Originally published on Forbes
From underrepresentation in top leadership positions to a lack of startup funding opportunities, the systemic hurdles facing Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women in business are real.
Yet many AAPI leaders have realized the best approach to overcoming these obstacles is to lean into their cultural heritage.
“Early in my career, I never fully embraced the incredible gifts of being half Asian and growing up in a multicultural family,” says Trish Boes, founder and CEO of UnlimitMe, which partners with colleges to support next-generation leaders. At the same time, she adds, “I didn’t want to acknowledge any life challenges I had along the way—which left me feeling burnt out from not showing my whole self.”
Now, she realizes being a powerful leader means being authentic and fully integrating all parts of her life journey. “In order to do the impact-driven work I want to do, I have to embrace and love all parts of myself to build a deeper connection with people and to give them permission to own and embrace who they truly are and their unique journeys,” she says.
In honor of AAPI Heritage Month, Boes and six other dynamic women leaders of Asian descent share how embracing their cultural heritage has significantly influenced their professional trajectories. These influential voices offer wisdom to other AAPI trailblazers—or anyone who wants to lead more authentically—for embracing diversity, breaking barriers with confidence, and innovating without boundaries.
Leverage Diversity For Innovation And Impact
It’s well-known that diversity is the wellspring of innovation, providing fresh perspectives and creative solutions that drive industries forward. A McKinsey report showed that companies with gender or ethnic diversity on their executive teams are 39% more likely to financially outperform their homogenous counterparts.
“As a South Asian woman leading a sports tech company in a predominantly homogeneous industry, embracing diversity as a strategic cornerstone has been pivotal,” says Kim K Patel, Chief Operating Officer at Break The Love, an online destination for community-based recreational sports.
She credits a philosophy of embracing diversity with enriching the team’s problem-solving capabilities, as well as enhancing its competitive edge. “This approach allows us to navigate and innovate in this space, thereby making recreational sports more accessible through technology,” she says.
“Embrace the rich tapestry of your AAPI heritage as a unique strength,” Medha Nicky Rishi advises other leaders. “Let your cultural identity be both a guiding light and a differentiating factor, paving new paths for success and diversity.” Rishi is the founder and CEO of parenting support platform MissPoppins and has also seen firsthand that having a diverse cultural heritage can be a business strength, with distinctive perspectives and resilience driving innovative solutions and inspiring a more inclusive industry landscape.
Exemplify An Inclusive Leadership Style
Establishing an environment where every viewpoint is acknowledged and respected is imperative in creating a healthy team where innovation thrives.
“Leadership is not just about leading teams. It is about elevating those voices who are not being heard,” says Nandita Gupta, Accessibility Product Manager at Microsoft. “As leaders, it is our responsibility to ensure that happens.”
Working in the disability space, she has seen the power of adopting a leadership style of adaptability and inclusivity. “Adaptability allowed me as a leader to embrace new ideas, adjust my approaches, and remain open to various perspectives. Inclusive leadership empowered me to foster a sense of belonging among team members, encouraging diverse thoughts and ideas,” Gupta says. “This combination created a dynamic environment where innovation thrived and everyone felt valued.”
Embrace Resilience As A Superpower
Amidst adversity, resilience is powerful when harnessed to build greater strength and capability for those who utilize it.
“From my experience, it is essential to embrace your cultural heritage and use it as a source of strength and resilience in your entrepreneurial journey,” says Jessica Sikora, founder and CEO of Superbands, which helps change the stigma of youth mental health.
The power of that resilience is one of the most profound insights she’s gained while building the nonprofit. “Embracing change and learning from setbacks has not only strengthened my determination but has also fueled our organization's growth and impact,” she says. “[Resilience] has enabled me to navigate challenges with confidence and creativity, building an organization that uniquely touches young lives across the nation in a powerful way.”
Choose Partners Who Believe In You
The partnerships you establish not only shape your present reality but also significantly influence your path toward success.
As a woman or minority in tech, “Unless you're extremely lucky, you're going to be in rooms where you have to justify your presence and prove your worth, regardless of how humble or confident you are, how you dress, or how perfect your work is,” says Seisei Tatebe-Goddu, CEO of Lights On Labs, an incubator for high-impact leaders and startup campaigns.
Experiences where she has felt that way have not only offered her resilience, but they’ve also been a filtering mechanism for finding the people she wants to work with. “My job is not to convince others I'm awesome and have value. It is to clearly articulate who I am, what I stand for, and why, and to send that into the sky as a giant bat signal,” she says. “Those who see it and respond are the ones I want to work with, and those who don't self-select out, sparing me a lot of time and trouble.”
Overcome Conventional Norms
With all the benefits that come with embracing one’s cultural heritage, it can also be challenging, especially in the startup world. Critically assessing your ingrained values and intentionally selecting those that serve you is crucial.
“My entrepreneurial journey required me to reevaluate and unlearn many culturally ingrained behaviors…keeping my head down, the belief that hard work alone guarantees success, and always putting the group's desires before my own,” says Keona Moy, CEO and founder of braless, neuro-inclusive apparel company VKTORI. “As a leader in an early-stage startup, success hinges on my ability to speak out, work intelligently, and pursue my deepest desires to turn dreams into reality—even when it means challenging conventional norms.”
Moy’s advice for other leaders is this: “As AAPI women, we've been conditioned to ignore our deepest desires. Get back in touch with what you want, and let your desires intuitively guide you.”
