International Women’s Day: Why Supporting Women Leaders Is Smart Business

March 3, 2026

Published in:

Diversity & Inclusion in Business

A woman stands before a chalkboard with various CEO skills written on it. — Photo courtesy Sindhu Srivastava (pictured) and Girls Who CEO

To celebrate International Women's Day (Sunday, 8 March), EO is highlighting members who are paving the way for other women to lead and thrive. Sindhu Srivastava is an EO Silicon Valley member whose nonprofit foundation, Girls Who CEO, empowers high school girls through hands-on business education and mentorship to foster the next generation of women leaders.

When Sindhu Srivastava came to the U.S. from a small town in India, she carried little more than ambition and determination. Years later, she is the CEO of two companies in Silicon Valley, including WeCrushEvents, a 2024 Inc. 5000 growth story and a 2025 Inc. Best Workplace.

Sindhu’s journey highlights a truth many business leaders overlook: When women are supported with the same infrastructure and confidence routinely given to men, entire markets open, and industries shift.

The Leadership Gap That Costs Companies Billions

While women make up nearly half the workforce, they account for only 10.4 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs. Narrowing that subset further, just six of those successful female leaders — 1.2 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs— are women of color. Despite decades of progress, these numbers have barely moved.

The business cost is significant. Gallup estimates that disengagement costs the global economy a staggering $8.8 trillion USD annually. McKinsey research shows companies with inclusive leadership outperform peers by 35 percent. The throughline is clear: Overlooking women leaders is not just a missed opportunity, it is a bottom-line liability.

Girls Who CEO: Starting Earlier

Recognizing this gap, Sindhu launched Girls Who CEO, a nonprofit designed to equip girls with presence, voice, and financial fluency long before stereotypes take hold. The idea is simple: courage compounds. By teaching young women to lead with authenticity and confidence early, the initiative builds future leaders who will not shrink back when challenged in boardrooms or business negotiations.

“It is not enough to support women mid-career,” Sindhu explains. “By then, too many have already stepped back or stepped out altogether. We have to start earlier, so leadership feels like second nature, not an exception.”

A Different Kind of ROI

The philosophy is already in action at WeCrush Events. When a candidate disclosed her pregnancy during an interview, many leaders would have seen risk. Sindhu saw past risk and recognized talent. The candidate not only met her goals before maternity leave but also landed a game-changing client and then returned from leave to lead a regional office.

That single decision delivered measurable ROI: revenue growth, leadership development, and loyalty that spread across the team.

For Sindhu, it proved the premise of what she is building through Girls Who CEO: When women are supported throughout inflection points along their career journeys, companies not only thrive; they multiply impact.

The Leadership Lesson

Sindhu’s initiative to empower teen girls is not framed as charity. It is a growth strategy. Leaders who invest in inclusion, allyship, and authentic leadership unlock trust, retain top talent, and drive innovation that sustains.

In her words: “Strategy sets the destination. Connection and courage determine whether anyone follows.”

For executives navigating markets that demand both innovation and loyalty, Girls Who CEO points to a simple but powerful truth: Supporting women leaders expands what is possible for everyone.

Take Action Boldly

The next billion-dollar idea might already be out there. Whether it scales may depend on whether companies build the conditions where more girls see themselves not just as leaders of tomorrow, but as CEOs today.

Contributed to EO by Wandia Chiuri, an EO Silicon Valley member who is the managing director of Reactionpower, which delivers AI-powered precision engineered executive branding to help fast-growth company leaders get more done and extend their digital reach.