As we celebrate our trio of 2025 Women Influencers, it’s prime time for me to reminisce a bit. Back in “my day,” times were different. Within the creative world of fashion where the younger version of myself came up, most of the designers were highly competitive women who, frankly, were not always kind to each other.
Some (not all) of the men from that generation could be bad enough, with their aggressive behaviors, looking at and even touching us women inappropriately. Them, I could laugh at and shrug off. Unbeknownst to me at the time, however, was the fact that so many attitudinal women were passive-aggressive and even more dangerous! Inexperienced little Carol naively wanted to learn and ask questions. Yet most of my female counterparts cared only about getting ahead and looked out for themselves. Such ladies (not all of them could be labeled that!) were a blue-and-yellow tint of something else: envy, that green-eyed, evil monster.
Not All Women Influencers Behave Badly
The NYC scene then was ultra-competitive and all about who you knew. Most of these feminine creatures would rather belittle and step on (and over) other women than try to help out a fellow sister. That was a hard truth for me to accept when I was young and in my twenties. Thankfully, increasing self-confidence, a love of art and music, and my understanding husband, Frank, got me through some tough times. And, to be fair, not all of the women treated their peers poorly. From the underlying negativity, I cultivated a pair of lifelong friendships with two ladies whom I’ve come to cherish. They were rare finds five decades ago, and I’m blessed to have each of them in my life.
Fast-forward fifty-some odd years and, finally, the guys seem to “get it” now (at least most of them). It took them a while. But what about all those “mean girls?” Well, let me tell you why the recent photo shoot with Mary Hart, Jennifer Healy, and Sarah Henderson was such a refreshing experience! I fondly refer to these classy ladies as our “3-H Club.” (Read more about them and why they were chosen.) They really did not know each other well when we met them in New York City in late June. Then, a funny thing happened. They became friends.
Over the course of spending an afternoon together, Jen, Mary, and Sarah chatted and got to know one another. The element of empathy set in. By day’s end, they realized that they have so very much in common—from navigating work life to managing family life, each in their own way. They talked about planning a “girls weekend” reunion together in the near future. I truly admire these women and thank them for inspiring me to learn, to do more reading, and to step out of my comfort zone.
It was evident that our ’25 Women Influencers walked away, back to their separate lives, with a sense of mutual respect. When posing for the cover photo, Jennifer affectionately placed her arms on Mary and Sarah’s shoulders not because she was directed to do so. The loving gesture came naturally. Isn’t holding each other up what it’s all about? Their employers dash—HP, Ricoh, and Valsoft—are lucky to have such well-rounded leaders! Our 2025 Women Influencers are proof that “women belong in all places where decisions are being made,” as late U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said. We especially belong in the office technology industry.
Coffee with Carol
Please be sure to watch the insightful, five-minute video these ladies made for us during the photo shoot!
Read Carol’s take on young influencers and “girls who print.”
