
company has a culture that is unique among larger firms.
Diversity is certainly at its heart, as they were the first of
the largest 350 firms in the U.S. to have an African
American attorney as a "name on the door" partner in 2015
– Don Prophete. A commitment to "top-down diversity" is
central to its management philosophy.
Constangy is one of the top three firms in the country for
representing women and minorities in its executive
leadership. Over the past five years, nearly two-thirds of its
hires and promotions have been women and or minorities.
The company's San Francisco office is particularly strong–
88% of its attorney hires have been women, minorities,
LGBTQ, or veterans. Constangy also recruits from a wealth
of diverse experiences.
Many of the company's employees come from the world of
"Big Law," but they also recruit from a wider range of
backgrounds: attorneys from smaller firms, in-house
positions, and government agencies. Together, this gives
them greater insights into the "real world"
problems clients face and more
creative ideas on how to help solve
them.
finger on the pulse of legal developments and business
needs.
While their experience is commensurate, their rates are
often more competitive than their counterparts because
Constangy frugally manages its expenses. The team works
closely with its clients to achieve goals without
breaking the bank.
Be the Change You Want to See in
the World
Even though Constangy is relatively
new to the California market, the
three offices across the state have
already gained a reputation for their
bench strength in complex class,
collective, and representative
litigation. Some specific laws in
California, such as the Private
Attorneys General Act (PAGA),
make the state "ground zero" for
these types of costly, timeconsuming
lawsuits. They are very
lucrative for the plaintiff's counsel,
and companies can easily spend
millions of dollars and months
defending them, if not years.
Barbara specializes in these types of
cases and, together with her
colleagues, is one of the most
experienced and knowledgeable
defense teams in the state. They are
constantly thinking about how to
advance new defense strategies and
thoughtfully advising on remedial
measures that help reduce the future
liability, all the while with their
Maintaining High Standards of Work Culture
In law or any
other business
field, of course,
you have to be
good at what
you do, but
ultimately it all
comes down to
building and
nurturing trusted
relationships –
with your
colleagues and
clients alike.
Constangy is a firm that puts a high value on collaboration
and culture. The team looks for talented and diverse
attorneys and lawyers who are simply a good fit. “People
with big egos don't do well here. We work together, and
most importantly, we genuinely like each other! We're
structured in a way that encourages collaboration – our
offices don't compete against each other, and we encourage
cross-office teams that best meet our client's needs. It
allows us to be more responsive, which has been helpful in
fueling our fast growth here in California. It also allows us
to mentor our younger attorneys more effectively – they can
work across offices and get opportunities to take on
interesting, substantive work that helps them develop the
skills they need to succeed."
Another thing that stands out to Barbara is that Constangy
has a culture that values their attorneys and staff as people.
Work-life balance isn't just a buzzword for them. They don't
work their younger lawyers to death, and they recognize
that they all have personal responsibilities that are equally if
not more important than their professional ones. Most of the
attorneys on the team in San Francisco are women, and
Barbara appreciates that they have the flexibility and
support to work remotely and meet the changing needs of
these past two crazy years.
Adjusting to Technological Advancements
"We help companies work proactively to create policies,
monitor compliance, and address day-to-day issues, as well
as defend them when disagreements arise. What a lot of
people don't realize is that this involves a tremendous
amount of data analysis with increasingly sophisticated
tools. You'd be hard-pressed to find a firm that isn't
investing in AI and other analytical tools, and it can get
really pricey," according to Barbara, "One thing we're doing
at Constangy is working directly with software designers to
create in-house tools that decrease our reliance on
expensive outside vendors and offer tailored solutions that
can better meet our clients' needs. And with offices across
the country, we can draw on talented tech talent from
geographic markets where costs are more reasonable."
Staying Ahead of Trends in the Workplace
As a leader of her firm and an advisor to companies of all
sizes, Barbara is committed to assisting in developing and
implementing policies and procedures that foster an
equitable and positive workplace culture. “So many studies
have shown that a positive workplace culture contributes to
financial success; you're more productive, you recruit and
retain better talent, and you reduce litigation costs so you
can put that money into the wallets of your workforce.”
Barbara thinks the world of labor and employment law is
already seeing some big changes that will continue over the
next year or two. Employers are dealing with tremendous
amounts of data; hence, privacy and cybersecurity will be
important issues for all employers. She predicts that the
uptick in union organizing will continue to be important
issues.
Barbara says, "there are some interesting court decisions
coming down the line over the next several months related
to representative action waivers that could mean an
increase in complex multi-plaintiff lawsuits, which can be a
big headache and expense for employers. We regularly hold
practice group meetings to discuss anticipated changes to
the law and finesse our strategies so we can be at the
forefront of developing tactics to address these
developments before they happen."
As they say, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of
cure."
Envisioning an Impeccable Future
It is an increasingly competitive market for law firms, but
Barbara thinks Constangy's talent and experience rival any
of the Big Law players, with the level of collaboration,
personalized service, and deep client relationships of a
boutique firm. She is excited to continue to lead efforts to
grow the firm and deepen its reach.
and create new D&I offerings for clients. The firm has
worked to promote diversity and inclusion in the
communities where they live through charitable donations
and volunteer/pro bono efforts. It's one of her proudest
accomplishments at Constangy, and she is excited to
continue to help grow and expand those efforts.
Barbara states, "In law or any other business field, you have
to be good at what you do, but ultimately it all comes down
to building and nurturing trusted relationships – with your
colleagues and clients alike. I'd also like attorneys who are
not content in their current practice to know that you do not
have to settle for just being a cog in a wheel. You can go
where you can have a voice and be an active part of
building a firm or team that supports your personal and
professional growth.”
Barbara looks forward to continuing to serve on the firm's
steering committee for diversity and inclusion. Together, as
a team, they have worked and will continue to build new
internal programs to promote understanding within the firm,
expand their recruitment and retention of diverse attorneys,
The 10 Most Inspiring Women Leaders to Follow in 2022
June 2022 | 16 | www.insightssuccess.com
June 2022 | 17 | www.insightssuccess.com
June 2022 | 18 | www.insightssuccess.com
The 10 Most Inspiring Women Leaders to Follow in 2022
June 2022 | 20 | www.insightssuccess.com
Elissa Weimer
Training Your Dog to be PAW-SOME
f you are a pet owner, you may understand that the
Ibond between a dog and owner is impeccable. You
might have come across several videos on social media
where a dog is happy, carrying out his shenanigans,
spreading smiles on millions of faces. However, many
efforts go into training these dogs, considered as an
essential part of canine companionship. Elissa Weimer
takes dog training to her heart to deepen the bond between
the owner and the dog to widen their smile.
Elissa is the Owner of Paw & Order Dog Training and is
a Professional Trainer, with numerous certifications to her
name. Through Paw & Order, she offers professional,
balanced, dog training and behavioral problem solving
throughout the Pittsburgh area. Paw & Order recently
expanded its reach to Southwest Florida, Houston, TX, and
Central Ohio through franchising.
different feeling than seeing an agent or police officer at
your door.
I knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur, but I did not know
where to start. I spent a long time figuring out what I was
good at and realized I am good at teaching people. I just
had to decide what I would be excited to teach! I realized
that I love animals and that they had the power of making
people feel good in so many ways. I realized that so many
people have dogs, so I decided to shadow many other dog
trainers and attended a ton of schools to learn as many
techniques as possible to help people ENJOY their dogs. To
this day, I continue to learn and better myself and my team
of trainers to help as many people as possible. We not only
continue our education with behavioral problems, but also
Insights Success caught up with Elissa in our endeavor to
find “The 10 Most Successful Businesswomen to Watch
2022” and talked about how she is instilling pride in dog
owners, as well as making dogs safer in the community as a
whole!
Below are the highlights of the interview:
Brief our audience about your journey as a business
leader until your current position at Paw & Order Dog
Training. What challenges have you had to overcome to
reach where you are today?
I joined the military right out of High School. Being a
Military Policewoman led me to the path I am on now.
During college, I acquired a paid internship with the
Attorney General’s office and later with the Federal Bureau
of Investigations on their Violent Drug and Gang squad in
Philadelphia, PA. After two years of interning there, I
applied for a Special Agent position, but quickly realized
that just was not what I genuinely wanted to do for the rest
of my life. I wanted to help people and wanted people to be
excited when they saw me arrive at their homes—a
June 2022 | 21 | www.insightssuccess.com
“We pride ourselves on solving behavior problems and
teaching good behaviors for the long term, not just for the
moment. We will investigate and solve your dog's behavior
problems.”
with other areas of dog training such as trick training,
Therapy Dog Training, Canine Good Citizen, agility
training, large field socialization classes, and K9 Detection
training (my Belgian Malinois and I won 1st Place
Narcotics at last year’s Police K9 Competition in
Kentucky). We realized how much we have to offer and
how unique our company is that we decided it was time to
franchise in 2019!
Tell us something more about your company and its
mission and vision.
Paw & Order’s mission is to improve the lives of as many
families as we can by providing quality and effective
individualized dog training. Our vision is to continue
spreading Paw & Order nationwide and have an amazing
training program to ensure that the quality of our local
Pittsburgh market is mirrored in every major city in the
United States. We train our trainers to the highest standards
and treat our employees like family. All our trainers are
extremely valuable to us, and we make sure that they are
well taken care of. It builds their loyalty to our brand,
making them want to work even harder to ensure that our
clients are happy and excited to refer us to their family and
friends.
Enlighten us on how you have impacted the training
niche through your expertise in the market.
Our training is unique to each dog and family. We have also
made training simple and effective for families and dogs. So
often, we hear that “my dog will only listen if I am holding
treats or the leash/some other piece of training equipment.”
Or a client will say that their dog knows all basic
commands (sit, down, come, stay) but will not do it when
there are other distractions around or the environment does
not look the same every time for the dog.
Dogs do not generalize things well and need hundreds of
repetitions in as many situations as possible to reliably
understand what you are asking them to do. We have
mastered our communication with dogs and their owners to
train SIMPLE. We have found that overloading our clients
with a bunch of training jargon that means nothing to them
is not helpful. Dog owners want their dog to be a good
family dog they can trust and be proud of! They are not
competing in shows with their dog where they need to learn
fancy tricks and unrealistic positions to their family
situation (there is nothing wrong with competitions, but
most pet owners do not care about that). Most people do not
have perfect timing when it comes to communicating with
their dog, so we use methods that allow a delay between
rewards and consequences once their behavior, like/dislike,
has been identified. This helps tremendously so that their
dog will listen even if their owner does not have food or a
leash in their hand.
We pride ourselves on solving behavior problems and
teaching good behaviors for the long term, not just for the
moment. Our clients have lifetime access to our trainers and
they have access to a free private adventure group after
their training is complete to make sure that they continue to
be successful. It introduces them to an amazing community
of other dogs and owners to experience fun things with. At
least once a week, we meet up at trails, parks, stores, lakes,
bars, etc., and go hiking, camping, kayaking, or just enjoy a
nice day outside with our dogs and a drink! We want people
to experience how life-changing our dog training programs
are. Once your dog is well trained, your world becomes
more fulfilling and exciting!
Where do you envision yourself to be in the long run,
and what are your future Paw & Order Dog Training
goals?
We recently started opening new locations nationwide and
want to continue doing so. We strive for the QUALITY of
our trainers instead of quantity. Paw & Order is my “baby,”
and we will only expand with individuals that match our
integrity and motivation to work hard, be proud of what
they are doing, and continue to improve the quality of the
business.
June 2022 | 22 | www.insightssuccess.com
June 2022 | 23 | www.insightssuccess.com
Elissa Weimer
Owner &
Professional Trainer
Paw & Order
Dog Training
JAIMINE JOHNSON
Director, Commercial Operations,
Leasing and Sales Realtor
DRK and Company Realty
June 2022 | 24 | www.insightssuccess.com
The 10 Most Inspiring Women Leaders to Follow in 2022
J aim ine
ohnson
n the world of real estate, sincerity and integrity are the
Imorals that are as valuable as the land itself.
Engraining these morals within herself, Jaimine
Johnson has walked a long road to become the Director of
Commercial Operations, Leasing, and Sales Realtor at
DRK and Company Realty.
Jaimine's proven strategies have shifted tides in the niche,
gaining her recognition as one of the most successful
businesswomen. With assets above $225 million in the
DRK portfolio, she has a proven record of success in
developing strategies that drive revenue and increase
overall business profitability.
Insights Success caught up with Jaimine and talked about
her journey, challenges, and future goals.
Below are the highlights of the interview:
Brief our audience about your journey as a business
leader until your current position at DRK. What
challenges you have to overcome to reach where you are
today?
As Director of Commercial Operations, Leasing, and Sales
for DRK, I have developed and implemented long-term
strategies for the commercial asset division in the
investment management of office, industrial/flex, medical,
retail properties.
I previously worked at DRK from 2007 to 2015, and I
brought a wealth of real estate experience to the company. I
have overseen transactions involving the asset management,
sales, leasing, and marketing of commercial properties
while executing initiatives to promote and support company
growth, global planning, new business start-ups, and
company branding. At DRK, I consistently maintained a
96% tenant occupancy rate while increasing outside listings
by 83%.
operations in providing consultative services for healthcare
systems and service providers both in Ohio and on a
national platform. I also served as senior vice president of
commercial real estate at Huntington National Bank. I
developed strategies to enhance the real estate portfolio
comprised of $10 billion in office, retail, and land out parcel
properties.
The greatest challenge, certainly when I joined commercial
real estate, was that there were not many women in the
industry who did what I was tasked to do. I remember
sitting in meetings, and I was one woman to over 80 men in
the room. I certainly did not see it as a challenge but rather
an opportunity to pave the way for diversification. I will
admit that Columbus was very welcoming. I have had the
distinct honor of working with some outstanding leaders in
this city.
Tell us something more about DRK, its mission, and
vision
Donald R. Kenney & Company Realty has 50 years of
experience in Columbus, Ohio, in land acquisition, land
development, property management, and the sale and lease
of all types of commercial property, including professional
and medical office buildings, warehouse distribution, and
retail.
Enlighten us on how DRK has made an impact in the
Land niche through your expertise in the market.
DRK is a locally owned and operated company. That proves
most helpful when understanding exactly what your
community needs. Being in the business for 50+ years in all
municipalities surrounding Central Ohio has helped DRK
solidify many useful relationships to determine where the
next piece of property is purchased.
My real estate expertise in Columbus includes working as
First Vice President of Colliers Healthcare Real Estate
Group. There, I directed the real estate strategy and
June 2022 | 25 | www.insightssuccess.com
Land development signifies growth in a community. DRK
takes pride in finding great sites that can prosper not only
with commercial and residential construction but also many
benefits to surrounding retail, schools, tourism, creating
new community infrastructure, etc.
Undeniably, technology is playing a significant role in
almost every sector. How are you leveraging
technological advancements to make your solutions
resourceful?
For better or worse, technology has changed how most
business is transacted. Undoubtedly, real estate has
benefited from improved efficiencies such as virtual touring,
e signing, and online listings sources.
Lastly, allowing meetings to take place online versus inperson
helped us navigate and continue to do business
safely and effectively during a pandemic, one of the most
difficult times our nation has ever faced.
If given a chance, what change would you like to bring
in the Asset Management industry?
Optimization, efficiency, and lastly, improve the
understanding of asset management and how it proves to
play a critically important role in proper NOI. Assuring all
Property Managers are licensed, agents.
clients' staff in our buildings while providing a safe
environment that allows the employees to work have proper
innovation, social, transportation, and telecommunications
systems.
Where do you envision yourself to be in the end and
what are your future goals for DRK?
I have certainly found what I enjoy doing. They say," Do
what you love, and you'll never work another day in your
life" We are a Niche brokerage; we enjoy specializing, we
study our market. I feel we belong in the space we are
currently operating in, landlords with square feet from 0-
120,000 SF.
Maintaining our goals will be key. Strong goals for our
team will be to reconfigure our current real estate to
maintain the need in the space and continue relationship
building: strong occupancy and an even strong NOI to our
investors.
What would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs
who aspire to venture into the Leasing/Sales sector?
Know your worth, be strong with knowledge and continue
to educate yourself. Always be willing to learn. Lastly, pick
up the phone and see people in person. It is much easier to
do a transaction with a friend than with a stranger.
What, according to you, could be the next big change in
the Commercial Real Estate industry? How is DRK
preparing to be a part of that change?
We will continue to focus on the need for work- flexibility,
dining, shopping, health activities, and the support of our
clients. We are under the strong belief that we need to be
affordable and close to many amenities that support our
June 2022 | 26 | www.insightssuccess.com
Jillian Weston
Owner/Founder
Jillian's Circus
The 10 Most Inspiring Women Leaders to Follow in 2022
Jillian Weston
An Astute Digital Marketer Leading with Relatability and Empathy
he effectiveness of the leaders is mainly figured out
Tby their ability to cooperatively work with their
team and lead that team effectively to deliver great
results. Learning how to teach and motivate people who
have different values, goals, and motivations than you do, is
tough. Leaders need to deal with a variety of people in the
team. They need to have good soft skills to relate with all
the people in the team. They need to empathize with people
and bring out the best in them to drive organizational
success.
Leaders who relate to the people in their team deliver
remarkable results for the organizations as well as their
clients. One such leader who has cultivated the art of
relating to the people is Jillian Weston. Understanding
people and becoming more empathetic has made her a
better leader. She is the Owner/Founder of Jillian's
Circus. The company’s finely-honed balancing act
identifies its clients’ goals and achieves them utilizing a
wide array of online marketing tools.
Inspiring Employees to Meet Needs of the Clients
Jillian believes that as the owner of a digital marketing
agency, it is important to create a strong foundation with the
right pricing and service offering, hire motivated people
with positive attitudes and natural skills, teach them how to
do their specific job, and finally continue to teach, check-in
and motivate each person in her company. On-going
encouragement and education keep her employees current
with their clients’ needs.
Being Competitive by Maintaining Solid Online
Presence
Talking about the significance of digital marketing, Jillian
mentions that it is impossible to reach your company’s full
potential without digital marketing. The return on
investment is insane. Digital marketing saves an incredible
amount of time and money because the internet provides a
place for people to do business anywhere in the world at
any time without the expense of an office, staff, etc.
For example, a boutique might spend $10,000 on their
online website, but that isn’t even close to what they would
spend on rent, utilities, and staffing in just one year at a
brick and motor location. And their website will last at least
3-5 years.
Another example she gives is of coaching. A coach can put
their lessons online as videos or host them virtually,
allowing more people to view/ attend each lesson and
raising the amount of money they could earn. Scheduling
individual appointments or having a physical classroom
limits both your time and the number of people who attend
each lesson.
Jillian states, “Even if you cannot sell your products/
services online, it must be said that maintaining a solid
online presence is still relevant. The presence alone
increases your opportunity to gain new business, increases
customer loyalty, repeat business, and referrals; and allows
you to stay competitive. Few business owners achieve
success without a digital marketing strategy.”
Being Adaptable in Unprecedented Times
Everyone can agree that the Spring of 2020 was a difficult
time for everyone due to the pandemic. However, it forced
many businesses to realize that their business needs to adapt
to this digital era. Jillian opines that if entrepreneurs did not
know before, the pandemic showed them that they needed
to energetically sell their goods and services online.
In any disaster, some industries suffer, and others benefit.
Jillian’s Circus adapted by having employees work from
home/ remotely and working with current and new clients
on getting their business online as quickly as possible.
Jillian states, “That’s all part of business- sometimes you’re
up and sometimes you’re down and must find a way to
adapt.”
June 2022 | 29 | www.insightssuccess.com
“Jilliano’s¨ Cir cu¾s¨ is¨ a
fu¾ll-s¨er vÖice oznolinoe mar ketinog
agenocyÝ that r egu¾lar lyÝ
makes¨ magic happeno fozr clienots¨.”
Celebrating Success of Each Other
When it comes to driving an organization’s success,
maintaining a positive work culture is essential. Jillian’s
Circus strives for a positive work environment. Its training
manual goes beyond basic skills/rules. It stresses interoffice
relationships and collaborative strategies by
encouraging a non-competitive environment, offering ongoing
training/team meetings, and hosting several parties
every year for all employees and clients. Jillian’s Circus
celebrates one another’s successes and provides incentives
to reward excellence.
Besides, Jillian expresses, “If there is even one negative
Ned/Nancy in your office- get them out!!! Like right nowstop
reading and fire them. If you’re the person who is
negative, then you need to stop because it’s killing your
business.”
One Desired Change
If given a chance, one change that Jillian would bring in the
way brands and people connect is to remove people's
skepticism when it comes to sales. She states, “Every
business is in business because it fills a need. If there is
something you need or want, and you hear about someone
who has or can do it, then book a meeting with them to see
if what they offer makes sense. If it does, move forward. If it
doesn’t, let them know and thank them for their time.”
Creating Strong Base and Building on That
Jillian advises aspiring businesswomen to start by creating a
strong base. She instructs, “Think about your client’s
journey from hearing about your business to working with
you for 10 years. Think about what they will see, what they
will hear, what they will receive, etc. when they interact
with your business and employees. Will they see a
professional website? When they call how does someone
answer? What does follow-up look like? If they walk into
your office, is it comfortable? Then create a consistent,
professional, branded flow every customer will
experience.”
Creating Authority in Digital Marketing Space and
Growing Like a Wildfire
Over the next 5 years, Jillian’s vision is to establish Jillian’s
Circus as an authority in the digital marketing space, work
on digital advocacy, and grow like wildfire.
June 2022 | 30 | www.insightssuccess.com
Door to Success
Leaders
that We Need
Today
June 2022 | 32 | www.insightssuccess.com
Life is a struggle that revolves around personal
and professional challenges. And, when you
are struggling, seeking advice from genuine
friends always helps you. But instead of following
people and their advice, create your own opportunities
that help you find your own path. Because fate is by
far the greatest mystery of all, and you can never
know where it will take you. But the real question is
there an alternative to all of this? While everyone
speaks about these complicated things, let’s discuss
the solution through this article.
Our lives are connected to technology and social
media, as they play a key role in today’s modern
world. As business leaders, we have to accept the fact
that the vision to bring change in the lives of the
people and transform the world is possible with
technology. But, promoting compassion and wellbeing
among the people is also equally important.
Understandably, everyone wants to create their
identity and influence the world. But developing
leaders just for the sake of business output and profits
will degrade the quality of the leadership. And, we
don’t want such leaders, especially in tough times like
today.
We want leaders who can get the best out of their
team, which is possible only without the fear of
judgment. It is a great way to lead, discuss, guide, and
help each other in crucial times. A ray of hope is all
people need, and leaders can bring that hope through
these sources. For example, if any employee knows
that he/she does not have to face the issues alone and
there is someone to talk about it, it gives hope to that
person.
Yes, that’s the alternative for a leader – to connect - to
help those who feel down and try to bring the best out
of them. That’s what the leader should be recognized
for, and this is the shift leaders need to bring currently.
As an organization and as people, we should develop
compassion and ethics that reflect our outlook on the
world.
and well-being among the people. Now that we have
got the alternative solution for the leaders. The next
question is, how do you recognize that you need help?
Most of us today are too busy making a living. We
exist only within our daily routine, as we are
preoccupied with massive responsibilities in many
aspects of our lives, like academic, financial, career,
household chores, etc. And due to this, it becomes too
late to realize that you are already struggling –
emotionally and mentally. We no longer listen to our
body & mind, and finally, we do not appreciate our
actual/real life.
There appears an absence of self-care. Taking care of
yourself can be overlooked against all the professional
pressures of our life. But it is important to take time to
care about your physical, emotional, spiritual, and
mental health.
Before you extend your compassion and authentic
care for people, you must first practice self-care.
Why? Because you can never give what you do not
have.
Below are things that can help you in practicing selfcare:
Ÿ Start your day doing things you love the most and
boost your mood.
Ÿ Be grateful for things you have, no matter how
small or big it might be.
Ÿ Have sufficient sleep, healthy food, and exercise
regularly
Ÿ Do activities and interactions add value to your life
There are much more things that you can discover
yourself to practice self-care. After following all the
things, you will appreciate your life, even more,
resulting in a healthy work-life balance. With peace of
mind, you will achieve your life goals. You will know
yourself better – see a better version of yourself and
attract positivity in your life.
It is only with this approach we can make it possible
to sustain and impact lives for longer, creating a better
world for all. This is a much-needed alternative in
today’s pandemic situation – promoting compassion
June 2022 | 33 | www.insightssuccess.com
Karen
Simon
Determined to
Make the Most
Karen Simon
President & Managing Partner
(Tarrant County Division)
Emersons Commercial
Real Estate
The 10 Most Inspiring Women Leaders to Follow in 2022
rom facing challenges and rising to the occasion to
Fdent the universe with her sheer will, Karen Simon
has come a long way to become the President and
Managing Partner at Emersons Commercial Real Estate
Tarrant County Division. Today, Karen is admired
throughout the real-estate niche for her fantastic leadership
skills to help her clients, employees, and agents grow in
their profession and succeed in their business.
Let us dive deep into Karen's determined journey.
Climbing Up the Ladder
From the beginning of her professional journey in 1983
until the early 2000s, Karen's significant challenge to
overcome was striving as a woman in a primarily maledominated
industry. She was amongst the few women in
that period that operated in industrial real-estate; however,
she found clients that were open-minded to deal
professionally with women as long as they were informed
and worked hard. Although, fellow male brokers were
slower to welcome women.
When Karen was in charge of Public Relations and
Intergovernmental Relations for five states at the
Department of Housing and Urban Development, she
learned how to obtain her broker's license, never having had
a sales license. The department did not allow its employees
to hold a salesman's license because it could create a
potential conflict of interest.
Fortunately, a new regulation opened for one year allowed
those qualified to be brokers to bypass a salesman's license
and sit for the brokers' exam. Karen applied and learned
that she lacked nine classroom hours or three semester
hours out of 60 to qualify for the exam. Being a challenge,
Karen could not resist and took a two-week leave, took nine
classroom hours, and attended the exam. She passed and
earned her broker's license, which she could hold alone and
meet the legal criteria.
Armed with a new tool, Karen set about her business as if
nothing had changed until at a Christmas party; she met the
head of industrial real estate for Henry S. Miller, then the
largest real estate company in the state of Texas. She shares,
"After the usual chit-chat, he asked me by chance did I hold
a real estate license? I said proudly, "Yes, I do!" and he
offered me a job that was hard to resist.”
Henry S. Miller wanted to open an industrial real estate
division in their Tarrant County office and hire their first
June 2022 | 35 | www.insightssuccess.com
woman as a head of a department. After six months of
discussion and negotiation, there were no female industrial
realtors in Tarrant or Dallas County in 1982. Karen began a
bold new road in her life as the first female industrial realtor
and the first female head of a division within the largest real
estate company in the state. She asserts, "I remained with
Henry, later to be Grubb and Ellis, for six years and then
began a wild ride in the real estate business as the market
took a downturn and the federal government became the
largest real estate owner in the country.”
The Next Chapter
From 1990 to 1993, Karen was a partner and significant
shareholder in the R.E. Group Advisors Inc. DBA the Real
Estate Group. It was a woman and minority-owned
company, where she enjoyed the benefits and opportunities
allowed to this small group in administrating and or
marketing for the government.
As the real estate market began to shift, Karen left the Real
Estate Group, joining a regional-sized retail leasing and
sales development organization called the Woodmont
Company as the head of their newly formed industrial and
land division. She spent six years with them, helping them
with the industrial needs of their retail clients, and
managing site development.
In 2003, Karen was recruited to start a Tarrant County office
for the Bradford Company and spent the next 12 years
making them a successful venture in Tarrant County.
Sharing her experience, she says, "Alas, no opportunity
there for ownership was going to come my way, and so my
adventurous soul moved me on. In 2014, I founded the TIG
company in Tarrant County, also an industrial and office
brokerage and management company.”
When the stars aligned in 2016, Karen met the partners of
Emersons Commercial Real Estate and decided that she was
finally at home. Richard Webb, a former banker, and Matt
Price, a CPA, decided they wanted a Tarrant County office
and knew they wanted a partnership, not an employee-run
office. Karen mentions, "We agreed that we had made a
marriage worth keeping. In 2016 we formed the Fort Worth
office of Emersons Commercial Real Estate. Richard and
Matt had founded Emersons in 2004, and by 2016 they had
a successful brokerage company and a rapidly growing
management company managing over 7 million square feet
in Texas.”
manage all of Kroger's real estate nationwide. They opened
multiple offices across the country with a mission to be the
best real estate company possible and to handle their client's
needs as close to perfection as possible, having growth and
strength as the objective.
A Team Player
Sharing her thoughts on technology, Karen says, "I am a bit
slow on technological advances but have surrounded myself
with techy people who help me see over the horizon. I want
to help agents see that doing their best for their clients will
ultimately help them the most if given a chance. Courtesy,
study, and a strong work effort will benefit my fellow agents
in achieving their future success.”
To the Roots
Ultimately, Karen sees herself returning more to a teaching
role as she initially spent four years teaching in a
community college and enjoying mentoring others to push
towards their excellence.
Karen would like to see Emersons reach its full emergence
as an ethical and successful real estate firm with a solid and
loyal clientele.
Mentoring Next Generation
Karen advises aspiring entrepreneurs to put their clients'
needs foremost in their efforts."A good reputation and
success record will be their reward," Karen concludes.
By 2019, Emersons had formed with a Saint Louis-based
partner, Priority Properties, a partnership called 1045 to
June 2022 | 37 | www.insightssuccess.com
Kathleen Waid,
CRO | Prove
June 2022 | 38 | www.insightssuccess.com
The 10 Most Inspiring Women Leaders to Follow in 2022
Technological developments have made things
speedy and easy for online payments. Along
with these conveniences followed the threats
of online fraud too. To control and prevent all
kinds of frauds in the online payment domain,
business leaders are initiating newer solutions in better
customer authentication and verification to maintain the
safety and reliability of the transactions.
Kathleen Waid, the Chief Revenue Officer at Prove,
analyzed the market need for better payment security
systems that customize the authentication process, apply
innovative technologies from a new perspective, and deliver
a quick result solution to the customers. She is keen on
providing new and specific solutions that secure the
transaction with complex integrated processes, thereby
preventing all the threats of cyber-attacks or frauds. The
technical team from Prove is focused on the research
process of renewing their solutions to meet the everchanging
needs of the modern market.
Where did it all begin?
Kathleen began her career in a fraud prevention department
for a notable top ten credit card issuer, where she built a
team to detect and prevent fraud, allowing her to become an
industry expert in the field. The issuing bank she was
working for needed a more efficient solution than just
simple methods and rules to identify fraud— so they
eventually turned to a machine learning, neural network
solution offered by HNC Software in the '90s.
While their PhD-level scientist built amazing fraud
prevention models to prevent credit card fraud (now a FICO
product named Falcon), they had no idea how to help banks
operationalize it. Kathleen joined HNC Software, a SaaSbased
software company, in sales as an operational expert to
help solve customer problems. This highly actionable
opportunity allowed her to make a meaningful change in
customer experience. That led to her fast-track career in
Sales and then Sales Management. Looking back, it gave
Kathleen a holistic business approach to selling — that
sitting in the customer's shoes remains the best place for
gaining perspective on how to solve their problems, not
selling your software. Her experience in sales leadership at
a series of successful SaaS AI-based startup companies led
to her current role as Chief Revenue Officer at Prove.
Protecting YOU
Prove's mission is to be the global standard for trusted
digital identity.
Kathleen mentions that the world is moving to a mobilefirst
economy; businesses need to modernize how they
acquire, engage with and enable consumers. Prove's phonecentric
identity tokenization and passive cryptographic
authentication solutions reduce friction, enhance security
and privacy across all digital channels, and accelerate
revenues while reducing operating expenses and fraud
losses. Over 1,000 enterprise customers use Prove's
platform to process 20 billion customer requests annually
across industries, including banking, lending, healthcare,
gaming, crypto, e-commerce, marketplaces, and payments.
Prove is the
modern way for
businesses to
enable their
customers to prove
their identities with
just a phone
June 2022 | 39 | www.insightssuccess.com
Right Place, Right Time
Kathleen states that Prove's solutions deliver the broadest
and most accurate identity information that impacts both the
consumer and the business.
1. Prove reduces consumer frustration and friction when
interacting digitally (as simple as opening a new
account online)
2. Prove saves consumers, and a broader market, from
becoming victims of fraud.
Kathleen pointed out that achieving these two things
together is a complicated problem to solve. As a consumer,
one can relate to the digital identity verification and
authentication process it is subject to. When asked for
personally identifiable information (PII), or to "find the stop
signs" in a grid, or receive a one-time passcode (OTP) as a
text we enter, or input those "wavy words" to verify you are
not a bot. These actions ensure its primary identity through
multiple verifications, and unfortunately, doing it in a
friction-filled way for the consumer. The bad actors can
break these methods and still get away with fraud. Kathleen
supported that Prove's solutions have passive identity
verification and authentication, eliminating the need for
these friction-filled actions and reducing fraud.
Leveraging Technology
Kathleen adds that leveraging the largest and most accurate
network of reusable credentials, Prove enables consumer
experiences that are both secure and frictionless while
redefining business identity processes as revenue drivers
instead of cost centers. With technology advancements such
as 5G and the metaverse, the market for Prove's phonecentric
identity technology will only continue to grow, all
while increasing the need for a secure identity that is also
seamless. With over 90% of users opting in, no other
company enables businesses to authenticate their customers
easily and securely through something as simple and
accessible as their mobile phones.
June 2022 | 40 | www.insightssuccess.com
She described further about companies spending more and
more on fraud prevention; losses continue to rise, as do
customer abandonment rates during onboarding.
97% of customers say a smooth, easy experience is
important when choosing a service provider. Source
47% of banking customers who began applications on
mobile did not complete them, citing "poor UX and
confusing fraud processes" as the reason: Source
Between 2019 and 2020, almost half (47%) of U.S.
consumers surveyed experienced identity theft: Source
The total amount of money lost to identity theft in the
United States annually is comparable to the GDP of Turkey:
Between 2019 and 2020, identity theft losses jumped by
42% to a total of $712.4 billion. Source
Kathleen states that the revenue generation from consumers
will continue to rely heavily on the best consumer
experiences that also protect organizations from fraud, and
Prove is well-positioned to be the global standard for
trusted digital identity.
What Lies Ahead?
Kathleen envisions increasing her career satisfaction by
addressing the problems head-on and collaborating with
different people. She hopes to continue mentoring and
learning from her team, a truly meaningful point in her
career.
Kathleen quipped that the future goal of Prove is a standard
for trusted and reusable global identity. The markets they
address are in industry verticals where fraud thrives because
faster payments live. She mentioned that the company
would expand beyond our key markets in Banks, Fintechs,
Cryptocurrency, Global Payments, Healthcare and further
penetrate their emerging markets in Gambling, Gaming,
Public Sector, Insurance. It expects to achieve through bestin-class
solutions supported by our Solutions Delivery and
Customer Success teams.
"Be open to a different career path or plan then you
originally laid out for yourself; what your trusted mentor
sees in you may lead you to greater success. Learning how
to listen actively is key. Listening and emotional
intelligence are ridiculously underrated skills. I'm not
always the smartest person in the room, but my success has
always come from my ability to listen, read the room, and
react accordingly," Kathleen concludes.
Word of Advice
Kathleen's favorite, Emerson, quotes his definition of
success, which includes the line "to earn the appreciation of
an honest critic."
"I love to see folks early in their careers flourish. Those
professionals who truly accept constructive criticism and
value earned praise will excel. Be hungry to ask "what can
I improve upon" to someone who has earned your respect."
June 2022 | 41 | www.insightssuccess.com
The 10 Most Inspiring Women Leaders to Follow, 2022
Lisa
ee
Using Artificial Intelligence to
Improve Human Experience
Artificial Intelligence was created to improve the
quality of technological developments. However, it
is not meant to replace humans but assist them in
creating a better environment, elevating the human
experience by solving technical problems smarter and
faster. Spreading this philosophy is, Lisa Thee, the Data
For Good Sector Leader at Launch Consulting, is
making AI a human-friendly experience so that people lead
a better life.
Launch Consulting navigates world-class organizations
through digital transformation. Lisa leads the team by
helping people harness data, implement the tech they need
in a digital-first world, and enhance the human experience.
The company is crafting connected, personalized apex
experiences so business leaders by are guided through all
stages of transformation.
The Launch to Sky
Before leading Launch Consulting's Data for Good sector,
Lisa had a long and learning-filled career working on
different tangents. She started her corporate career in
Hybrid Cloud Group and retired 18 years later as the
Director of Revenue at Intel. She co-founded her software
start-up, Minor Guard which applies AI innovation from the
healthcare sector to improve child safety online and in real
life. The company's technology roadmap has been
implemented in the iPhone 12 and Chromebooks from
Lenovo.
About her journey leading to Launch Consulting, she
shares, "To go from employee to entrepreneur was a steep
learning curve, especially in an emerging technology field.
As a female founder of a social justice-focused tech
company in my forties—that adds up to many challenges! I
now recognize that experience as the best "street" MBA I
could have earned anywhere. However, my first year of
business ownership was a deluge of learning how to run a
Board of Directors, incorporate a company, and ultimately
exit into a larger player in the market."
Lisa provides global technology and healthcare companies
with consulting, software development, and change
management solutions for computing and digital safety.
Lisa loves working with influential leaders to innovate new
ways to de-risk their platforms and improve their customers'
experiences. Her mission is to help the companies do things
they have never done before.
Quit your
day job,
blow up your
career, and
redesign
your life
June 2022 | 42 | www.insightssuccess.com
Lisa Thee
Lead - Data for Good Practice
Launch Consulting
Navigators in the Age of Transformation
Launch Consulting provides services in five main work
areas: government, healthcare, consumer solutions, high
tech, and energy. It is helping various companies map their
route to the top in these fields. The processes include
everything from developing the back office to executing it
on digital platforms.
Launch provides the right researchers, change management
processes, designers, and engineers to focus on asking the
right questions and building the right solutions. She
explains, "AI opens amazing pathways, but it's a tool, not a
solution. Machines are not innovators, explorers,
investigators. We have to start with the human experience;
what is the business problem we've trying to solve? How
will this make life better for the people who work with us?
There's a massive market for talented people who care
about the journey and understand that working in tech
doesn't mean imposing solutions upon our clients but
moving alongside them—creating a frictionless experience
so that the team wants to embrace the transformation."
Lisa, along with her team, is working alongside the world's
leading companies to leverage AI for what the machines do
best—math, pattern recognition, processing large volumes
June 2022 | 43 | www.insightssuccess.com
of data—so that the humans can do what they do
best—intuition, empathy, and creativity. That combination
allows her to find pearls of wisdom in oceans of data, pearls
that can disrupt human trafficking, reduce bias in
healthcare, or curb wildfires. She believes it's the kind of
thing that makes legacies for leaders.
Innovative Work, Innovative People
AI will disrupt and personalize industries that haven't fully
invested in the possibilities yet. Launch is ready to be a part
of that change in industries like healthcare, government,
and sustainability. These industries sound completely
unrelated but are similar in touching each person's life.
Launch calibrates a positive approach to leverage digital
transformation to bring the right information to experts at
the right time. It uses AI to benefit its clients and
systemically show them the growth opportunities.
Speaking about the changes she would like, Lisa says,
"Most leaders don't purposely build a product with
vulnerabilities that bad actors can exploit, but we're all
aware of the terrible content out there on the internet.
Because of that, I'd love to see safety by design adopted as
an industry standard for all companies that host third-party
content. I think the managed services industry is uniquely
positioned to help global technology companies address
trust and safety issues like disinformation, hate speech,
child sexual abuse material, and live-streamed terrorism."
Lisa understands that a managed services company can help
leaders, who so often are drowning in the tyranny of the
urgent, to address the daily needs of the business while
moving forward a more strategic, coordinated approach to
ethics, safety, and secure development in the Metaverse age.
She further enthusiastically states, "Part of my long-term
plan is keynote speaking on "embracing AI for digital
transformation." I'm hoping marginalized groups will see
themselves in my story and find a way to create their own
leadership career paths. After all, nothing about my
upbringing should have gotten me here. I grew up in the
Midwest, not in Silicon Valley. I'm not an early adopter. I
had to look up what a semiconductor was when I moved to
California. I didn't get an email address until after college.
I launched my first company in my forties. If I can do it,
anyone can."
She believes that if anyone is interested in data and is
curious about leadership and the will to learn, they can be
an entrepreneur. Lisa concludes with a piece of guidance,
"If you're the type who likes to learn before you leap, fellow
AI company founder Emily Kennedy and I have partnered
with Women in Data to deliver our course the
Entrepreneurship Tool Kit, to help more people Find your
passion and learn effective tools and strategies to launch
your business. Find more information on this course or
booking Lisa as a keynote speaker at www.lisathee.com.”
Lisa’s book “The 90 Day Career Cleanse” is set to publish
in 2023. You can also check out the Navigating Forward
podcast where Lisa Thee investigates the challenges of
being at a crossroads (societal, business, & personal) and
finding the opportunities that arise out of disruption. Listen
in on Lisa's future-forward conversations with the brightest
luminaries, movers, and shakers. She digs into topics such
as elevating the human experience, evolution of business,
workforce of the future, and fascinating technologies
powering the age of digital transformation. Let’s Navigate
Forward together and create what’s next!
Future Missions and Aspirations
Lisa's long-term goal is to help bring in more women to the
data-science field. She has started the process through
consulting, coaching, and mentorship. She partners with the
non for profit Women in Data to help big companies assess
how to get more women into data science roles and ensure
representation across the board. Digital transformation must
include diverse voices, business owners, and viewpoints on
the future of work and product development. Lisa has
formulated a plan so that the company is data-driven, hiring
the best people from around the world, and delivering
excellence and tech solutions.
June 2022 | 44 | www.insightssuccess.com
Unlocking the POTENTIAL
WOMEN for WELFARE
of the WORLD
of
June 2022 | 46 | www.insightssuccess.com
Womanhood
There is a tremendous amount of potential in every
living entity. Untapped potential should be trapped
for the welfare of the world. Where women are
empowered that place flourishes in abundance. Empowered
women leads to the prosperity of families, societies, nations
and the world. Deep down, every person likes to live with
dignity by contributing something to the world according to
one’s capabilities and potential. Therefore, that potential
should be nurtured in everyone and especially in the girls
and women. Nothing can dim the light in every person that
shines from within. All girls and women has to do is to be
aware of their own inner potential and they can contribute
to any field of their choice.
The world is currently going through the unprecedented
times due to the ongoing pandemic. This is certainly
challenging time for many people but some exceptional
women leaders see the positive opportunity even in such
unprecedented time and actually that is the hallmark of
good women leadership. Exceptional women leaders are
always aware and they understand that the unprecedented
times always call for unprecedented actions, innovative,
thoughtful, and win-win solutions. The world may be filled
with lot of negativity due to inevitable challenges and
causes, but exceptional women leaders call upon their inner
light and they use such unprecedented time to develop and
nourish their skillsets so that they can be an instrument of
positive contribution to the world in the coming times. Now
more than ever, women and girls need to call on their inner
light to utilize the toughest times to tune into their
conscience, learn new things by using virtual platforms and
make themselves competent.
In the difficult times of pandemic it is essential for women
leaders to be detached from the negativity around
themselves. Unless and until one is detached from the
negativity, it is very difficult to focus on the positive and to
make the most out of that positive. Exceptional women
leaders prefer to be courageous to confront issues more
diligently and deal with people with empathy and due
consideration. Exceptional women leaders choose to think
deliberately and act on the conclusion of logical, rational,
analytical, systematic, and cognitive-intensive thought
process. That is really the most important part of
exceptional women leadership. Leaders are supposed to
think deliberately and act on the basis of logical conclusion
for delivering the efficient results.
Educating and empowering a girl child creates a ripple
effect and it creates a positive influence in the community.
Empowered women invest time and energy in creating the
stronger next generations. The future leaders of tomorrow
can be more talented, dynamic, and competent to deliver
maximum contribution for the welfare of the world if they
are raised by the empowered women. Empowering women
is beneficial in so many ways and their contribution play a
very important role in creating the genuinely exemplary
future leaders.
Gender equality is beneficial for the whole world.
Promoting gender equality is not just responsibility of
women leaders or women issue but it is a societal issue and
everyone should support in promoting the purpose of
gender equality. United nations is again and again
promoting the empowerment of women. That’s very crucial.
The greater number of women in every field is a sign of
growth and evolved culture. The empowered women are
boon to the world. That is the reason ‘Gender Equality’ is
one of the most important sustainable development goals.
Empowering women is essential for the sustainable
development of the world. Empowered women become
great asset for businesses, families, societies, communities,
nations, and that is ultimately beneficial for whole world.
There are plenty of fields where women have opportunities
and they can contribute immensely. The world is in
desperate need of genuinely exemplary women leaders to
make a difference through businesses, science, research,
technology etc. Women can become the leaders in the field
of businesses, science, research, technology and in any
choice of their field if they are willing to be bold and
courageous enough to pursue their career in such fields
relentlessly. They have the potential to make a difference in
the choice of field they go and therefore women should not
shy away from utilizing their best capabilities and they
should deny the world of their valuable contribution.
Empowered women are the secret weapon of creating a
positive change in the society and the world at large.
Empowering and enhancing women and investing in them
unlocks a tremendous potential for the world. Empowered
women are the most important weapon and resource in the
fight against the global poverty. The untapped resource of
women has the tremendous potential and that should be
recognized by the people in the world especially by the
people who have the opportunity to create awareness
related to this.
The empowered women have the potential to significantly
improve livelihoods, productivity, economic outputs, and
the overall human life itself. The basic longing to live with
dignity, the fundamental desire to have control of one’s
lives and one’s future and to be part of determining the
course of our communities and our nations are very much
universal in the empowered women. These longings burn in
the women and girls, and with these longings they can be a
great dynamic force in the world to be an agent of change
and make a significant contribution for the welfare of the
world with their talents, skills, and abilities and that will
lead to the ultimate welfare of the world.
June 2022 | 47 | www.insightssuccess.com
Sherry Blinkhorn
Broker/Owner
Blinkhorn Real Estate Ltd
The 10 Most Inspiring Women Leaders to Follow in 2022
Sherry
Blinkhorn
An Accomplished Real Estate Broker and
a Passionate Advocate for the Mentally Ill
t is easy to say be the change you want, but it is quite
Idifficult to really understand the struggle one goes
through to change oneself. We hear stories about
people who have achieved success and paved their way to
the top of their field, but that is just the tip of the iceberg.
Numerous factors drive one to make desired changes to be
the change they want.
In our search to find such a persona, driven to adapt to
change, we came across Sherry Blinkhorn, who perfectly
fits the definition of 'be the change you want.' Currently,
Sherry passionately leads her venture, Blinkhorn Real
Estate Ltd., with her dedication to being the best of the
best.
The Thorns and The Roses
Sherry's journey hasn’t been an easy one. She came up
through the foster care system and went through many
challenges in her life, but she made some conscious
decisions that would change her life for the good after her
children were born.
Sherry began her professional journey as a commercial and
residential property manager in her initial years then in
1998 she pursued getting her salesperson’s license. She
began to achieve one milestone after the other by utilizing
her extensive knowledge and experience to accumulate
record-breaking sales. It resulted in her receiving national
recognition in 2002 and 2003 and in 2004 she received the
'Platinum Award' for her sales achievement, placing her in
the top 5% in Canada's total sales volume with Royal
LePage National Franchise.
Subsequently, embarking on the success, Sherry's
adaptability to change led her to the quest of incepting her
independent real estate firm, in 2005, Blinkhorn Real Estate
Ltd., and she has never looked backed since. She sowed the
seeds of efforts and dedication, forming a team with likeminded
colleagues that reaped her and her firm the fruit of
gaining a solid reputation for providing exceptional services
and supporting many non-profit charitable organizations.
Adding Different Ingredients to the Recipe of Success
Plunging forward in her path of success, she says the
learning process never stops. Sherry holds a diploma in
adult psychology, social work, and counselling skills. Being
amply trained in the mental health field, she understands
how stressful it can be to buy or sell a house.
Sherry has fostered an environment where she puts people
first and encourages her colleagues to do the same. She’s
created a caring and natural positive atmosphere in her
workspace. She knows how crucial it is and is humbled to
be part of the most significant transaction of one's life and is
overjoyed to help it to become a reality. “We don’t see
ourselves as good salespeople – we are good Realtors;
there is a big difference,” says Sherry.
Sherry has focused her work approach around her buyers
and sellers making them the utmost priority. It was vital to
June 2022 | 49 | www.insightssuccess.com
her to create a familial workspace which gives a feeling of
comfort and smoothens the work process. She truly cares
about her clients and understands their real estate needs,
which is why she implies a friendly and professional
atmosphere in her unique way. She has sculpted a valuedriven
team that strives and implements effective marketing
strategies with honesty and hard work.
Cherishing The Victories
The amount of hard work and dedication Sherry puts in her
work is commendable in itself. Her work ethic has set an
example, and her efforts have been acknowledged with
numerous awards, including the ‘Community Mentor
Award’ from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Pictou County. She
also received the prestigious ‘Business Leader of the Year
award at the Pictou County Chamber of Commerce Gala in
2012. Sherry is the first female to receive this honor since
its inception in 1991.
Her achievements don’t stop there and go further; in 2018,
Sherry received the ‘Volunteer Vision Award’ from the
Nova Scotia Mental Health Foundation. The following year
she was also recognized with the ‘Women in Business
Award’ at the Chamber Business Achievements Gala. Aside
‘‘
Blinkhorn Real Estate is
dedicated to selling your
home or nding you that
dream home creating the
best possible experience
throughout the entire real
estate transaction.
Professionally we serve,
personally we care!
‘‘
from awards, Sherry was featured in 2020 in the
International ‘Top Agent Magazine’ and her life story in the
Nova Scotia ‘At Home Magazine’.
Leveraging Technology to Provide Upscale Services
At Blinkhorn Real Estate, Sherry has created a work culture
driven by values to make client's lives easier and delivers
high-quality products. The company implements innovative
technologies and offers virtual reality tours and drone
videography to enhance the listings services. They do their
best to ensure that clients get the best prices for buyers and
sellers by through their experience and expertise.
Above and Beyond for the Community
The journey that Sherry embarked on has been a challenge
in itself, she’s worked hard to forge her path to be at the
position she is today. Her experiences have all contributed
to finding transparency in her life. She has been a
passionate advocate for the mentally ill for years. She was
also the public relations director for the Canadian Cancer
Society, Pictou, volunteered for years on the Palliative Care
unit and made it part of her life to give back to her
community.
Sherry has built Blinkhorn Real Estate from the ground up
and contributed to many community organizations in
various ways along the way including sponsoring sports
teams and is routinely involved with multiple non-profits
and other organizations across the county.
The Guiding Flame
Unfolding the pages of Sherry's life, it is crystal clear that
despite hurdles she’s faced, she always has come out on top.
She always empowers, inspires, and encourages a TEAM
environment at her work. She ensures an ambiance of
professionalism, integrity, and superior client service. She
leads with a positive attitude, high ethical values, and hard
work and says she will persist in doing the same into the
future.
Last but not least, Sherry has asserted herself in a firm spot
being a leader in the field of real estate. She is an
inspiration to numerous people and continues to change
many lives. Her compassion, dedication, and her drive to
change have made her a successful businesswoman. She is
truly an example of taking charge of her own life and being
the change, she wants.
June 2022 | 50 | www.insightssuccess.com
June 2022 | 51 | www.insightssuccess.com
The 10 Most Inspiring Women Leaders to Follow in 2022
Tracy V. Green
Engraining an Innovative Eyewear Culture
nown for using the phrase, "Challenge
Kyourself...once you've reached a new place,
challenge yourself all over again," Tracy
Vontélle Green has amassed a robust professional career
which has developed her leadership skills, business, and
financial acumen.
Today, Ms. Green is the CEO & Co-Founder of Vontélle,
LLC – Vontélle Eyewear - a luxury bespoke eyewear
company showcasing print designs and textiles from the
African Diaspora (African, Caribbean, and Latinx cultures).
The company offer sizes that complement diverse faces,
fulfill prescriptions, and custom lens (color/tints), including
blue light blocker lenses.
Born in New York, Tracy earned a bachelor's degree from
Morgan State University and Master of Public
Administration degree at John Jay College of Criminal
Justice. Tracy has been involved in funding procurements
as a Budget Analyst for the New York City Mayor's Office
of Management and Budget; wrote grants for the New York
City Department of Health; managed bank mergers as a
Consultant for Accenture; and oversaw the NYC public
assistance budget of $6.1 billion (Medicaid, Food Stamps,
Housing) as the Deputy Commissioner at Human Resources
Administration. Tracy worked at Harlem and Bellevue
Hospitals in key financial positions before becoming the
Chief Financial Officer to the Department of Education
School of Support Services and at Health + Hospitals
Corporation at Metropolitan Hospital Center and at One
Brooklyn Health System at Interfaith Hospital Center.
Additionally, Ms. Green is a licensed real estate agent in
New York and she and her husband own rental properties.
This steady income afforded her the opportunity to retire
early due to some health challenges and start her own
business. Ms. Green has always been committed to
improving the quality of life for others and wants her life
and career to further advocate for the next generation and
all cultures worldwide.
In an interview with Insights Success, Tracy Green shares
her journey and talks about what comes next for Vontélle.
Below are the highlights of the interview:
Enlighten us on how you have impacted the eyewear
niche through your expertise in the market.
Vontélle Eyewear has conducted a small sample research to
create its current collection. From our research (including
our own experiences) many cultures have had a challenging
time finding eyewear that fit – Size Matters. Vontélle
understands that eyewear is essential and realizes the
importance of quality, thus using the most luxurious
materials while creating bold looks for diverse faces. This
includes a wider bridge for the nose, a longer temple (arm)
for a comfortable fit on your ears and wider lens to fit over
high cheek bones. The goal is to change how you see and be
seen.
Undeniably, technology is playing a significant role in
almost every sector. How are you leveraging
technological advancements to make your solutions
resourceful?
We have invested in a Virtual Try-On Program. This allows
our customers to try on our eyewear using their phones,
desktop, and/or laptop from the privacy of their
homes/home offices/cars, etc. The technology is excellent.
It's exactly like you are wearing them in person. Eyewear is
subjective and now, the customer can see themselves in the
glasses.
What, according to you, could be the next notable
change in eyewear industry? How is your company
preparing to be a part of that change?
Think about this: In 2020, the global eyewear market was
valued at approximately $140 billion and estimated to grow to
$200 billion by 2027. Yet there are less than a handful of Black
June 2022 | 52 | www.insightssuccess.com
Tracy V. Green
Co-Founder & CEO
Vontélle Eyewear
Breaking away
from ordinary
to
EXTRAORDINARY!!!
June 2022 | 53 | www.insightssuccess.com
our fate-determining trip to Paris where we met our
manufacturer. Due to their loss, the company offers unique
protection for consumers by providing a one-year/one-time
replacement warranty from the date of purchase if your
eyewear is lost, stolen, damaged, or broken.
eyewear makers. According to the Vision Council, 164
million American adults wear glasses and 218 million
Americans wear non-prescription sunglasses.
This is the first-time multi-ethnic cultures are being included
in sizing and design. We are about inclusion. For centuries,
African Americans, Hispanics, East Indian, Japanese, biracial
and multi-racial individuals were wearing ill-fitting glasses. I
always had a line across my nose. Many of my colleagues had
an indentation on their cheeks and pain behind their ears.
While, we know some companies are now making "extralarge"
frames, it is only 1 or 2 in a collection. We are making
full collections dedicated to better fit and cultural pattern
designs.
The next significant change is custom glasses for each
customer. Currently, this is very expensive and only the rich
can afford custom eyewear. However, as technology and
machines get better and faster, making perfect fitting
eyewear for each customer is the North Star.
Tell us something more about your company and its
mission and vision.
The concept for Vontélle was born out of a need of both
founders, Tracy Vontélle Green and Nancey Harris, who
each lost their expensive eyewear within the same year and
decided to focus their efforts on making their next
purchases from a Black-owned brand. After searching high
and low for glasses that were stylish, better fitting, and had
an ethnic flair, they realized it simply did not exist. That is
when Tracy suggested we start our line, and Nancey booked
Eyewear is not only an extension of your wardrobe but a
necessary medical device. Vontélle understands that eyewear
is essential and realizes the importance of quality, thus
wanting to help with eye health disparities. The National
Institute of Health's National Eye Institute reports that African
Americans and Hispanics are more likely to have cataracts,
glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy than any other ethnic
group. Most importantly due to these medical factors and high
astigmatism, many people cannot wear contacts. Befittingly,
the Co-Founders have partnered with WIN (Women in Need),
the largest provider of family shelter and supportive housing
in New York City. The eyewear company has partnered with
local optometrists to offer free eye exams, vision companies
and non-for-profit foundations to provide free eyeglasses and
to pay for the prescription lenses.
Where do you envision yourself to be in the long run,
and what are your future goals for VONTÉLLE?
We aspire to change the landscape of the eyewear industry
and change the world. Vontélle will sell out of our initial
stock, create new designs, and re-produce top sellers.
Successively, designing has started for our children's
collection coming soon - Spring 2022. Vontélle is the first
Black women-owned and operated eyewear business to
obtain a licensing agreement with Nickelodeon ViacomCBS
to create glasses in beloved characters: SpongeBob, Baby
Shark, Rugrats and more.
With the right partners and marketing, Vontélle [the
company] is limitless. This includes growing the brand in
10 years to include clothing/apparel, other accessories, or a
home collection. Vontélle is committed to celebratory
cultural designs that represent global textiles, boldness, and
beauty from the African, Caribbean, and Latinx diasporas.
There is no doubt that the co-founders will transform the
eyewear and fashion industry.
June 2022 | 54 | www.insightssuccess.com