Women who GSD

Powerfully Choosing Women Every Month

In my opinion, every month is Women’s History Month. Every day is Women’s Day, and every day is a day to celebrate the undervoiced, the underrepresented, and the underserved, no matter what minority group. As we embark on this month of April, I’m following my true, authentic self to share about some sheroes that not only inspire me or that I admire, but also that my tiny-human daughter is witnessing and looking up to.

Caitlin Clark has become a household name during this college women’s basketball season for a number of reasons, but one of the main stats that she is breaking is that she has become the all-time leading scorer in NCAA history, man or woman, surpassing the record held by the late Pete Maravich’s 54-year-old record.  She is using her platform to amplify women in sports, driving more women’s basketball fans in attendance at games and some of the highest viewership of the NCAA Women’s March Madness.  As we have seen with the brilliant businesswoman Taylor Swift, there is an economic Swift effect that takes place wherever there is a concert, and we are seeing that same Clark effect in ticket prices, basketball apparel, etc.

Brittany Mahomes, entrepreneur, founder, and co-owner of the Kansas City Current professional women’s soccer team, just opened the first stadium to be built specifically for a professional women’s sports team.  Brittany is no stranger to sports success and the effects it can have on a city, as she is the wife to Kansas City Chiefs Patrick Mahomes, but another driver for the co-owners was wanting to make history in women’s sports, especially with a daughter of their own.

Duke Women’s Basketball Coach Kara Lawson has become an influential and inspirational leader over the last couple of years with her “Handle Hard Better” motivational speech to her team.  This message really resonated for me and my tiny human as she has had a lot of hard things dealt to her this year. With each hard thing, we have talked about how we keep showing up, and ultimately, we learn to handle the hard better, resulting in us being able to get stuff done.  That resilience and confidence will serve us throughout life.

Entrepreneurs, twin moms, and cofounders of Dapper Boi, Vicky and Charisse Pasche, launched a body-inclusive, size-inclusive, gender-neutral apparel line that not only provides clothes that individuals feel confident in, but also supports the mental and emotional well-being of individuals who are able to showcase their personality and live out their true authentic selves. They have hit highs and lows, and in the newest documentary, Show Her The Money, they transparently and vulnerably share their entrepreneurial journey as they sought out funding.

Speaking of Show Her The Money, Executive Producer Catherine Gray and Director Ky Dickens have magically crafted this film to showcase the discrepancy that less than 2% of venture capital funding goes to minority groups, including women.  This number has to change and through this film, the awareness and advocacy surrounding it is exciting.  Recipient of multiple film awards, this documentary quickly and concisely showcases what innovating solutionists women have been throughout history and amplifies the need to invest more in these minority groups because investing in them is good for business, good for the economy, and they truly are changing the world.

The first African American Female Principal Dancer with the American Ballet Theatre, Misty Copeland, is no stranger to dreaming big and trailblazing within her athletic art of ballet which she did for over 27 years.  She is continuing her influence and changing the narrative post her ballet career through numerous entrepreneurship endeavors.  In 2022, Misty launched The Misty Copeland Foundation with its first signature program BEBOLD, which aims to bring greater diversity, equity, and inclusion to dance, especially ballet. In 2023, she launched the women’s line of Greatness Wins, an athletic wear business that she co-founded.

What do these women have in common?  They represent womanhood, motherhood, entrepreneurship, leadership, and mentorship.  They are GSD women.  They are powerfully choosing to show up in their fields of influence.  They are changing the narrative.  They are breaking glass ceilings and allowing the next generation to stand on their shoulders.  May we support and amplify them and countless others, both known and unknown.  May we #hypewomen because we #getshitdone.