At Grow Financial, diversity and inclusion are what make us who we are. On March 26, we celebrated our diverse culture by hosting our sixth annual Women in Leadership Panel. Our Diversity Committee planned this inspiring event to coincide with Women’s History Month and to recognize the role female leaders play in today’s workplace with the theme “Women Leading the Way.”

We were honored to welcome three local businesswomen to Grow: Kelly Charles-Collins, CEO of HR Legally Speaking and Partner at Smoak, Chistolini & Barnett; Angye Fox, Owner and Broker at AdSizzle Realty, Inc. and Whitney Holtzman, CEO of Social Victories and CMO for NFL, MLB and NHL athletes. These women shared their experiences and gave advice for future leaders.

A key takeaway from the panel was how important pushing yourself can be for women in any industry. “Take the leap, go past your comfort zone, find what fulfills you,” said Fox. Holtzman added, “You deserve to chase the highest level of happiness that works for you.”

We all know that mistakes and failures are part of any great success, but these women had tips for taking that leap into a new career, launching your own business or just stepping into leadership. Charles-Collins shared from her experience how critical it is to have a plan and people around you to help you on your path.

Fox seconded that sentiment from her experience starting her own business saying, “Make sure you surround yourself with good people who can help you get started and point you in the right direction.”

The panel also agreed that it is essential to build up other women as part of the larger effort to promote more women in leadership roles and break the glass ceiling. It’s imperative we learn to lift up other women and understand we are not in a competition. “If she’s succeeding, then you can succeed,” said Charles-Collins. With this attitude women can become stronger advocates for themselves and all women.

When asked about what defines a great leader, Holtzman focused on emotional intelligence, or emotional quotient (EQ). “People remember how you made them feel,” she shared. “The best leaders have a high EQ. They really understand people, know how to relate to them and provide value to people.”

We think Charles-Collins summed up our “Women Leading the Way” panel brilliantly with her encouragement to all women out there, “Leverage your resources and execute your vision.”

Thank you to our special guests for helping us celebrate our culture of diversity and inspiring us with your stories of success as female leaders.

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