The Optics of Empowerment

This week was an absolute whirlwind in the world of female founding, personal branding, and whatever else my publicist thought would look credible in a carousel post.

Monday:
Flew private-adjacent (first class, but emotionally I was on a  Gulfstream) to a very exclusive Forbes-style summit where women gathered to celebrate women, mostly the ones who arrived with their own photographers. I spoke on Authenticity in Leadership, which, coincidentally, is also my pending trademark. My speech was brief yet impactful: “Be yourselves—strategically.” 

Tuesday:
An intimate dinner with a feminist icon. We discussed empowerment, legacy, and how to politely reject collaborations. I left feeling profoundly validated, mostly because the photographer sent me proofs that evening before cocktails.

Wednesday:
Checked into NoHo House, which I once confused for a personality. The staff didn’t recognize me- an encouraging sign of reinvention. Ordered the Legacy Latte and began outlining my next keynote: Scaling Empathy: A Founder’s Journey from Royal to Relatable.

Thursday:
Another panel, another strategically unbuttoned silk blouse. The Future Is Female (and Fully Sponsored) delivered as expected: empowering, inclusive, and proudly underwritten by a soda conglomerate and a chip brand. I also received an award, either for empowering women, or for my consistent use of beige tones on Instagram. It might’ve also been for attending that doll fundraiser everyone pretended was philanthropic.

Friday:
Ended the week with a candlelit dinner honoring “women who lead.” I wasn’t technically invited, but I heard there would be microphones and men with investment portfolios, so naturally I attended, slipped in between two donors, waited for the Q&A, and shared a few heartfelt remarks about perseverance, branding, and the subtle art of monetizing sincerity.

As I looked around the room—at all the purposefully powerful women who’d mostly married into their purpose—I realized something profound: success isn’t about what you build.

It’s about how convincingly you announce it.