Ever walked into a meeting ready to contribute—and somehow walked out wondering if anyone even heard you?

You’re not imagining it.
You’re navigating a system that wasn’t built for you.

This week on Penny for Your Shots, I sat down with Kae Kronthaler-Williams, a longtime tech executive and now author of Not Made for You: How Women Can Challenge Bias, Claim Their Space, and Thrive in a System Built for Men.

Kae spent 30 years leading marketing in the tech world—a space that’s still overwhelmingly male. She’s seen (and lived) the subtle slights, the ideas reworded by someone else and suddenly celebrated, the quiet calculations women make before speaking up again.

But Kae didn’t shrink, or just learn how to survive it. She learned how to name it, navigate it, and change it.

And she’s showing other women how to do the same.

Awareness Is the First Step Toward Power

Bias can be blatant—but more often, it’s subtle. It’s being interrupted, overlooked, or dismissed. It’s being called “too aggressive” for the same traits that get men promoted.

Kae says the key is naming what’s happening in real time. Instead of quietly fuming, she encourages women to calmly address it:

“Help me understand why you asked John the same question I just answered.”

It’s not about confrontation—it’s about clarity. When you name the pattern, you shift the power.

Support Each Other in the Room (Not After)

Kae shared how often women notice bias—but talk about it after the meeting, instead of in it.

Her challenge? Speak up for one another in real time.

If you hear another woman being interrupted, say, “Let’s let her finish her thought.”
If her idea gets echoed by someone else, credit her by name.

That’s how we shift rooms, cultures, and companies—one interaction at a time.

It’s Not Just Work—It’s Worth

Here’s what I love most about Kae’s message:
This isn’t just about leadership in the workplace.
It’s about leadership in your life.

Every woman listening—whether you’re in corporate, running your own business, or somewhere in between—has been shaped by a system designed without us in mind. But that doesn’t mean we have to keep fitting into it.

We get to build our own.

That’s what this podcast (and my Serving Superstars community) is really about: rewriting the rules.
Leading differently.
Building success that feels like you.

Your Turn to Lead Anyway

If this episode stirred something in you—if you’ve been feeling that friction between who you are and what’s expected of you—consider it your cue.

It’s time to stop waiting for the system to change and start leading on your own terms.

Let’s talk about what that could look like for you.

👉 Book a one-on-one coaching session here .
We’ll map out where you are, where you want to go, and the first small steps to get you moving again—with clarity and confidence.

You don’t need permission. You just need a plan.
Let’s create it together.

~Penny