Breaking the Mold When Women Lead with Julia Boorstin || EP.218

Sep 30, 2025

28:21

Episode Description

Emmy-nominated journalist Julia Boorstin spent years interviewing thousands of executives before discovering something unexpected: the most successful women leaders had no playbook.

After 25 years covering business transformation at Fortune and CNBC, Julia set out to understand why women receive only 2% of venture capital despite outperforming their counterparts—and what she found changed everything she thought about leadership.

In this conversation with Laurie McGraw, Julia reveals insights from her book "When Women Lead" and the 60 extraordinary women who defied impossible odds. From wearing fake glasses to be taken seriously to discovering that gratitude correlates with long-term decision making, Julia unpacks why there's no single formula for female leadership success—and why that's exactly the point.

Key Takeaways:

Why vulnerability and transparency matter more than performed strength in uncertain times

The surprising link between gratitude and strategic long-term thinking

How "turning down your confidence" to gather information leads to better decisions

Why the data proves female-led companies outperform—returning profits a year earlier on average

The "water supply problem" approach that transforms how you solve any challenge

Why communal leadership isn't weakness—it's a statistical predictor of success

From the CNBC Changemakers list to her new podcast launching September 30th, Julia continues amplifying voices of women who are rewriting the rules of business.

Her message is clear: authenticity isn't about fitting a mold—it's about understanding your unique strengths and leading from that truth.

Chapter Markers

03:31 - Why Business Journalism Reveals Social Change

05:58 - The Myth of One Female Leadership Playbook

09:32 - Gratitude as a Strategic Leadership Skill

11:55 - Why Purpose-Driven Companies Outperform

14:12 - Leading Through Crisis with Data, Not Emotion

18:23 - Building the CNBC Changemakers Movement

22:08 - Finding the Water Supply Problem

25:29 - The Arbitrage Opportunity in Female Leadership

Guest & Host Links

Connect with Laurie McGraw on LinkedIn