The Key To Success According to 3 Female CEOs
By Shreya Prabhu
Have you ever looked up to certain CEOs and wished you could lead like them?
I know I have. I’ve always wanted to be a person who commands the room ‒ someone who people listen to and want to be like. Ever since I’ve started high school, I’ve been worrying about whether people will continue to know who I am or whether I would get lost in a sea of high schoolers without finding my way.
Here are three women I look up to who are the epitome of hard work, motivation and leadership!
Indra Nooyi, former Chief Executive Officer at PepsiCo
Indra Nooyi was born in Tamil Nadu, India, and described herself as a “tomboy.” Growing up, she took delight in climbing trees and playing sports, which already set her apart from most of the girls in her age group. She was a brilliant student when she applied herself and thoroughly enjoyed the process of learning, not just for the grades.
I was lucky to attend a talk at Greenwich Library where Nooyi shared her advice to young women who wish to pursue a career in any field to their fullest potential. She described balancing motherhood with her fruitful career, and how she often felt culpable because she prioritized her work even when her daughters, Preetha and Tara, were young and needed her. The biggest takeaway I can recall was that you must choose what you put your energy into as you get older. Energy isn’t endless and spreading yourself too thin will only hurt you and the others around you. For Nooyi, that meant that she could’ve missed emotional and vital moments with her daughters, but she knew that her career was important to her and she had to do well to make her feel fulfilled. At the end of the day, we can’t do everything, and if we want to excel, we might need to make difficult choices.
One thing I appreciate about Nooyi is that she has been able to break the glass ceiling even though she only immigrated to the USA in her early 20s. Being of South-Asian heritage myself, I find it admirable that she was able to come to the USA as a first-generation Yale student and integrate herself into American culture so seamlessly. Being a woman and a minority surely isn’t cakewalk and she has proved that if you put your mind to something, the possibilities are endless.
Shelley Zalis, Chief Executive Officer & Founder at The Female Quotient
Growing up, Zalis looked up to her mother for support, guidance, and because she was truly a great role model. From a young age, her mom instilled in her and her four sisters the confidence to achieve whatever they wanted to. Her parents also encouraged her to be opinionated and to not settle for any less than she deserves.
She attended the esteemed Barnard College, although she was never one to simply sit and study; she recalls that she was always “out playing tennis with the boys.” Similarly, for most of her career, she hasn’t followed typical norms ‒ starting with her first business, OTX, which she founded in 2000. It was a research company that she later sold to Ipsos in 2010 for $80 million. That was only where her journey began; she later created a venture called The Female Quotient, a female-owned business that is looking to advance equality in the workplace through the power of collaboration. The Female Quotient has created The Equality Lounge, which is a transformational space at conferences where leaders discuss advancing equality.
I was privileged to have the opportunity to speak with Zalis multiple times over Zoom, and even had the honor of being interviewed on her show, Unscripted, where she interviews young women and discusses equality and the importance of lifting women up. If there’s one thing I can take away from all of my wonderful conversations with her, I would say she’s taught me to stop waiting for the right moment to start something, be something, or do something.
The perfect moment won’t ever come if we are waiting ‒ sometimes all it takes is putting yourself out there and being uncomfortable!
Jennifer Openshaw, Chief Executive Officer & Founder at Girls With Impact
Of course this piece wouldn’t have been complete without the Founder and CEO of Girls With Impact, Jennifer Openshaw! Growing up, Openshaw surely worked a great deal to get to where she is now. At the age of 7, she began caring for her two younger brothers while her mother worked two full time jobs and at 14 (my age!) she got a job as a maid at a motel to earn extra money.
She attended UCLA Anderson School of Management and from then on made a ripple in the business world. In 2000, she was named one of the Internet’s Rising Stars as a result of her work as CEO and founder of Women’s Financial Network. She had roles at Bank of America and JP Morgan Chase as well as more. At one point, she was even appointed by the California Governor to the Commission on California Government Efficiency. Eventually, she switched gears and decided to found Girls With Impact, and look at where she is today!
Over the summer, I had the privilege of working directly with Openshaw as an intern and the experience emboldened me with several skills I never would’ve acquired if I simply did school or regular summer camp. She’s taught me is to be self-sufficient and to show up the way I want to show up, and not be afraid to push for things. Whether it was sending emails to big non-profits, or writing blog posts, one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from her is that persistence is key!
Shreya Prabhu, 14, is a freshman at Greenwich High School, a Girls With Impact Program Graduate, and Co-Founder & CEO of “The Female Factor Podcast”