Female Strong ® is a 501c3 non-profit organization and a community of committed individuals that offer hands-on programs, mentorship, and experiences that build confidence in middle and high school girls. We support the inclusion of all girl, trans, gender-fluid and non-binary youth as we help propel them to become future leaders. By empowering young women with the skills they need early in life, we are equipping them to realize their potential, and preempt the inequities that exist for women in the workplace today.
Problems Facing Women in the workforce today
Gender Pay Gap
43% of women in the U.S. think they earn less than a man doing the same job.* and 60% of women have never negotiated pay compared to 48% of men.
Sexual Harassment
29% of women in the G20 have faced harassment at work.
Imposter Syndrome
Women tend to judge their performance as worse than they objectively are while men judge their own as better. [link]
Access To Hot Jobs
Women still get offered fewer of the high visibility, mission-critical roles, and international experiences (what we call “hot jobs”) that are important to reaching the highest levels of leadership.
Women Role Models in the Workplace
Almost two-thirds of women reported a lack of senior or visibly successful female role models as a major obstacle to their career advancement. While women are almost half of the US labor force, they make up less than 5% of CEOs and less than 10% of top earners in the S&P 500; and for women of color are nearly invisible on both S&P 500 boards and Fortune 500 boards.
We seek to change this narrative and are starting with our future female business leaders.
Why building confidence matters for girls:
Confidence and belief go hand in hand. The belief factor is the cornerstone of confidence. With belief you are anchored in an ideal, vision, dream and outcome.
- #1: Confidence is the top answer when girls were asked what they need to succeed
- 1 in 3 girls say that they are afraid to be a leader because they don’t want to be thought of as ‘bossy’*
- 47% of girls think most girls their age are embarrassed to be smart.*
- 46% of high school girls do not believe they are smart enough for their dream career.*
- 42% of girls believe that there are certain jobs that are better for men than women.*
*Source: Hinkelman, L., “The Girls’ Index: New insights into the complex world of today’s girls” Columbus, OH: Ruling Our eXperiences, Inc., 2017
In a 2016 study, 86% of girls aged 7-10 thought that boys and girls have the same chance of succeeding in their chose careers. The percentage drops as girls get older, with 54% of those aged 11-16 agreeing that boys and girls have the same chance of succeeding. Of those aged 17-21, only 35% thought they would be as successful as their male counterparts in their chosen career.
Our Goals
Female Strong wants all girls to realize that they can lead, they are smart and they can pursue their dream job. We help build the confidence they need to change their futures. We help to build bold girls who will be our future leaders. By having a program that is just for girls, we provide a safe space for them to explore themselves in a nurturing and supportive environment surrounded by other girls that are doing the same.
Our programs help to build the following skills:
- Curiosity
- Strategic thinking
- Resilience
- Communication
- Public speaking
- Time management
- Networking
- Financial Management
- Branding
- Sales
- Creativity
- Finding their own voice
- Discipline
- Grit
- Growth Mindset
In addition to concrete business-related skills our girls also learn the following soft skills:
- Attitude
- Teamwork
- Professionalism
- Interpersonal skills
- To make a good impression and impact
Why That Is Important:
- Entrepreneurship education contributes to developing “grit”, which researcher Angela Duckworth states is the most important factor in an individual’s long term success.
- Girls who have effective friendships and feel supported by other girls that they trust report lower levels of sadness and depression*
- Only 49% of girls say that someone at their school is helping them explore their plans after high school*
*Source: Hinkelman, L., “The Girls’ Index: New insights into the complex world of today’s girls” Columbus, OH: Ruling Our eXperiences, Inc., 2017
LinkedIn’s 2019 Global Talent Trends report showed that 92% of hiring managers say that soft skills are as important – or more important – than hard skills. In addition, 89% of managers say their “bad hires” typically lack soft skills.