After more than two decades in corporate America, I know what it feels like to build a high-powered career—and carry the invisible weight that often comes with being a woman in leadership.
For 22 years, I climbed the ladder, led high-performing global teams, delivered results, and worked alongside incredible talent. But after I started my family, I also navigated the relentless pressure to “balance it all.” Like many women, I constantly negotiated between being present at home and being taken seriously in executive circles. I was often the only woman at the table—and sometimes the only one “expected” to soften the sharp edges of the conversation while still hitting every metric.
That pressure became a catalyst.
Tackling the Gender Gap in Tech
Four years ago, I co-founded Women Impact Tech, an organization on a mission to close the gender equity gap in technology. The statistics were—and still are—staggering:
- Only 26% of computing jobs are held by women.
- Just 3% of Black women and 2% of Hispanic women hold roles in tech.
- Fewer than 10% of tech executives in Fortune 500 companies are women.
These numbers are not just disheartening—they represent lost potential, lost innovation, and lost revenue.
At Women Impact Tech, I helped create ecosystems where women engineers, developers, product managers, and data scientists could connect with companies who were ready to listen, hire, and evolve. We hosted events, launched initiatives, and built bridges between leadership and underrepresented talent. I saw firsthand what happens when you give women a platform and a pathway. It is exciting, motivating, and empowering to see women networking and thriving in their careers!
But I also saw what was missing.
From Representation to Transformation
It’s not enough to invite women to the table—we need to build new tables entirely. One where women lead companies, transform cultures, and shape industries.
Research is clear: companies with women in executive roles outperform those without. Organizations with diverse boards are more innovative, more profitable, and more resilient. The economic impact of women in leadership isn’t theoretical—it’s measurable.
Yet too often, businesses struggle to find and connect with the senior women leaders who can help them grow, scale, and transform.
That’s why I launched Women Impact Business.
A Platform for Impact-Driven Leadership
Women Impact Business is a platform and community dedicated to elevating senior executive women and allies —fractional leaders, board-ready changemakers, thought leaders, workshop facilitators, and keynote speakers—who are ready to drive impact at scale.
- We help startups gain traction.
- We help nonprofits deepen their mission.
- We help mid-size companies professionalize and grow.
- We help F1000s diversify their leadership and future-proof their culture.
We bring together executive talent and match them with organizations ready for transformation. Whether through fractional executive roles, high-impact workshops, leadership programs like AI + Leadership, or speaking engagements that change the tone of the room, we help shape the future of business by centering the voices that have too often been left out.
This Is Just the Beginning
Women Impact Business is more than a brand—it’s a movement. One that honors the journey of women in leadership, acknowledges the real challenges we’ve faced, and focuses squarely on solutions.
In this blog series, I’ll be diving deeper into the services we offer, the women we elevate, the companies we support, and the future we’re building together.
If you’re a business ready to grow with sustainable strategies, you want to train and elevate your existing talent, or a woman leader or ally ready to make your next move, you’re in the right place.
“Welcome to Women Impact Business. The future starts here.”
Paula Bratcher Ratliff
