Shelley Zalis’ Post

She may have retired from tennis, but Serena Williams is still serving up BIG wins. After establishing Serena Ventures, a venture capital firm specifically designed for women and minority founders, she estimates that 14 of the companies in her portfolio have reached “unicorn status,” meaning they’re a privately held startup company valued at more than $1 billion. She shared, “I learned that less than 2% of all VC money went to women, and when I first heard that, I actually thought it was a misquote. I also learned that even less went to people of color.” She saw an opportunity to intentionally elevate underrepresented business owners and took it. Yes, she's investing in companies, but also equality. Real dollars are going toward a more equitable economy and future! I love to see it 👏

An oldie but certainly a goodie! I came across this 2020 Nike ad again and couldn’t help but share, especially in the lead up to the #Olympics. Crazy. Aggressive. Bossy. Emotional. Women have been labeled for centuries but we’re flipping the script! Crazy ➡️ Courageous Aggressive ➡️ Assertive Bossy ➡️ Confident Emotional ➡️ Passionate Let’s show them what “crazy” can do! Here we go #Paris2024 💥

Half of female athletes believe that their periods put them at a physical disadvantage, and the anxiety of having your period before or during a competition is very real. This campaign by Always UK illustrates just how loud that anxiety can be. It also brilliantly showcases just how strong women can be. It’s time to stop pretending periods don't exist for female athletes and normalize menstruation! After all, #menstruation is part of life for more than half the world’s population, and 800 million people menstruate daily. This is the power of advertising to shift perceptions and change societal norms. 👏

Growing older is a privilege. Enjoy it. Celebrate it. We’re not “past our prime.” With decades of experience and knowledge, this is our PRIME!

When I was a junior executive and mother of three little ones, I realized I had to shift some things around. I made a promise to myself that I would live with no regrets. I never wanted to look back and say that I should have or could have done something differently. I realized early on in my career that no one at work would remember if I stayed late for a project, but my kids would remember if I missed something important to them. That no-regret policy became my North Star. Trust that your decisions are exactly the right ones for you at this moment. (And enjoy the outcomes!) 🎥 An excerpt from an exchange between Harvard’s renowned ‘Mother of Mindfulness,’ Dr. Ellen Langer (@ellenjlanger) and @richroll

"You might encounter many defeats, but you must never be defeated. In fact, it might be necessary to confront defeat." My failures have led to my greatest success. If you don’t try something, you’ll never know. Confront defeat, keep trying, keep figuring it out! 🎥 Maya Angelou

Award-winning chef and a dear friend, José Andrés speaks passionately about how food is LOVE. I couldn't agree more! After all, the first way a mother cares for her baby is through food, and witnessing that really stuck with Andrés. It’s this personal anecdote that makes his mission powerful and successful each and every day in his restaurants across the US. Have you been to any? #CannesLions2024

Everything about the way we work has changed. However, our workplaces have remained stagnant, based on a society that no longer exists – one in which women weren't a large part of the workforce. After all, the rules of the workplace were written 100 years ago, by men, for men. It’s up to leaders to reset old practices to be more fair and dynamic, and to better reflect the nature of work we do today rather than how it was done decades ago. The future of work is flexible and it's time to change the workplace to meet the needs of our workforce. I was honored to join SHRM's annual conference in Chicago with over 26,000 HR executives to discuss workforce development and the future of work. What do you want the future of work to look like? Tamla Oates-Forney, CEO of Linkage, SHRM

The more you put out in the world, the more you get back. So if it’s hard work, compassion, kindness, attention, passion, empathy—give it freely. ❤️ 🎥 @hoperisesnetwork via Instagram