The Power of Us: 5 Reflections on the 2026 EO Women Summit

July 2, 2026

Published in:

Diversity & Inclusion in Business

After two years as the EO Women Global Community Lead, Pooja Agarwal reflects on five leadership lessons that emerged through vulnerability, co-leadership, and authentic connection. Her experience reaffirms that thriving communities are built not by one leader, but by the dedicated people who choose to show up for one another with purpose and heart.

Dozens of women in red dresses pose in a beautiful setting. — Photo by Entrepreneurs' Organization

The 2026 EO Women Summit took place 8-11 June in Lisbon, Portugal. With 77 attendees and speakers from 38 EO chapters across the world, the event inspired a powerful journey of growth and belonging. The next annual EO Women gathering will be in Bali in June 2027; look for more details in coming months.

Pooja Agarwal, EO Gujarat, serves as the EO Global Women Community Lead. She shared her reflections on the EO Women Summit:

For the past two years, I have had the privilege of serving as the EO Women Community Lead. It has been a journey of building EO Women into an EO Global Community—creating a space where women entrepreneurs from across the world could come together to learn, share and grow.

The role demanded countless meetings across different time zones, commitment, patience, heart, and resilience. Yet, every conversation, every relationship made the journey worthwhile.

When I look back over these two years, I carry many memories. But what I hold closest to my heart are the “5% conversations,” the shared moments of vulnerability that quietly shaped my own leadership journey.

These are the five reflections from the EO Women journey that I will carry with me.

A fashionable woman in a red dress shares her thoughts in an outside setting. — Pooja Agarwal, EO Women Global Community Lead

1. Spaces for Women Entrepreneurs Still Matter

One conversation stayed with me long after the EO Women Summit ended.

A member shared that after attending countless entrepreneurial conferences, this was the first women-focused entrepreneurial conference she had ever attended. She told me it was the first time she could truly own her femininity.

That conversation stayed with me.

"People don't remember how many people they met at an event. They remember how they felt. At the EO Women Summit, people felt seen." — Pooja Agarwal, EO Gujarat

Many women have built remarkable businesses across industries, often navigating environments very different from this Summit. What struck me was how naturally authenticity emerged within this community. There was a sense of belonging that allowed everyone to simply be themselves. They laughed louder, danced as though no one was watching, looked into each other’s eyes and showed up exactly as they were.

For me, it was a beautiful reminder that ambition and femininity can coexist. Leadership and authenticity can coexist.

Spaces like these create an environment where women can lead, connect, contribute, and celebrate their power.

2. Community Inspires Connection

When I think back to the Summit, I remember how intentional we were about the content. The speakers, workshops and learn-arounds were all focused on the Summit theme, The Power of Us. We put a great deal of thought into making sure that every day flowed naturally into the next and that everything tied back to our theme.

But what was most engaging, I found, was that the most meaningful conversations happened over a cup of coffee, between sessions, or around the dinner table.

I remember conversations about women empowerment, the challenges women across the world face, the opportunities ahead, finances, deeply personal stories, and the courage, strength, and conviction it took to make some of those decisions.

I also remember how we supported one another.

When one member’s luggage did not arrive, members from the community immediately came together to help her. Someone went shopping with her, and someone immediately offered her clothes. It was such a simple moment, but it showed so much solidarity.

There are many more stories like these that have stayed with me.

I believe this is truly the Power of Us, where it is not only the content that inspires us, but the human connections that transform us.

In the words of Brené Brown, “Connection is why we’re here; it is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives.”

3. Co-Leadership Became One of Our Greatest Strengths

One of the greatest strengths of this journey was our co-leadership team.

We were all so different—different regions, different cultures, different personalities, and different styles of leadership. But somehow, those differences became our greatest strength. They became our power.

I still smile when I recall discussing the hotel with Belén Cuturi, EO Community Staff Lead. We were both crossing our fingers, hoping this would be the one. We wanted every little detail to reflect a once-in-a-lifetime EO experience. The same was true for the theme, the dinners, the content, and the overall flow of the Summit.

Every conversation came back to one question: What kind of experience do we want our members to take home?

We wanted it to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

What I loved most was watching everyone take complete ownership of their roles.

Saleema Vellani led the MyEO dinner and the networking session. Sindhu Srivastava personally reached out to so many members that she joked she was probably spamming half the community. Ashley Dudarenok worked so tirelessly to connect with everyone that, at one point, her WhatsApp was even blocked. Stephanie Camarillo stayed committed to bringing in sponsorships, even when we had last-minute sponsor backouts, while Elena Filkova worked alongside her throughout. Julia Kutser supported Sindhu with all the data she needed, and Kimmy Costa made sure everyone stayed connected.

Watching everyone take ownership of their roles reminded me that communities are built through trust and collective leadership.

4. Sometimes Smaller Creates Something Bigger

When we first looked at the registration numbers, we realized the Summit was going to be smaller than the previous one. Naturally, I think all of us felt a twinge of disappointment.

To my surprise, my perspective completely changed during the event as feedback started pouring in.

"Leadership is not about always being at the front of the room. It is about understanding what the moment needs from you." — Pooja Agarwal, EO

Members came up to me and said they had never felt as connected to other members as they did at this Summit. Some even went so far as to say, “I have attended so many summits, but this is one of the best I have ever attended.”

Others shared that they did not feel lost the way they often do at larger events. They felt the deeper connection. Members continued conversations after the sessions, sharing stories, experiences, and simply getting to know one another.

Looking back, what I initially saw as a negative turned out to be one of our biggest strengths. The smaller size gave us room to create more meaningful experiences throughout the Summit.

One of my biggest takeaways was that people don’t remember how many people they met at an event. They remember how they felt.

And at this Summit, people felt seen.

5. Leadership Takes Many Forms

When I attended Global Leadership Academy, one lesson stayed with me.

You don’t always have to lead from the front. Sometimes you have to lead from behind, and sometimes you have to lead from the middle.

Over the past two years, I have carried that lesson with me.

There were moments when I led from the front—standing on stage, making difficult decisions, showing vulnerability.

There were moments when I led from behind—creating space for others to step forward, take ownership, and lead the community forward. I truly believe that when others grow, the community grows, and you grow along with it.

And then there were moments when I simply led from the middle—walking alongside the community, supporting them, celebrating their strengths, listening, and sometimes simply being present.

Looking back, I realized that leadership is not about always being at the front of the room. It is about understanding what the moment needs from you.

What We Built Together

When I think about the many firsts we created as a community.

We created many firsts as a community: Engagement on the One EO platform. Women-led learn-arounds. Workshops becoming a part of the Summit. Welcoming world-class speakers such as Dr. Jessica Shepherd. Hosting our highest-attended cocktail networking event at GLC. MyEO dinners alongside virtual sessions, where learning and open conversation brought together hundreds of members from around the world.

None of these moments happened by chance. Every detail was created with one intention—to make every member feel seen, connected, and valued.

At the end of these two years, one thing I know for sure is that communities are never built in a day, or even in a year. They are built brick by brick—from the members who lay the foundation, to the members who serve, and most importantly, to the ones who choose to show up day after day with commitment and heart. That is The Power of Us.