The Strength Within: Beyond Imposter Syndrome with Shelley Zalis, Founder and CEO of The Female Quotient

In this episode of Innovate and Elevate, Sharon is joined by Shelley Zalis, Founder and CEO of The Female Quotient, a media and experience company that advances gender equality in the workplace. Shelley is a pioneer in online research and the first female chief executive ranked in the research industry's top 25.The importance of mentorship and community building is a central theme of Shelley’s career. She shares powerful advice for young women who are starting to build up their careers and addresses the concept of imposter syndrome, emphasizing how important it is to recognize and own your value. Shelley reflects on her journey as a self-proclaimed "Chief Troublemaker" and discusses how breaking rules has led to her success. She isn’t afraid to ruffle feathers and encourages everyone to practice self-advocacy, create new norms in the workplace, and challenge the status quo. Shelley highlights the need for better data and storytelling to change narratives around women in business and VC funding. She discusses her efforts to challenge existing statistics and uncover more nuanced data about female founders and diverse investors. This approach, she argues, is crucial for shifting perspectives and driving change in the industry.Episode Outline(01:27) Chief Troublemaker (06:12) Shut That B***h Up in Your Head (09:27) Data Driven: The Power to Tell New Stories(13:40) Together We Rise: Closing the Mentorship GapConnect with Shelley Follow Shelley on LinkedInLearn more about The Female Quotient Additional ResourcesShelley's column in Forbes   Shelley's article for Time Magazine: Women Drive Wealth. So Why Is Equity Still Inequitable? Connect with SharonConnect with Sharon on LinkedIn: Sharon KedarFollow Sharon on InstagramLearn more about Innovate and Elevate innovateandelevatepodcast.comSubscribe to Innovate and Elevate on YouTubeJoin the newsletter to receive the latest episodes in your inbox: Innovate and Elevate NewsletterThis podcast is produced by The Wave Podcasting