Pallas

Our women of the year ✊❤️

Kylie Kelcie’s podcast Not Gonna Lie has achieved something remarkable: it’s turned the podcasting world upside down in a way few could have predicted. The show shot straight to #1 on both Apple Podcasts and Spotify. What’s even more impressive is that it did this in a space traditionally dominated by well-established media powerhouses and, let’s face it, predominantly male voices. So, what makes Kylie’s success so extraordinary? It’s her ability to tackle a topic that many shy away from—the complexity of modern family dynamics. These are conversations that often go unspoken, but Kylie’s approach makes them feel relatable, raw, and most importantly, necessary. She’s not afraid to dive into the messiness of family life. It’s a conversation we don’t often hear enough, but when we do, it feels like a breath of fresh air.

Women-owned startups are a better bet Despite receiving less funding, women-owned startups outperform male-owned startups, generating higher revenue and a better return on investment 🙌 This highlights the need to address funding biases and invest in women-led ventures. Some findings from the Boston Consulting Group research 👇 1) Women-owned startups receive significantly less funding than male-owned startups, with an average disparity of over $1 million. 2) Despite receiving less funding, women-owned startups generate higher revenue than male-owned startups, with more than twice the revenue per dollar invested. 3) Startups founded and co-founded by women generate 78 cents for every dollar of funding, while male-founded startups generate just 31 cents. 4) Women founders are more likely to be challenged on their technical knowledge and are less likely to push back against criticism during pitches compared to men. 5) Male founders tend to make bolder projections in their pitches, while women are generally more conservative. 6) Some male investors have limited familiarity with products and services marketed towards women, which can lead to a lack of understanding for women-led businesses in those areas. I remember someone asked at a conference - "Is this because so few women get funded that it's only the very best businesses that make it through? 🤔Which is also an interesting question. Anyway, lots of work to be done. It all starts with having conversations around data like this. What do you think - let me know in the comments 👇 And share the names of anyone doing work in this area (I'd love to connect) ♻️ Repost if you found this interesting ➕ Follow Emmie Faust for more on entrepreneurship and growth PS With my statistics hat on I wanted to dive deeper into the data. According to the BCG article "the findings are statistically significant, and we ruled out factors that could have affected investment amounts, such as the education levels of the entrepreneurs and the quality of their pitches"

RAISING FINANCIALLY FEARLESS DAUGHTERS One of the greatest blessings of my life was a grandmother who instilled in me from my earliest childhood the importance of financial independence. I grew up with her words echoing through the years: "The most important thing for a young woman is to create independence, not for the sole purpose of wealth creation but to create choice." This was the mid 80s, in former Yugoslavia. Decades later, as I look at statistics around financial literacy among women in Australia, I ask the question of why do we still accept that many girls aren't given the financial education they need to stand on their own two feet? Financial literacy isn't just an academic box to tick; it's a real, practical skill that unlocks independence-freedom to walk away from a bad situation, power to control our own future, ability to create and grow our own wealth and empowerment to make choices in life that are aligned to your values. In Australia, our girls typically lag behind boys in financial literacy. AMP research shows our gender gap in this area is actually wider than in many other countries. This leaves young women at a disadvantage before they even enter adulthood. Instead of accepting this, let's do something about it. Financially savvy daughters are girls who can make choices not out of necessity, but because they're truly in control. In a world where women still face wage gaps and financial inequality, giving young girls a head start with money skills means breaking cycles of dependency and raising a generation who can confidently chart their own paths. When girls are financially empowered, they're more likely to pursue higher education, advance in their careers, and embrace entrepreneurship-all crucial for a stronger economy. By introducing financial concepts early, we're equipping girls with the tools to challenge norms and break down barriers that hold women back in finance. This isn't just about individual success; it's about building a future where women are equally represented in boardrooms, business ownership, and every corner of the financial world. This matters even more as Australia approaches the largest intergenerational wealth transfer in history. Recent JBWere research shows that, in the coming decade, women will control more than 65% of the $4.9 trillion set to change hands. But if we're not giving them the right financial foundations now, will they be prepared to manage it? Imagine a future where every girl grows up understanding her finances, free to choose her career, relationships, and lifestyle with full independence. If we're serious about equality, it's not just important-it's essential. I'd love to hear your thoughts - how are you helping empower our next generation of financially savvy daughters? | keep reminding my 9-year-old daughter that nothing is more important in life than building her own independence - through education, strong work ethic and confidence to make her own mark on the world.

Imagine a world where women ALWAYS celebrated each other this boldly, unapologetically, and selflessly. Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles bowed down to Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade on the podium as she claimed first place in the gymnastics floor final today. Apparently Simone said that Jordan asked her, "Should we bow to her?" And Simone replied, "Absolutely." “It was just the right thing to do.” Can you imagine? Can you imagine if women didn’t feel threatened by each other’s successes? Can you imagine if women supported other women, simply because “it was just the right thing to do?” This. Is. Everything. The Olympics teach us about more than just sports. They teach us how to be better humans, through sportsmanship. That is, of course, if we allow them. #Olympics, #WomeninSports ———————————————————- 👋🏼 Hi, I’m Kathy! I’m a fractional CMO, helping multi-location businesses build scalable marketing solutions. Click my name + follow + 🔔 to learn more about marketing, fractional work, and the occasional hot take about working parenthood.

Are you a feminist? Let's talk honestly. Feminism often gets a bad rap. But it's not about women vs. men. It's about freedom and escaping the rigid boxes that confine all of us. Feminism isn't just about advancing women's rights, it's about supporting all human rights. It's about creating a world where everyone thrives, regardless of their gender. For years, we've explained this, but sometimes a different approach is needed. Here's the shift: 👉 Open hearts, not accusations: Let's meet people where they are at, with genuine curiosity instead of judgment. 👉 Compassion, not criticism: Conversations fueled by empathy, not negativity, are more likely to spark change. 👉 Why? Because kindness and love have the power to transform. Join the conversation! Let's rewrite the narrative of feminism, together. #FeminismForAll

I wake up at 5 am. The baby is screaming. My husband has already left bleary-eyed for his 2-hour commute into London as a business director. His alarm went off at 4.30am, and he’ll be back at 5pm. I trudge downstairs with my eyes half-open to make her bottle, and feed it to her with my perfected skill of eyes closed but still conscious to get every second of available sleep I can - multitasking at its finest. I convince her to stop blowing raspberries and go back to sleep. Second daughter wakes at 7am. I trudge downstairs for juice, and caffeine - and turn on CBeebies. 7.30am, I wrestle my eldest into her school uniform using negotiation skills that would make MI5 want to offer me a job. I’m debating why breakfast is crucial, how there are starving kids in this world, and why I’m not making a three-course cooked breakfast before school by 8am, covered in puke and porridge from the baby. 8am, our childcare starts (on the days I can afford it; because it’s like paying for a second mortgage… otherwise I’m also adding the school run - literally running - into the mix) and I drag my bedraggled self into the shower and wake myself up by rubbing face exfoliator into my eyeballs and inhaling my Neom face spray like I’ve got a aerosol addiction. Between 9am and 5pm, I’m in the office or headed into London for back-to-back meetings, working on projects, speaking to clients, developing campaigns, building our brands, innovating new ideas, pushing for change. Leave the office in a mad rush. Cram in an hour with the baby and eldest, this time negotiating with them the benefits of bathtime. 7pm, make sure I’m reading stories to the eldest, giving the baby milk, convincing them of the benefits of sleep. By 8pm, I’m shovelling food in that my husband has made - that usually is the first time I’ve eaten properly since breakfast. At 9pm, the laptop opens. Husband goes to bed and I start to catch up on all the work I need to do that I’d have done if I wasn’t also juggling the kids. By midnight, I’m considering closing my laptop and crawling into bed, ready to wake up at 3am for the baby’s next bottle. I could retire (aka, become a stay at home mum, because we all know how “easy” that would be 🥴) and do “mum things” all day. But I’m fuelled by purpose, passion, the fact women are systemically under-supported, the fact a team relies on my business for their livelihoods, the lack of maternity support in place for female business owners, and the fact I didn’t study as hard as I did and get multiple degrees to give it all up just because I also wanted to become a mum.