Donna Lichaw

Leadership starts from the inside out: first lead yourself, then lead others one-on-one, then lead teams, then lead the business. If you skip straight to leading others without knowing yourself, it's like an eggshell — ready to crack.

Don't fight imposter syndrome — ask how it's serving you. Every time one founder felt like an imposter, she worked harder, learned more, and grew. It was completely functional. The problem wasn't the feeling; it was doing too much with it.

"I'm a strategist" — what is that? It doesn't mean anything. That's not a superpower. When I look at your stories, I'm looking for something specific: like the ability to connect themes, ideas, and people together. That's a superpower.