Each groundbreaking idea begins with a simple question: What if we dared to do things differently? Women leaders across a variety of industries are answering this call withbold action—pushing boundaries, redefining what’s possible, and paving the way for a more innovative future.
From revolutionizing healthcare diagnostics and creating inclusive mental health services to reshaping nonprofit leadership, addressing gaps in postpartum care and rewriting the rules of branding, these 27 Dreamers & Doers members are tackling systemic issues head-on. Their work reminds us that challenging the status quo is not just an option but a necessity. We hope their journeys not only inspire you but also equip you with the courage to create meaningful change in your own sphere.
Founder & CEO of Better Together, galvanizing positive change for purpose-driven organizations through creative strategies, messaging, and branding.
How is your work or business aiming to disrupt or change your industry?
Better Together is driving change in the communications industry by centering equity and ethical practices in everything we do. We challenge the status quo by integrating bias mitigation in generative AI into our PR strategies, pushing for diversity, and amplifying marginalized voices. Our work isn't just about telling stories; it's about changing narratives and building campaigns that lead to tangible, positive social impact for both nonprofits and for-profit organizations. By combining creativity with data-driven insights, we help our clients navigate complex issues and foster genuine connections with their audiences.
What advice would you give to others looking to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change within?
Challenge the status quo by leading with purpose and being unafraid to question established norms. Focus on building genuine relationships, stay adaptable to new ideas, and ensure that your actions align with your mission. Be relentless in advocating for inclusivity and fairness to drive impactful change.
Co-Founder of Relatable Nonprofit, empowering growth-driven people with nonprofit hearts to succeed in consulting.
How is your work or business aiming to disrupt or change your industry?
The nonprofit sector is facing a severe talent crisis, with 74% of employees either searching for new jobs or contemplating a career change this year, and many are considering exiting the sector entirely. Relatable Nonprofit is addressing this issue by empowering nonprofit employees to take their skills and passion into consulting roles. This way, they can keep doing the work that matters to them, but with the flexibility and independence that they deserve.
What advice would you give to others looking to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change?
Be resilient. Challenging the status quo is rarely easy and seldom welcomed by everyone. Be prepared for resistance, and remember why you started. Resilience in the face of adversity is key to implementing long-term change.
Founder & Executive Ghostwriter at The Candid Collective, a one-woman ghostwriting agency that delivers world-class storytelling that sells your products and services.
How is your work or business aiming to disrupt or change your industry?
When I first started a business, I knew just enough to be dangerous when it came to marketing, but I had no idea how to sell. I invested a lot of money in poorly-designed courses and coaches with ‘growth hacks’ that didn't teach me about the art of sales. I developed my own signature style of telling stories that sell, which I currently use for my ghostwriting services.
Not only is my approach more authentic to my client's unique voice and point of view, but they also get results significantly faster (and in front of a more premium audience). My stories have helped my clients sell out their services six months in advance, double their prices, and land premium opportunities via LinkedIn in their first 60 days of working together.
What advice would you give to others looking to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change?
Keep your eyes on your own paper and stop consuming so much content on the internet. The best boundary I've ever set for myself and for my business was limiting my exposure to other people in my field. Instead, I focused on building a ‘Zero to One’ solution à la Peter Thiel—and doubling down on what makes me different, authentic, and stand out.
CEO of Nurture Postnatal Care, a wellness tech company providing culturally competent, postnatal support through in-person retreats and a two-sided marketplace that connects birthing people with vetted postnatal products and services.
How is your work or business aiming to disrupt or change your industry?
Nurture Postnatal Care is disrupting the postnatal care industry by creating a holistic, culturally competent ecosystem that addresses gaps in postpartum support. Through our innovative two-sided marketplace, we connect birthing people with trusted providers, wellness products, and services such as lactation consulting, mental health counseling, and nutrition support—all in one seamless platform. We're democratizing access to high-quality care by offering flexible, inclusive pricing models and community funds for marginalized families, challenging the traditional, fragmented postpartum care landscape and prioritizing the well-being of diverse parents.
What advice would you give to others looking to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change?
My advice is to deeply understand the pain points of your customer and stay relentlessly committed to solving them with empathy and innovation. Build a mission-driven brand that prioritizes the needs of historically marginalized communities, and don’t be afraid to challenge conventional systems that fail to serve everyone equitably.
Founder of peoplepower.ai, empowering organizations to harness the full potential of AI in HR and people operations.
How is your work or business aiming to disrupt or change your industry?
At peoplepower.ai, we're disrupting the HR field by empowering leaders to focus on what matters most: people. Through our education and consulting services, we help HR professionals minimize time spent on administrative tasks by teaching them how to effectively leverage AI tools. Our approach ensures that data insights are clear and actionable, freeing up HR leaders to concentrate on strategic initiatives like culture-building and employee development. We're not just optimizing processes; we're elevating the role of HR within organizations.
What advice would you give to others looking to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change?
Don’t let gender, age, or traditional norms make you doubt your ability to lead change. Trust your unique perspective and experiences—they are your greatest assets. Surround yourself with diverse voices, stay curious, and never shy away from questioning the status quo. Change begins when you believe that you are the right person to make it happen, regardless of what others may assume.
CEO & Co-Founder of Y'OUR Skin, providing personalized skincare systems powered by data science and human expertise, using clean and proven ingredients.
How is your work or business aiming to disrupt or change your industry?
Y’OUR Skincare aims to transform the oversaturated skincare industry by addressing consumers' frustrations and unmet needs. By combining my years of experience in the beauty industry, directly understanding customer concerns, and leveraging my co-founder Hannah’s data science expertise and personal dedication to clean beauty, we developed a revolutionary approach to skincare.
Our AI-powered algorithm, combined with human insights, creates customized skincare solutions that adapt to your skin’s needs. Instead of offering one-size-fits-all routines, our system considers factors like skin type, environment, lifestyle, and specific concerns to create and continuously refine a tailored regimen. By focusing on data-driven methods and non-toxic, effective ingredients, we aim to help people achieve healthy, glowing skin and feel confident. We’re redefining skincare to be personal, adaptive, and truly effective.
What advice would you give to others looking to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change?
Keep an eye on the pain points that people usually overlook, especially when it comes to consumption culture. In our case, the spike in the beauty market not only resulted in overconsumption but also great confusion for many.
Growth Partner at Waverly Ave. Consulting, creating seven-figure potential through strategic repositioning, modern revenue models, and relationship-based sales.
How is your work or business aiming to disrupt or change your industry?
After years working in the agency space, the traditional model really started to frustrate me. The relentless hustle culture, the chaos, and the sacrifices demanded for growth just didn’t sit right. And it also completely burned me out to the point where I had to walk away. My work is focused on rethinking the traditional agency model, in the best interest of talent, ownership, and the work. I work with agency owners to build a business on their terms and create a runway for growth.
What advice would you give to others looking to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change?
Choose a problem that is hurting the industry and frustrating you, and create a solution for it. If it's not working for you, it's likely not working for others. That's the opportunity.
Founder of Christina Langdon High Performance Coaching & Consulting, scaling your business by scaling the minds of our people.
How is your work or business aiming to disrupt or change your industry?
Leadership programs focus exclusively on the individual, overlooking the broader organizational context. Given that 80% of employees are disengaged according to Gallup, leadership development—a $400 billion industry—is poised for disruption. This disruption converges leadership development and strategic planning to drive success for individuals and organizations, turning probability into predictability. As the organization rises to possibility, so do the people in it.
What advice would you give to others looking to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change?
The status quo doesn't win the game. Using the past to create a better present or future is staying the same or, worse, falling behind in our fast-changing world. Disruption isn't harmful; it's just different from what's been done in the past.
Founder & CEO of Chapter tOO, LLC, an organizational and leadership optimization consultancy leveraging data-backed people insights to advance engagement, strategy, and training development processes.
How is your work or business aiming to disrupt or change your industry?
We're disrupting the long-outdated approach to organizational, leadership, and talent development, which often overlooks how our intersectional identities impact workplace engagement and ultimately business performance. By using data-backed insights to optimize engagement, strategy, and training development processes through what we refer to as a consciously inclusive lens, we’re shifting the industry from generic solutions to our people-first, profits-follow model.
What advice would you give to others looking to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change within their own industries?
Get clear on your ‘why’ and the ‘for whom’ when you want to make a change. Then, in the words of the great Dr. Maya Angelou, ‘Make every effort to change things you do not like. If you cannot make a change, change the way you have been thinking. You might find a new solution.’
Founder & CEO of Mrs. SEO, a woman-owned boutique firm offering SEO services, team training, and consulting to businesses of all types.
How is your work or business aiming to disrupt or change your industry?
Women only make up 30% of the SEO industry—it remains a highly male-dominated field. By stepping out as a thought leader and developing an app for SEO service providers, I seek to move the needle and empower other women to enter this niche of the tech sector. I also regularly lead free workshops and webinars with the goal of making SEO more accessible to a wider audience.
What advice would you give to others looking to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change?
Start building your presence around thought leadership. Becoming more visible in a crowded field will help you cut through the noise and make an impact.
Brand & Event Photographer at Vicki Bartel Photography, helping female founders, industry leaders, and CEOs amplify their impact with high-end, scroll-stopping visuals.
How is your work or business aiming to disrupt or change your industry?
As a photographer, I’m not just watching the rise of AI-generated images (with 90% of all online content expected to be AI-generated by 2025, according to Forbes) flooding the digital world—I’m taking it head-on. AI is often used to create ‘perfect’ models that distort reality and fuel insecurity, contributing to low self-esteem and body dysmorphia, especially in women and girls. But here’s the thing: we control the narrative. I’m using AI to craft raw, authentic portraits of real women and girls, celebrating the beauty of who we truly are. By harnessing AI for good and collaborating with brands and organizations to promote diversity and realism, we can disrupt harmful beauty standards and redefine what beauty looks like in the digital age.
What advice would you give to others looking to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change?
Stay curious, and never ignore where technology is headed. To create meaningful change, we must embrace advancements in our industries and harness them for good—facing today’s innovations head-on while shaping them to align with our values.
Chief Creative Officer of TDW+Co, a community-based, purpose-driven agency dedicated to connecting brands with diverse communities through authentic cultural insights and localized content creation.
How is your work or business aiming to disrupt or change your industry?
Our work aims to disrupt the industry by bringing authentic representation to underserved populations, specifically within diverse communities that are often overlooked or misrepresented. We focus on creating culturally nuanced content that resonates with these audiences, ensuring they feel seen and valued. By leveraging deep cultural insights, we help brands connect authentically with these communities, fostering trust and building lasting relationships that go beyond surface-level marketing. This approach challenges the industry norm of one-size-fits-all campaigns, prioritizes representation, and drives real, meaningful impact.
What advice would you give to others looking to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change?
My advice is to break the ‘sea of sameness’ by intentionally bringing diverse voices onto the team at all levels, as diversity leads to richer, more impactful storytelling. Having been the only woman or person of color on teams, I know firsthand that different perspectives can transform narratives and resonate with broader audiences.
Founder, CEO, & Executive Leadership and Team Strategy Coach at Lead for Good, a coaching and consulting company for leaders, change makers, and their companies.
How is your work or business aiming to disrupt or change your industry?
The problems that need to be solved to address the greatest challenges our world faces (climate change, poverty, health disparities) demand the attention and resources of leaders and change makers. Lead for Good is for the changemakers—the ones who give everything to make the world a better place—those who never even considered a career that isn’t in service to others.
These leaders know how to make an impact, even while working under high pressure and with low resources. Yet they are the ones who pay the cost when their companies and organizations don't do enough to support their work. Because for them, it’s never just a job. Lead for Good fills the gap that organizations leave behind by designing coaching and consulting solutions that are people-centered and results-driven, so we can help fuel changemakers and amplify their impact. When we invest in the changemakers, we cultivate the leaders who will change the world.
What advice would you give to others looking to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change?
Define your point of view around what you want to challenge and claim it. Find collaborators who align with your beliefs, take a stand through your own thought leadership and position of influence, and ask for the help you need to sustain your commitment and dedication. Oftentimes, we're playing the long game.
Chief Grant Writing 🦄 at Learn Grant Writing, helping you learn to write grants and make money doing it.
How is your work or business aiming to disrupt or change your industry?
We are directly challenging the deeply rooted belief that we can either make a difference or make great money. We are actively disrupting the nonprofit and grant writing industry to show you can have both without apology! We do this through coaching on how to create opportunities for yourself and charge appropriately. The newest tool we have demonstrates how you can use AI to build a highly-profitable one- to three-person grant consulting business.
What advice would you give to others looking to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change?
Build an identity around the change you want to see that people can see themselves in. Ours is to become a grant writing unicorn—a symbol of courage, positivity, and a willingness to be different.
Co-Founder of Koi Studios, a modern product design studio that makes good design a company’s competitive advantage.
How is your work or business aiming to disrupt or change your industry?
Many businesses still treat good user experience (UX) as an afterthought when launching digital products. We aim to change this narrative by partnering with companies to design user-centric products that drive customer satisfaction, loyalty, and revenue. Our approach challenges the status quo for how clients work with agencies, while prioritizing UX as a key driver of business success.
What advice would you give to others looking to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change?
Whether it's selling to customers or pitching to investors, it's critical to tie your mission directly to business metrics, so that you can clearly demonstrate how your approach can impact business growth and revenue better than the status quo. This can help you gain support and bring long-lasting change.
Founder & CEO of JN Clarke Consulting, empowering Canadian charities and nonprofits to achieve their goals with government.
How is your work or business aiming to disrupt or change your industry?
Traditional government relations firms offer politically-neutral, high-priced expertise that doesn't understand the day-to-day reality of Canadian charities and nonprofits. JN Clarke Consulting is taking a completely different approach. Guided by our progressive values, we offer training, coaching and tools that allow charities to do their own funding and advocacy work. We are on a mission to transform Canada's charities and nonprofits so that they can change Canada and the world!
What advice would you give to others looking to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change?
Right from the beginning, I have been focused on my core values—being feminist, LGBTQ+ inclusive, and progressive, and on delivering for my unique clients in a completely different way. Focus on your values, and what you want to achieve in the world, and don't be afraid to build something no one has ever tried before.
Sticking to my core values, I have managed to double my revenue each year since I started my business. I am attracting lots of clients who want to work with me and are willing to pay well.
Founder & HR Leader of Telman Consulting Inc., creating workspaces where people feel proud of what they do and how they do it, by helping companies move away from the transactional side of work and building cultures that focus on purpose, connection, and fulfillment.
How is your work or business aiming to disrupt or change your industry?
I'm disrupting HR by combining data-driven insights with a focus on creating moments that matter at work. Rather than relying solely on traditional business and performance metrics, I look at how many good days people have at work and how they feel on Sunday night about showing up on Monday morning.
Using these insights, I design strategies that connect people to each other and their work. Strategies like Stay Interviews, Monday Mindful Moments, Company Hackathons, and Feeling Salty Feedback Sessions have helped bridge the gap between operational success and individual fulfillment at work.
What advice would you give to others looking to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change?
Limit overconsumption of content from your own industry. While it’s important to stay informed, overconsumption can drown out your voice and make you second-guess your instincts.
I recommend trying to find a balance between staying on top of industry trends and intentionally creating space for your own creativity and innovation. I like to carve out time for developing my own ideas without any noise, advice, or content consumption.
Chief Genomics Officer at LetsGetChecked, a global healthcare solutions company.
How is your work or business aiming to disrupt or change your industry?
At LetsGetChecked, we primarily address the accessibility and convenience of healthcare. The company offers at-home diagnostic testing, which allows individuals to monitor and manage their health without needing to visit a traditional healthcare facility. This approach solves challenges like long wait times, geographical barriers to healthcare access, and patient hesitancy due to discomfort or inconvenience with in-person appointments.
By offering a range of validated home testing options, telehealth, and medication delivery, LetsGetChecked aims to make preventive healthcare more proactive, personalized, and accessible to a broader population especially those in marginalized communities. Today, we have tested more than 10 million patients and work with premier health plans and employers.
What advice would you give to others looking to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change?
Lead with purpose and remain persistent, even when the path gets difficult. Stay curious, embrace unconventional thinking, and never hesitate to ask difficult questions—this is where real change begins. Embrace life long learning, invest in a coach, and invest in a network.
Psychologist & CEO of Practice San Francisco, providing mental health intervention and prevention services for kids, teens, and parents in an outpatient clinic setting (one-on-one therapy and group therapy) and in the context of school and corporate partnerships.
How is your work or business aiming to disrupt or change your industry?
The mental health industry has a shortage of providers. In addition to expanding availability for traditional one-on-one therapy in our clinic, our team offers innovative group, educational, and school/corporate programs that allow families to access services at earlier points in their mental health journeys and in the context of their daily lives.
What advice would you give to others looking to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change?
When you run into a problem, don't see it as a wall—look for the window! In every challenge, there's a hidden opportunity to change things and make them better.
Founder & Chief Brand Architect of Collective Memory, a strategic brand consultancy and multidisciplinary design studio based in Boston.
How is your work or business aiming to disrupt or change your industry?
When most people think of branding, they think colors, logos, and very often a glossy icon (an apple with a bite taken out or a swoosh). When I talk about branding, I am referring to the bones of a company—the DNA that makes it completely unique and utterly compelling for consumers, employees, and shareholders. I am on a mission to give ‘brand’ a rebrand.
What advice would you give to others looking to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change?
Be curious, ask questions, and don't settle for the easy answer. It’s important to dig deep in order to get to the big question.
Founder & Chief Catalyst at illumine.earth, a leadership, strategic advisory and systems shifting enterprise born to purpose.
How is your work or business aiming to disrupt or change your industry?
We have five years left to halve the world's carbon footprint; otherwise, climate change will rapidly degrade the quality of life for all living beings on earth (including humans). Most leaders know this, but are not moving any faster than before they knew. I believe it's because we are in a state of deep dissonance. Through illumine.earth's leadership programs, I'm disrupting the paradigm of leadership itself, so that leaders can accelerate a regenerative world.
What advice would you give to others looking to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change?
The moment is calling on all of us to rise. Believe in the light within you and heed its call.
CEO of Belgian Boys, creating whole ingredient breakfast options that allow families to prep less, smile more, and indulge better.
How is your work or business aiming to disrupt or change your industry?
Belgian Boys has pioneered a new in-store breakfast destination in the refrigerated section of nearly 10,000 stores where shoppers can buy our assortment of pancakes, crêpes, and waffles that are ready to heat and eat. While this is a big change for most retailers in the U.S., it's what my husband and co-founder and I saw in every store growing up in Belgium. Our products are alongside everyday breakfast staples—ready to grab and go like yogurt, eggs, milk, and juice.
What advice would you give to others looking to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change?
If you truly solve people's challenges with an organic solution, you don't need to present some crazy innovation to make meaningful change. Belgian Boys’ move from the frozen aisle to the refrigerator, arguably one of the biggest business decisions for us, came straight from our childhood and the European way stores stock the same products.
CEO & Co-Founder of Cadence OTC, increasing over-the-counter (OTC) access to safe, effective, affordable contraceptives.
How is your work or business aiming to disrupt or change your industry?
Cadence OTC is leading the effort to move the birth control pill over the counter, making ‘The Pill’ more without a prescription. Cadence is also working toward eliminating barriers to emergency contraceptives, which are already over the counter, but are still too expensive and not readily available in many areas of the U.S. There are more than 23 million women who live in approximately 7,000 zip codes across the U.S. who do not have nearby access to emergency contraceptives because there is no drug store in their neighborhood. Cadence OTC is working to fill this critical gap by partnering with convenience stores like 7-Eleven. We aim to make female contraceptives as easy to buy as condoms.
What advice would you give to others looking to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change?
Seek investors who are genuinely committed to your cause and willing to support it long-term. Genuine social impact financiers will demonstrate greater patience, dedication, and loyalty to founders committed to a cause.
Chief Marketing Strategist of Julie Zhu LLC, an award-winning marketing and business development strategist based in NYC.
How is your work or business aiming to disrupt or change your industry?
I take a holistic view of marketing. It's not just about traditional metrics; I also prioritize sales growth, client relationships, partnership development, and overall business growth. This approach encourages businesses to achieve both short-term wins and long-term success, leading to sustainable growth strategies that have significantly boosted my clients' performance.
What advice would you give to others looking to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change?
Look for gaps and unmet needs in your industry. That's where the magic begins!
Founder & Lead Strategist of Anticipate Growth Strategies, a business consulting firm that accelerates growth and enhances clarity for clients by developing roadmaps for success and executing results-driven strategies to unlock a brand’s full potential.
How is your work or business aiming to disrupt or change your industry?
AGS disrupts the consulting space by offering an approach rooted in feminine leadership. We value relationships over competition, big-picture strategy over superficial wins, and sustainable growth over Band-Aid solutions. By working with other mission-driven brands for over a decade, we join the cadre of companies using business as a force for good.
What advice would you give to others looking to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change?
I believe everyone has unique talents that can be cultivated to make an impact in others’ lives.
Founder & Verbal Strategist at My Write Hand Woman, a verbal branding and copywriting studio for businesses with big visions and bigger personalities.
How is your work or business aiming to disrupt or change your industry?
Creative projects are on average six to eight weeks long, with some of the strongest writers being booked out over six months in advance. But every day that copy is not working for a business is a day they are actively losing sales. I created My Write Hand Woman to be the most efficient, high-performing copywriting studio out there with project timelines ranging from three days to one week, depending on complexity.
My Write Hand Woman is also disrupting the copywriting industry through our retainer offer, The Club. Founders can get what they need, have it debited from their 'tab,' and receive the copy within five days on demand, on a monthly basis.
What advice would you give to others looking to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change within their own industries?
If you feel like you can make something ten times better, that's your differentiator. Go all in on that and don't worry too much about your weaknesses as a founder.
Founder & CEO of Sage Haus, a platform helping busy parents reclaim their time by outsourcing the mental load and creating home systems to support a healthy division of labor.
How is your work or business aiming to disrupt or change your industry?
Sage Haus is disrupting the industry by normalizing the hiring of house managers and family assistants, empowering busy moms to balance careers and household management without burning out. As society moves away from the "do it all" mentality, there's a growing recognition that it's unhealthy to manage everything alone. With families living farther from relatives, it's becoming more accepted to ask for and seek help. Sage Haus is leading this cultural shift, making it easier for moms to outsource the mental load and reclaim their time.
What advice would you give to others looking to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change within their own industries?
My advice is to keep going, even when it feels no one is listening—because they are. Don’t be afraid to be bold, take risks, and push boundaries. Meaningful change comes from challenging the norm, and worrying about what others think will only hold you back. Stay true to your vision and trust that your persistence will resonate with the right people.
