The Question Successful Women Never Stop Asking: "What's Next?" || EP.213

Inspiring Women with Laurie McGraw

"I was reading this report and it was the same old women who are making steady progress in leadership, but we're not making it fast enough. After all these years of being a leader, of being a mentor, of being a coach, of helping other women. I was just frustrated. How can this be?"

After 30 years in healthcare technology leadership and reading yet another McKinsey report showing glacial progress for women, Laurie McGraw had enough. That frustration became fuel—launching the Inspiring Women podcast over four years ago to amplify the voices and stories of accomplished women leaders.

Now, after 200+ conversations with extraordinary women across healthcare, technology, and business, Laurie shares what she's learned about accelerating women's advancement into leadership. The patterns are clear: every successful woman has moments of doubt before breakthrough, no one is "done learning," and the most accomplished leaders are often the most driven to contribute more.

"The moments in these conversations that I love the most—every accomplished woman when you see them speaking so impactfully and powerfully, it seems easy," Laurie reveals. "But I like to draw out those moments in time when that same person wasn't all that they are. How did they make that leap?"

In Part 2 of this special Q&A episode, Laurie discusses:

• The McKinsey report that sparked her frustration—and action—to create Inspiring Women
• Why she chose podcasting as the platform to accelerate women's leadership advancement
• The surprising patterns discovered across 200+ conversations with accomplished women
• How even the most powerful women still have "next levels" they're trying to reach
• Why men listening to the podcast has become an unexpected catalyst for change
• What listeners tell her about those breakthrough "nugget" moments that change careers
• Her ultimate vision: more women in leadership creates a more just and equitable society

"I get as many comments from men who listen to Inspiring Women as I do from women, because it helps them understand what people are dealing with and how they can be supportive," Laurie shares, highlighting how allies are crucial to systemic change.

With women's funding still at a paltry 2% and progress remaining frustratingly incremental, Laurie's message is clear: "Why is having women in leadership important? When we have more women in leadership, we have a more just and equitable society. Full stop. That is why I am doing this."

Four years, 200+ episodes, and countless transformed careers later, the Inspiring Women podcast continues its mission—one conversation, one story, one breakthrough moment at a time.

Chapters

00:30 - Why I Started the Inspiring Women Podcast

02:45 - The Simple Concept Behind the Show

03:50 - Patterns from 200+ Conversations

05:30 - Even Accomplished Women Keep Growing

06:15 - Vision for the Inspiring Women Community

07:45 - Dream Dinner Guest: Katie Couric

08:30 - Be a Voracious Learner

09:15 - How Can We Be Bolder?

Guest & Host Links

• Connect with Laurie McGraw on LinkedIn

Connect with Inspiring Women

Browse Episodes | LinkedIn | Instagram | Apple | Spotify