Professional. Polished. Accomplished. Thoughtful. Made It. Ready to Make It. “Inspiring Women” is an interview show hosted by Laurie McGraw. 30 years of leadership in both commercial companies and non-profits has taught Laurie one thing: Women need women. Women need Inspiring Women. Hear short-form interviews every week from Inspiring Women who are at the pinnacle of their careers and Inspired Women who are just starting out.
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Professional. Polished. Accomplished. Thoughtful. Made It. Ready to Make It. “Inspiring Women” is an interview show hosted by Laurie McGraw. 30 years of leadership in both commercial companies and non-profits has taught Laurie one thing: Women need women. Women need Inspiring Women. Hear short-form interviews every week from Inspiring Women who are at the pinnacle of their careers and Inspired Women who are just starting out.
Breaking the Mold When Women Lead with Julia Boorstin || EP.218
Inspiring Women with Laurie McGraw
28 minutes
1 month ago
Breaking the Mold When Women Lead with Julia Boorstin || EP.218
Emmy-nominated journalist Julia Boorstin spent years interviewing thousands of executives before discovering something unexpected: the most successful women leaders had no playbook.
After 25 years covering business transformation at Fortune and CNBC, Julia set out to understand why women receive only 2% of venture capital despite outperforming their counterparts—and what she found changed everything she thought about leadership.
In this conversation with Laurie McGraw, Julia reveals insights from her book "When Women Lead" and the 60 extraordinary women who defied impossible odds. From wearing fake glasses to be taken seriously to discovering that gratitude correlates with long-term decision making, Julia unpacks why there's no single formula for female leadership success—and why that's exactly the point.
Key Takeaways:
Why vulnerability and transparency matter more than performed strength in uncertain times
The surprising link between gratitude and strategic long-term thinking
How "turning down your confidence" to gather information leads to better decisions
Why the data proves female-led companies outperform—returning profits a year earlier on average
The "water supply problem" approach that transforms how you solve any challenge
Why communal leadership isn't weakness—it's a statistical predictor of success
From the CNBC Changemakers list to her new podcast launching September 30th, Julia continues amplifying voices of women who are rewriting the rules of business.
Her message is clear: authenticity isn't about fitting a mold—it's about understanding your unique strengths and leading from that truth.
Chapter Markers
03:31 - Why Business Journalism Reveals Social Change
05:58 - The Myth of One Female Leadership Playbook
09:32 - Gratitude as a Strategic Leadership Skill
11:55 - Why Purpose-Driven Companies Outperform
14:12 - Leading Through Crisis with Data, Not Emotion
18:23 - Building the CNBC Changemakers Movement
22:08 - Finding the Water Supply Problem
25:29 - The Arbitrage Opportunity in Female Leadership
Guest & Host Links
Connect with Laurie McGraw on LinkedIn
Connect with Julia Boorstin on LinkedIn
Check out Julia's new podcast, CNBC Changemakers & Power Players: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cnbc-changemakers-power-players/id1840209228
Connect with Inspiring Women
Browse Episodes | LinkedIn | Instagram | Apple | Spotify
Inspiring Women with Laurie McGraw
Professional. Polished. Accomplished. Thoughtful. Made It. Ready to Make It. “Inspiring Women” is an interview show hosted by Laurie McGraw. 30 years of leadership in both commercial companies and non-profits has taught Laurie one thing: Women need women. Women need Inspiring Women. Hear short-form interviews every week from Inspiring Women who are at the pinnacle of their careers and Inspired Women who are just starting out.
