Last year, my family and I were in Italy on International Women’s Day—it was a terrific celebration. Yellow mimosa flowers were on full display in every restaurant, storefront, and flower cart: the Yellow Mimosa is a symbolic expression of beauty and resilience—apparently, it can grow in any condition. Men and women wished me and my daughter a “Buona Festa della Donna!” and “Happy Women’s Day!”
Our brilliant tour guide at the Doge’s (not that DOGE) Palace asked us why America hadn’t elected a woman to serve as President yet, with so many qualified candidates? After all, International Women’s Day originated in the United States. My husband and I both revelled in the idea that a day celebrating women—or really any group—was not politicized. It was a joyful day.
On August 26, we celebrate Women’s Equality Day, marking the heroic strides women have made in the face of a centuries-old patriarchy—but also recognizing how far we still have to go. It is less of a celebration and more of a gut check. Equity, after all, is now a politicized concept. The recognition that we don’t all start from the same place, but all deserve to finish together, upsets some people. Equity helps those who have been held back. It is being weaponized because long-marginalized affinity groups in our society are on the rise. But the rise of marginalized groups is slow, and the work toward equality is exhausting.
In so many corners of our society, women are still underrepresented, even in fields where we are the majority. It has me thinking: Do women have to run so much harder to keep up with the guys? Yes! For now, we must!
Today, I’m proud to be running my business and leading a dynamic team in a landscape where women are still underrepresented in leadership. According to the Arthur W. Page Center, women make up 70% of the public relations workforce. Despite their majority presence, women remain underrepresented in leadership, holding fewer than 30% of top positions, and even fewer with ownership stakes.
Did you know that while new women-owned businesses are currently outpacing the market, less than 2% bring in more than $1 million a year in revenue?
After years of working in news, government, and other organizations, I took a leap of faith and hung out my shingle when my daughter was born, almost 16 years ago. I was married at the time, and I had health insurance through my former husband’s employer. Growing up in a union household, I was accustomed to a robust benefits package, and that safety net gave me the courage to leap. But, soon after, my marriage ended, and the safety net was cut. I found myself afraid for the first time in my professional career. But I kept running.
I started my business because I LOVE my work, but I didn’t want to miss my daughter’s childhood. Since college, I have moved almost 20 times to accommodate my career opportunities. In what felt like a pride-swallowing experience at the time, I made another leap…back to my hometown, landing just blocks from where I grew up. What began in my living room—and evolved with changing times—has grown into a 15-person team of talented, driven creatives, proudly headquartered in Erie, PA.
At Kate Philips & Co. (kate & co.), we are a women-owned, women-led business operating in the top 2% of the women-owned marketplace from a relatively under-appreciated corner of Pennsylvania. We recently made another leap—transitioning from a rented office to owning our own space at 111 West 11th Street.
Partnering with Erie Bank and the City of Erie, we took on debt and are rehabbing a 155-year-old grand dame of a building located in one of the poorest zip codes in America (follow our progress here). One quarter of women-owned businesses say that they are debt averse—for some it’s due to real barriers to financing, and others, it’s good old-fashioned fear. We invested in ourselves, set our sights on growing our team, and the community we serve— kept running!
Traditional workplace structures were designed with men in mind. They rarely account for adequate family leave, flexible scheduling, or the realities of caregiving. The result? Women remain underrepresented in leadership again, and we own very few office spaces. Our new space will include dedicated maternal care facilities and be within walking distance of high-quality childcare.
Despite progress over the past decades, there is still a pressing need to create pathways for women to achieve career success at the highest levels. Women make up roughly half of the American workforce, yet they are far less likely to be given the opportunities, resources, and mentorship to step into executive positions. We need to lift them up and resist the politicization of our progress. Keep running!
My Approach to Leadership
Over the course of my career, I have worked with and for many impressive women—as an advocate, an advisor, a co-worker, and now as a CEO, I have listened and evolved—always learning. To me, leadership is about creating an environment where everyone is happy, healthy, and whole. Find the brilliance in someone and let them succeed—and by all means, let them be happy. We apply the kate & co. way to each project, post, and pitch, but every happy person who brings something unique to the table allows us to set standards, often exceeding expectations.
That means hiring intentionally. It means making space for every voice and listening to employee feedback. And it means offering benefits that recognize the realities of people’s lives—like paid family leave, flexible work schedules for caregiving, mental health days, and support for continuing education.
The reality is that many women will take time off during and after pregnancy (often unpaid). Yet too often, upon returning, they’re viewed as less committed or less professional simply because their leave disrupted the “normal” workflow. I know that I had to keep stride during my daughter’s most formative years. This bias is baked into a professional culture that was built by male leaders who historically weren’t expected to step away for caregiving. Here’s the kicker, the first family leave we supported at kate & co. was for one of our male team members—a father! Yes, men want to thrive as parents and professionals, just like women—and I’m so happy they can.
I’m honored to recently be appointed to serve as part of Governor Josh Shapiro’s Advisory Commission on Women. The Commission is composed of 29 other women, appointed by Governor Shapiro, who advocate on behalf of Pennsylvania’s women. In this role, I will work to ensure that the voices of women, particularly those from underserved communities, are reflected in my work in this important role.
Some of our priorities include menstrual equity, maternal health, childcare access, pay equity, and menopause health – guess what, I’m in menopause, and to keep running these days is harder. These are not just “women’s issues.” They are economic issues, workforce issues, and community issues that require us to run harder (especially our families!).
The future of leadership will be stronger, more innovative, and more inclusive when women can advance alongside men without having to run twice as fast. Forward progress for generations is the dream—and at Kate Philips & Co., we’re committed to making that dream a reality.
I often say I can’t compete with men because I want everyone to win. When we support each other and recognize that these barriers exist, everyone wins. But, for now, we keep running!
