For years, the focus has been on getting women a seat at the table—breaking barriers, demanding
inclusion, and making our voices heard. And while that fight is far from over, what happens after we
get in?
Because if we’re being honest, a seat alone doesn’t guarantee impact. Influence isn’t given just
because you’re in the room; getting into the room is just one step.
The ability to make key decisions, strategize, and execute is what makes you powerful in any room. Beyond Visibility: Accelerating Action
Sports media and business are full of rooms where decisions about women’s sports are made
without women sometimes even being at the table.
And even when we’re there, the real question is: Are we driving the decisions, shaping the deals, and building legacies?
I’ll share what true impact looks like using two of my favourite women in sports business.
Jessica Berman, Commissioner of the NWSL, didn’t just step into leadership—she secured a $240M
media rights deal for the league, proving that women’s football is a serious business, not a side
hustle. Or Fatma Samoura, FIFA’s first female Secretary General and my all- time role model, who didn’t just
hold a position but rewrote many football rules, giving women powerful decision- making roles.
For me, stepping into Brila wasn’t just about running a company. It was about reshaping it for the
future. Legacy is important, but evolution is critical.
That’s why we pivoted from a radio station to a full- fledged sports media powerhouse focused on consultancy, digitization, and sports storytelling. Because having a seat isn’t enough—the question I ask myself daily is, “Debbie, how are you redefining the table you sit at?”
The Reality: Challenges Women Face Even After Getting a Seat
But now that I have your attention, let’s get real for a moment because even when women do get a
seat at the table, we still face an uphill battle.
I love to tell people that women in leadership currently aren’t here to prove we belong or fill check boxes; we’re here to be the architects of industries before people realize how long we’ve been in the room strategizing.
We’re tired of the insidious issue of the “likability” trap—where we’re expected to be tough yet
likable, strong but gentle, assertive but not too bold.
The balancing act can be exhausting, especially when we’re expected to play by a set of rules that weren’t made for us in the first place.
And I love that we’re no longer asking for a seat or creating panels begging for a seat at the table;
we’re creating blueprints from whatever position we operate and accelerating action.
The biggest mistake we can make is assuming that inclusion is enough. It’s not. We need ownership. We need power. We need to be the architects of the future. The Real Question
for Women in 2025.
So, this International Women’s Month, I’m not here to talk about seats at the table.
I’m asking:
What are we building that will outlive us? What structures are we creating for the next generation? Who are we bringing up behind us?
