Wetzel's Pretzels CEO on the benefits of diverse leadership

Avon CEO: Women leaders must differentiate themselves | Wetzel's Pretzels CEO on the benefits of diverse leadership | Prospects improving for women-owned businesses Created for {EMAIL} | [Web Version]( March 16, 2023 CONNECT WITH NEXTUP  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( €‰€‰[Tik tok]( [NEW SmartBrief]( Gender equity news from NextUp, Advancing All Women in Business [SIGN UP]( â‹… [SHARE]( [] Top of the week [] [Avon CEO: Women leaders must differentiate themselves]( [Avon CEO: Women leaders must differentiate themselves]( Cretu (Handout/Getty Images) Women leaders can differentiate themselves by defining their purpose and pursuing what makes them happy, then help employees do the same for themselves and connect and empower them to co-create together, says Avon CEO Angela Cretu. "[T]his is something that I share with my mentees too: be very clear about where you can have impact, and where you can connect and collaborate to add value. Promotions or titles will come as a consequence of the value that you bring," Cretu says. Full Story: [London Business School]( (3/10) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Today's leadership [] [Wetzel's Pretzels CEO on the benefits of diverse leadership]( Wetzel's Pretzels' new Access to Equity program is designed to build franchising opportunities for women and people of color by offering financial, educational and mentoring resources. "If we can create a model that works and it works for other franchisors, then the rising tide will lift all boats," CEO Jennifer Schuler said. "When you support the underserved entrepreneur and help them grow, it supports your business too." Full Story: [Nation's Restaurant News (free registration)]( (3/15) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Prospects improving for women-owned businesses]( Average earnings rose 27% for women-owned businesses last year while revenue increased 2%, according to the annual Biz2Credit Women-Owned Business Study. Women's Business Centers provided mentoring, training, financial opportunities and business development to more than 85,000 clients in 2022, and Rep. Sharice Davids, R-Kan., has put forward the Women's Business Centers Improvement Act to raise funding for such centers. Full Story: [Forbes (tiered subscription model)]( (3/8) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Women CIOs emphasize gender-neutral approach for top talent]( Women CIOs emphasize gender-neutral approach for top talent (Pixabay) Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources CIO Ricki Koinig, Guardsquare CIO Kimberly Wood and Liberty Mutual Insurance Global CIO Monica Caldas are the first women to fill the role at their respective organizations, and they say gender-neutral approaches that emphasize capability are essential to finding and supporting talented women executives. The job doesn't care about gender, and an inclusive culture for people of all backgrounds is what's important, Caldas says. Full Story: [CIO (free registration)]( (3/8) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Manufacturers can improve gender balance strategically]( More women are studying STEM, and company diversity programs have led to an uptick in representation among manufacturing companies, and strategically adding targeted hiring events, sponsorship and mentorship programs, and office conduct guidelines to eradicate an atmosphere of bias can build on the success, writes Aashish Kasad, the India national leader for EY India. Government initiatives also can make a difference. Full Story: [EY]( (3/10) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Leadership requires self-examination, execution skills]( Leadership requires self-examination, execution skills (Pixabay) An important skill in the leader's toolbox is the ability to take ideas from the drawing board to reality, which separates effective leaders from people who dream and strategize but don't manage to execute, says public speaker and Gantri Chief Technology Officer Christianna Taylor. Performing a Pareto analysis of personal weaknesses and strengths can help leaders identify which tasks will garner results, Taylor says. Full Story: [Forbes (tiered subscription model)]( (3/3) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Read the latest from SmartBrief [] - [Why pursuing happiness may leave you feeling empty]( SmartBrief/Leadership (3/15) [] - [4 Latino-based values that build good corporate culture]( SmartBrief/Leadership (3/14) [] - [Be flexible with leadership styles to fit the situation]( SmartBrief/Leadership (3/10) Free eBooks and Resources Free eBooks and resources brought to you by our sponsors - [Tips & Tricks Guide - Microsoft Windows 11]( - [Career Planning Tips]( - [25 Cryptocurrencies You Should Know About]( - [Nonverbal Communications Skills – The 10 Skills You Need to Learn]( - [How Technology Can Help You Get a Good Night's Sleep]( [] Diversity & Inclusion Trends [] [Macy's, Ulta, Sephora affirm pledges to Black-owned brands]( Macy's, Ulta Beauty and Sephora are among the retailers that have pledged to fill at least 15% of their shelf space with Black-owned brands, Target is investing more than $2 billion by 2025 in Black-owned businesses and Walmart has donated $2.9 million in grants to provide assistance for Black business owners. The Black Beauty Collective will open a flagship in Chicago next month as a marketplace exclusively for Black-owned beauty brands, and founder Leslie Roberson would like to expand the concept to every major city. Full Story: [Forbes (tiered subscription model)]( (3/11) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [CPG brands unveil Women's History Month promotions]( PepsiCo is commemorating Women's History Month with the "She Is PepsiCo" campaign that features 28 PepsiCo team members who are women who will be celebrated with personalized delivery truck wraps. Full Story: [Consumer Goods Technology News]( (3/10) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Voya Financial HR leader focuses on disability inclusion]( Voya Financial supports employees with disabilities by helping them understand available employee benefits plans, teaching managers about disability inclusion and partnering with nonprofit groups, says Angela Harrell, chief diversity and corporate impact officer. "One of the things that we've done from a training perspective is continual training on what disabilities mean and what inclusion means," says Harrell, who adds the company provides allyship training to employees. Full Story: [Senior Executive]( (3/10) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Why it's up to leaders to build an inclusive metaverse]( Companies can set themselves up to reap financial benefits from the metaverse by creating an inclusive and diverse experience for both customers and their workforce, writes KPMG's US studio leader Anu Puvvada. Leaders can create inclusivity by using "thick data" that incorporates stories, emotions and meanings of situations to ensure everyone is treated equally and unconscious biases don't become inherent in the system, write Gabriela Ramos, an assistant director-general for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and James Ingram, founder of the Liiv Center for Innovation in Digital Anthropology. Full Story: [HR Dive]( (3/8), [World Economic Forum]( (3/9) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [] Solitude is all right with books, awful without. [Martha Gellhorn](, writer, journalist, war correspondent March is Women's History Month [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( LEARN MORE ABOUT NEXTUPâ„¢: [About Us]( | [Events]( | [Regions]( | [Partners]( | [Learning](   SmartBrief publishes more than 200 free industry newsletters - [Browse our portfolio]( [Sign Up]( | [Update Profile]( | [Advertise with SmartBrief]( [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy policy]( CONTACT US: [FEEDBACK](mailto:nextup@smartbrief.com) | [ADVERTISE](mailto:cwarne@smartbrief.com) SmartBrief, a division of Future US LLC © Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY, 10036