October 27, 2025 • 3 mins
This is your Women in Business podcast.
Welcome back to Women in Business. Today, we’re diving into a hot topic: how women are navigating the shifting economic landscape, especially in the tech industry—a field driving the future and rewriting the rules as we go.
Let’s start with the numbers, because data always sets the stage. Globally, less than thirty percent of tech roles are currently held by women. In leadership, that number shrinks even further—women hold fewer than one in five tech leadership positions worldwide, according to sources like the Nash Squared Digital Leadership Report and the Stanford AI Index. Even in the U.S., where awareness is higher, only about a quarter of those shaping our digital world are women. And for women of color, those numbers are even lower.
The first key discussion for today: the opportunity and cost of underrepresentation. When women aren’t at the table, companies miss out—McKinsey estimates closing the gender gap could add up to 12 trillion dollars to global GDP by 2025. We aren’t just fighting for a seat; we’re fighting for the growth and innovation that diversity unlocks.
Second, let’s spotlight the unique barriers women face in tech. Pay gaps stubbornly persist. Women who break into the industry struggle to advance—many citing sparse mentorship, especially around mid-career, as detailed by the Women in Digital Report for Australia. In many regions, women report stalling at middle management, not due to lack of ambition, but because the support structures just aren’t there or are not flexible enough for caregivers. The so-called “missing middle” is a global phenomenon costing companies dearly.
Third, there’s a bright spark: the surge in women-led startups and the rise of role models breaking barriers in venture capital and product development. Take women like Reshma Saujani, founder of Girls Who Code, who’s changing the conversation from fixing women to fixing workplaces. And cities like Little Rock, Arkansas, and Columbia, South Carolina, are now emerging centers of opportunity, even outpacing the likes of Silicon Valley in female wage growth and representation. Location, it turns out, is part of the equation for progress.
The fourth theme you’ll want to discuss is the double-edged sword of AI and automation. Artificial intelligence is transforming tech at lightning speed, with seventy-five percent of companies set to increase AI adoption by 2028. Yet, most women in tech aren’t yet using AI at work and risk being left further behind unless upskilling, as flagged in the Skillsoft ‘Women in Tech’ Report, becomes a priority. The opportunity? Early adopters are already reporting boosts in productivity and streamlined workflows—so how can we ensure women have equal access to these powerful tools?
Our final key discussion for this episode is the rise of networks, data transparency, and policy action. More organizations are collaborating to measure and close gender gaps, sharing data, benchmarking progress, and holding leaders accountable for true diversity—beyond just checking boxes for representation.
Listeners, as we explore these challenges and opportunities, let’s keep pushing the conversation—because the future of tech, and the future of business, depends on a seat at the table for all women.
Thank you for tuning in to Women in Business today. Subscribe for more bold conversations and inspiration. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
For more http://www.quietplease.ai
Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
Welcome back to Women in Business. Today, we’re diving into a hot topic: how women are navigating the shifting economic landscape, especially in the tech industry—a field driving the future and rewriting the rules as we go.
Let’s start with the numbers, because data always sets the stage. Globally, less than thirty percent of tech roles are currently held by women. In leadership, that number shrinks even further—women hold fewer than one in five tech leadership positions worldwide, according to sources like the Nash Squared Digital Leadership Report and the Stanford AI Index. Even in the U.S., where awareness is higher, only about a quarter of those shaping our digital world are women. And for women of color, those numbers are even lower.
The first key discussion for today: the opportunity and cost of underrepresentation. When women aren’t at the table, companies miss out—McKinsey estimates closing the gender gap could add up to 12 trillion dollars to global GDP by 2025. We aren’t just fighting for a seat; we’re fighting for the growth and innovation that diversity unlocks.
Second, let’s spotlight the unique barriers women face in tech. Pay gaps stubbornly persist. Women who break into the industry struggle to advance—many citing sparse mentorship, especially around mid-career, as detailed by the Women in Digital Report for Australia. In many regions, women report stalling at middle management, not due to lack of ambition, but because the support structures just aren’t there or are not flexible enough for caregivers. The so-called “missing middle” is a global phenomenon costing companies dearly.
Third, there’s a bright spark: the surge in women-led startups and the rise of role models breaking barriers in venture capital and product development. Take women like Reshma Saujani, founder of Girls Who Code, who’s changing the conversation from fixing women to fixing workplaces. And cities like Little Rock, Arkansas, and Columbia, South Carolina, are now emerging centers of opportunity, even outpacing the likes of Silicon Valley in female wage growth and representation. Location, it turns out, is part of the equation for progress.
The fourth theme you’ll want to discuss is the double-edged sword of AI and automation. Artificial intelligence is transforming tech at lightning speed, with seventy-five percent of companies set to increase AI adoption by 2028. Yet, most women in tech aren’t yet using AI at work and risk being left further behind unless upskilling, as flagged in the Skillsoft ‘Women in Tech’ Report, becomes a priority. The opportunity? Early adopters are already reporting boosts in productivity and streamlined workflows—so how can we ensure women have equal access to these powerful tools?
Our final key discussion for this episode is the rise of networks, data transparency, and policy action. More organizations are collaborating to measure and close gender gaps, sharing data, benchmarking progress, and holding leaders accountable for true diversity—beyond just checking boxes for representation.
Listeners, as we explore these challenges and opportunities, let’s keep pushing the conversation—because the future of tech, and the future of business, depends on a seat at the table for all women.
Thank you for tuning in to Women in Business today. Subscribe for more bold conversations and inspiration. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
For more http://www.quietplease.ai
Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back to women in business. Today, we're diving into
a hot topic, how women are navigating the shifting economic landscape,
especially in the tech industry, a field drive in the future,
and rewriting the rules as we go. Let's start with
the numbers, because data always sets the stage. Globally, less
than thirty percent of tech rules are currently held by
(00:20):
women in leadership. That number shrinks even further. Women hold
fewer than one in five tech leadership positions worldwide, according
to sources like the Nash Square Digital Leadership Report and
the Stanford AI Index. Even in the US, where awareness
is higher, only about a quarter of those shaping or
digital world are women, and for women of color, those
numbers are even lower. The first key discussion for today
(00:43):
the opportunity and cost of under representation. When women aren't
at the table, companies miss out. McKinsey estimates closing the
gender gap could add up to twelve trillion dollars to
global GDP by twenty twenty five. We aren't just fighting
(01:13):
for a seat, We're fighting for the growth and innovation
that diversity unlocks. Second, let's spotlight the unique barriers women
face and tech pay gaps stubbornly persist. Women who break
into the industry struggle to advance, many citing sparse mentorship,
especially around mid career, as detailed by the Women in
(01:33):
Digital Report for Australia. In many regions, women reports stalling
at middle management not due to lack of ambition, but
because the support structures just aren't there or are not
flexible enough for caregivers. The so called missing middle is
a global phenomenon, costing companies dearly. Third, there's a bright
spark the surgeon, women led startups and the rise of
(01:54):
role models bregging barriers in venture capital and product development.
Take women like Rush message on founder of Girls Who Code.
Who's changing the conversation from fixing women to fixing workplaces?
And cities like Little Rock, Arkansas and Columbia, South Carolina
are now emerging centers of opportunity, even outpacing the likes
of Silicon Valley and female wage growth and representation. Location,
(02:17):
it turns out, is part of the equation for progress.
The fourth theme you'll want to discuss is the double
edged sword of AI and automation. Artificial intelligence is transforming
tech at lightning speed, with seventy five percent of companies
set to increase AI adoption by twenty twenty eight, Yet
most women in tech aren't yet using AI at work
and risk being left further behind unless upskilling, as flagged
(02:41):
in the Skillsoft Women in Tech Report, becomes a priority
the opportunity. Early adopters are already reporting boosts and productivity
in streamlined workflows, so how can we ensure women have
equal access to these powerful tools. Our final key discussion
for this episode is the rise of networks, data transparency
and policy action. More organizations are collaborating to measure in
(03:03):
close gender gaps, sharing data, benchmarking progress, and holding leaders
accountable for true diversity beyond just checking doxes for representation. Listeners,
As we explore these challenges and opportunities, let's keep pushing
the conversation because the future of tech and the future
of business depends on a seat at the table for
all women. Thank you for tuning in to Women in
(03:25):
Business Today. Subscribe for more bold conversations and inspiration. This
has been a quiet please production for more check out
Quiet Please dot ai
Welcome back to women in business. Today, we're diving into
a hot topic, how women are navigating the shifting economic landscape,
especially in the tech industry, a field drive in the future,
and rewriting the rules as we go. Let's start with
the numbers, because data always sets the stage. Globally, less
than thirty percent of tech rules are currently held by
(00:20):
women in leadership. That number shrinks even further. Women hold
fewer than one in five tech leadership positions worldwide, according
to sources like the Nash Square Digital Leadership Report and
the Stanford AI Index. Even in the US, where awareness
is higher, only about a quarter of those shaping or
digital world are women, and for women of color, those
numbers are even lower. The first key discussion for today
(00:43):
the opportunity and cost of under representation. When women aren't
at the table, companies miss out. McKinsey estimates closing the
gender gap could add up to twelve trillion dollars to
global GDP by twenty twenty five. We aren't just fighting
(01:13):
for a seat, We're fighting for the growth and innovation
that diversity unlocks. Second, let's spotlight the unique barriers women
face and tech pay gaps stubbornly persist. Women who break
into the industry struggle to advance, many citing sparse mentorship,
especially around mid career, as detailed by the Women in
(01:33):
Digital Report for Australia. In many regions, women reports stalling
at middle management not due to lack of ambition, but
because the support structures just aren't there or are not
flexible enough for caregivers. The so called missing middle is
a global phenomenon, costing companies dearly. Third, there's a bright
spark the surgeon, women led startups and the rise of
(01:54):
role models bregging barriers in venture capital and product development.
Take women like Rush message on founder of Girls Who Code.
Who's changing the conversation from fixing women to fixing workplaces?
And cities like Little Rock, Arkansas and Columbia, South Carolina
are now emerging centers of opportunity, even outpacing the likes
of Silicon Valley and female wage growth and representation. Location,
(02:17):
it turns out, is part of the equation for progress.
The fourth theme you'll want to discuss is the double
edged sword of AI and automation. Artificial intelligence is transforming
tech at lightning speed, with seventy five percent of companies
set to increase AI adoption by twenty twenty eight, Yet
most women in tech aren't yet using AI at work
and risk being left further behind unless upskilling, as flagged
(02:41):
in the Skillsoft Women in Tech Report, becomes a priority
the opportunity. Early adopters are already reporting boosts and productivity
in streamlined workflows, so how can we ensure women have
equal access to these powerful tools. Our final key discussion
for this episode is the rise of networks, data transparency
and policy action. More organizations are collaborating to measure in
(03:03):
close gender gaps, sharing data, benchmarking progress, and holding leaders
accountable for true diversity beyond just checking doxes for representation. Listeners,
As we explore these challenges and opportunities, let's keep pushing
the conversation because the future of tech and the future
of business depends on a seat at the table for
all women. Thank you for tuning in to Women in
(03:25):
Business Today. Subscribe for more bold conversations and inspiration. This
has been a quiet please production for more check out
Quiet Please dot ai
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