In a world where finance and business fields are dominated by males, the lack of female role models can be discouraging, especially for ambitious young women who hope to pursue these fields one day. Recognizing this dilemma, Bridgewater-Raritan High School junior Ridhi Pothu set out to challenge this gender barrier and empower women through her podcast, Leading Ladies.
After growing up in a society dominated by male entrepreneurs, Pothu created Leading Ladies to celebrate influential women and showcase their success. Through the podcast, listeners explore the inspiring journeys and powerful stories of ground-breaking women in business, finance and international relations.
Through her podcast, Pothu aims to recognize the challenges women have faced in their journeys and how they have stood their ground and stayed motivated. As her podcast grows and expands, she hopes to interview more female CFOs who have had a large-scale impact.
“Whether they’re entrepreneurs, corporate executives, or financial experts, I’m eager to share their stories and insights with the audience,” she said.
When selecting her guests for the podcast episodes, Pothu looks for remarkable women who have made a mark in their respective fields. She makes sure to have a diverse variety of guests from different backgrounds to connect with her audience.
Each episode shines light on the resilience of powerful women who were faced with gender discrimination and challenges, and how they didn’t let that deter them from their dreams and goals. Pothu delves into the professional journeys of her guests and offers insight into the business world. Each episode holds a special place in her heart, but one that stands out to her is her conversation with Michelle Jeffries.
Michelle Jeffries serves as the Head of Global Financial Operations at Lazard. Throughout the episode, Jeffries openly shares insights gathered from her extensive two-decade journey within the finance industry. From her beginnings as a senior accountant at Horwath to her current pivotal role at Lazard, Jeffries’ career trajectory stands as a testament to her remarkable accomplishments.
What sets this episode apart is Jeffries openness in addressing the obstacles she encountered as a woman in finance and the strategies she adeptly employed to navigate and triumph over them. Pothu kept this point as a major theme of the episode.
“Her willingness to share both her successes and setbacks offers valuable lessons and inspiration to listeners, especially aspiring women leaders in the finance sector,” she said.
Through Leading Ladies, Pothu hopes to inspire young women through 20-minute episodes and give them something she didn’t have growing up: a female role model. Her podcast is sure to break gender barriers in various senses and make an impact. She hopes that one day, her podcast will introduce a powerful woman to the world who can pose as a role model for many more young girls in the future.
