Gloria Steinem Asked Her One Question, and It Changed Her Trajectory - Kelly Mooney

The lie we’ve been told is that working harder is how you get promoted. Kelly Mooney feels the real difference is understanding the rules that no one hands you. Takin' Care of Lady Business Episode 162On this episode of Takin' Care of Lady Business, Jennifer Justice sits down with Kelly Mooney, founder and CEO of Equipt Women, to explore what happens when you stop internalizing broken systems and start rewriting the rulebook. Kelly shares how selling her company to IBM taught her what corporate culture gets wrong about power, why a single dinner with Gloria Steinem redirected her entire career, and why sponsorship, not just mentorship, is the real accelerant behind promotion.Together, Jennifer and Kelly unpack the invisible rules of the workplace, the courage it takes to ask "do I have your support," and why building confidence, community, and financial literacy often does more for women's careers than simply working harder ever will.What You'll Learn:How to spot the unwritten rules shaping your workplaceWhy sponsorship creates more career momentum than mentorship aloneHow to recognize when your anger has become your greatest fuelWhat it means to become a protector, not just a participantWhy confidence, class, and clarity outlast playing small every timeHighlights:(00:00) Meet Kelly Mooney(001:30) Selling a digital agency to IBM(02:41) The dinner with Gloria Steinem that changed her(04:31) Why your circle of trust should be women(07:04) Learning IBM was not the right fit(14:57) Life inside a global corporation(20:19) Watching women get talked over on calls(21:36) Owning your choices in corporate America(22:43) What Up and Equipt Women really teach(27:36) Why sponsors matter more than mentors(31:00) The power of asking do I have your support(37:33) The worst advice she ever receivedAbout Our Guest:Kelly Mooney is the founder and CEO of Equipt Women. With a background spanning design, digital marketing, and executive leadership, Kelly built a digital agency that she ultimately sold to IBM, later serving as an executive within the organization. She founded Equipt Women to help women get paid and promoted at the same rates as men, giving them the tools to build careers and lives they love. Kelly is also the co-author of the book Up, a playbook for navigating the unwritten rules of the workplace. Today, Equipt Women partners with organizations investing in their leadership pipelines, while also offering free tools, courses, and a weekly newsletter that help women build confidence, negotiate compensation, and take ownership of their careers.Kelly Mooney’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pkmooney/ Kelly Mooney’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pkmooney/ Explore Equipt Women: https://equiptwomen.com/ About Jennifer Justice and The Justice Dept.JJ’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-justice-354a0b99The Justice Dept: https://www.thejusticedept.com/JJ’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferjusticel/ Newsletter: https://tkolb-newsletter-a50814.beehiiv.com/JJ’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TakinCareOfLadyBusiness The Justice Dept. is a female-focused advisory, consulting, and law firm advocating for female founders, talent, execs, and brands. We represent bo$$ ladies to make them 💰💰.If you love what you hear, please subscribe and share with a friend.This is a Lady Business LLC Production.