Words to Live By: Insights from Women Who Empower Panelists

During the month of March, Northeastern University’s Roux Institute brought two Women Who Empower events to life. Part of Northeastern’s Women Who Empower initiative, these events were moderated by Liz Kohler, managing director of strategy, operations, and growth at the Roux Institute, and Kippy Smith, founder of Small Wins Dashboard and Founder Residency alumna. Keep reading to discover five key insights from the panelists.

“The person that you are today isn’t the person you’re going to need to be tomorrow.”

Michelle DeBlois, ReMo founder and Women Who Empower Innovator Awards winner, spoke to just how important it is to grow alongside your work. “You have to do work on yourself as a human at the same time you’re working on your business, so that you can become the leader you need for tomorrow,” she explained. Rachel Cossar, founder of Virtual Sapiens and a fellow Women Who Empower Innovator Awards winner, echoed the need for founders to evolve their thinking. A key moment she shared was the freedom that came with realizing that venture capital, while a key component for the growth of many startups, wasn’t the right choice for Virtual Sapiens.

Build relationships with no agenda.

Berkeley Almand-Hunter, technical director for partner products at the Roux Institute, drew knowing nods when she described just how much she dislikes networking with a predetermined outcome in mind. Her advice? Find people and try to make meaningful connections. Ninette Irabaruta, senior director of community engagement & outreach at United Way of Southern Maine, echoed the sentiment. “We can’t do it all alone. Building a new relationship might start with a cup of coffee. It’s through relationships that we build partnerships, we bring people together, and we create an army that’s going to do great things.”

Be inspired by your mom.

Safiya Khalid, co-founder of the Community Organizing Alliance and the first ever Somali-American elected to Lewiston, Maine’s city council, spoke of drawing inspiration from her mom, a woman who moved across the world, imagining a life for her children that she never imagined for herself. “What my mom instilled in me is what keeps me going,” Khalid said. “I can’t give up for my mom or for the little girls who continue to look up to me.” Kathie Leonard, president and CEO of Auburn Manufacturing, also credited her mother as a model of resiliency. “I learned to be tough,” she said. “I helped my mother; worked my way through school. I took opportunities when I saw them and got as much education as I could.” That resiliency contributed to her success, she added.

Build strong partnerships.

Melissa LaCasse, founder of Tanbark Molded Fiber Products and Women Who Empower Innovator Awards winner, underscored how investing in partnerships pays off. “Things aren’t always going to go the way you want them to go,” she explained. The trust you build with partners and investors will lay the groundwork for navigating challenging times. Resilience in the face of challenges is a theme that resonated with Mary Dickinson, executive vice president and chief scientific officer at The Jackson Laboratory. “In science, failure is part of the process,” she said. Knowing and embracing that can be a source of confidence and can help a team continue to move forward even in the face of setbacks.

Don’t take no for an answer.

These are words that Anusha Devanga lives by. A student in Khoury College’s MSCS in computer science program, Devanga described some of the challenges she’s faced as an international student. “I think about the things I want to accomplish like stops on a train – it doesn’t matter how I get there, but I’m going to make it to the right station!” She also underscored just how important community is when it comes to reaching goals. “A lot of people [at the Roux Institute] have advocated for me in rooms that I haven’t been in – that advocacy has led to opportunities including internships, research opportunities, and serving as a teaching assistant.”