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Colorado Matters
March 24, 2026: The state of women in the workplace: from leadership to pay inequity, working to break barriers
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From CPR News, this is Colorado Matters for Women's History Month, a new look at the state of women in the workforce in Colorado. Even as the state ranks relatively strong for female entrepreneurship, new data shows persistent pay gaps, workforce losses and barriers for growth.
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B
Women aren't leaving work. Work is leaving women.
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We talked with Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce CEO Simone Ross about what's driving the trends and what the chamber says employers do now to help retain and advance women in the workplace. Then a concerning statewide report that shows women in Colorado still earn 81 cents for every dollar earned by men.
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C
Women in our state aren't getting a fair shot, and we all deserve a fair shot to build a good life for ourselves.
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A
And we learned the significance of the date March 26th. You're with Colorado Matters on CPR News and krcc. I'm Chandra Thomas Whitfield. A record number of women in Colorado left the workforce in 2025. Many cited burnout. Caregiving demands, limited workplace flexibility and the rollback of inclusive practices is among the reasons. It's one of the major findings in a soon to be released report by the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce. Most fitting as we observe Women's History Month underway now, the Chamber CEO Simone Ross joins me now to tell me more about the report that highlights both progress and persistent challenges for women in the workforce and in entrepreneurship across our state. Simone, welcome to Colorado Matters.
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B
Hi Chandra, thank you for having me.
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A
Simone, you recently delivered the 2026 State of Women in Business address at your annual event in downtown Denver, and that also featured a panel of local women executives talking about what's driving talent loss and some retention solutions that are working. What do you consider the big takeaways from the report?
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B
The key takeaways? In my keynote, I shared that it's personal with all the rhetoric that we've heard at a national level regarding women and women being able to be so frivolously classified as dei. I really drove home that women, in fact, are not dei. They are gdp. And it's personal. Women's economic equity is personal. Access to opportunity is personal. Workforce development to ensure that women are able to be recruited and retained. It's personal. And so throughout that keynote, I really took our audience and our community through the things that we all deal with. It's not just women versus men, right? It's it's college degrees, it's a change in jobs, it's having children, it's getting married, it's getting divorced. All of those things are a part of our Workplace identity. The only difference when we talk about gender is that women are expected to choose. They're expected to choose the family over the career. They're expected to choose caring for aging or ailing parents over career. And disproportionately, men aren't having to make these choices. And it has a tremendous economic impact on women, on families, on gdp. And so it's not a matter of just putting women in a box saying their dei. It's a matter of, again, making it personal and ensuring that we have systems to support the variance in identity and those gender roles that disproportionately fall on women. And so it was wonderful. And then we moved into the panel where we really got into some of those solutions to retain women.
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A
What is the central message you want business and community leaders to take away from this report?
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B
So the women on board's report, it shows in Colorado specifically, and this is an alarm at the gate. Right now, women's public board participation is on the decline. We've actually declined 1.3% over last year. Last year, we were at 29.1% of publicly traded boards, had three or more women on their boards. Now we're at 28.75% of Colorado's publicly traded boards having three or more women on their boards of directors. This is an alarm. This means that we are no longer prioritizing or operating with intentionality around having inclusive boards of directors. And so Colorado's businesses, as my kid would say, they gotta lock in. They gotta lock back in on intentionality and inclusivity. What we also know is that the C suite is truly the conduit to having access to corporate boards. We're seeing those numbers declining as well with women serving in C level roles. And so there's a direct correlation there. And this is something that we can easily remedy. It just requires, again, the business community to lock in. One of the takeaways from the luncheon was that women aren't leaving work. Work is leaving women. Work needs to come back to women.
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A
Let's dig a little deeper into these factors. You described that women are feeling like they have no choice but to leave the workforce. Any insight into new circumstances that are exacerbating those factors?
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B
There certainly are a variety of new circumstances, one of which is workplace flexibility. That's something that women truly benefit from. And I want to be clear. Everyone benefits from having workplace flexibility. But again, when you look at caregiving responsibilities, household responsibilities, when you look at all of those things, it falls disproportionately on Women. And so oftentimes, women are choosing again to exit based on these return to work mandates. They're choosing just not to be in a corporate environment that doesn't offer them workplace flexibility. Whether it's to pick a child up from school, whether it's to drop a child off to go to a soccer game, or like you have to do later, attend an awards event, women aren't wanting to choose that versus being at work. And what we learned through Covid was that you can actually do all of it. And so that's one of the key things that's making women exit the corporate ecosystem is return to work mandates that don't leave wiggle room for, for flexibility. And so in our retention guide, we have some suggestions, like, let's look at maybe a different kind of work schedule. We're not scheduling meetings before 10 or after 3pm that's so simple. Right? It's so simple. You're taking the stress and pressure off of a population that might need to do pickups, drop offs, late start days. You're giving them an opportunity to come in, still engage with their teams. Yes. But you're creating those flexible options for them to be able to feel success and not have that stress and that pressure that oftentimes caregiving responsibilities provide. Or it can even be something as simple as, you know what, I gotta wash my kids basketball uniforms and I gotta get them in the wash and I gotta do it before I head out to work. But taking that stress off, right? It's a simple solution.
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A
Yeah. Well, this is feeling more like a therapy session for me because all of the above, you know, I had the privilege of having a career before children and actually having a family. And that was a huge shift for me because I did not have to even consider these schedules. And it is definitely very stressful when, you know, you have a boss that goes, hey, let's start this meeting at 3, and you're like, oh my gosh, I have to leave. And just being put in that situation, having to ask for permission to leave or to, you know, just manage all the responsibilities. And as we know, school and work and all of this all seems to kind of collide.
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B
And it does. Yes. And that was what one of the takeaways was, is that it's personal. Women's advancement is not transactional. It's personal. And so to dehumanize the movement for equity in work and equity to access to opportunity by simply saying that's a DEI issue, we're going down the wrong path as leaders, it desensitizes us to what our workforce needs. And again, what works for women works for all. But to just simply say, that's dei, that's not true, it's personal. And so that is why we published the guide. The guide even talks about some strategies to be able to increase workforce participation and access to opportunity within the broken rung. The broken rung is defined as those entry level women employees who are not being elevated to mid to senior level management roles. There's a huge disparity within that. For every 100 men that's promoted from entry level to manager, 83 women are promoted from entry level to manager. And so we call that the broken rung. And it's even more disparate for, for women of color in the workforce. So within the guide, I keep talking about the guide, it's a cliffhanger. I'm dangling a carrot because I want everybody to say, well, tell me about this guide and where do I access it? We talk about ways to train your middle level managers in supporting entry level team members. We discuss opportunities for clear career pathways, sponsorship, mentorship, culture, really integrating that into the workforce. Because this is where the crisis is, is within that broken rung. This is where we're seeing the drop off that leads to the 28.75% of women participating on publicly traded boards in our state. And we can fix it, but we just have to, we have to lock
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A
in from the data your organization tracks, where are the biggest equity gaps right now for women?
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B
Yeah, that's a great question. The equity gaps truly do lie within that broken rung. There is a glass ceiling. We always hear about cracking the glass ceiling. That's where you can see up to the top and at least you kind of know what you want to strive for. There's also the cement ceiling. That's really the ceiling that we see disproportionately for women of color, differently abled women in the workforce. It's where you can't even see up to the top because you have such little accessibility to understanding your career pathway and having access to leadership. And so within that broken rung, when we talk about fixing it, it's simple solutions. Employ a policy around skip level meetings where senior leadership is not expecting employees that are entry level to come up to them. They're going down to where those entry level employees are to have conversations. It's around employers really implementing strategic goal setting to understand where do their team members want to go, what are some things they want to be working on that they don't have an opportunity? Where do they think their gifts are? And saying, well, how can we plug this into the organization? How can we get you in on a project again to get rid of that cement ceiling, to create exposure to different leaders and to get that skill set out. Simple things, no cost things. It just requires intentionality and recognizing the disparities in the workforce.
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Simone Ross, CEO of the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce, talking with me about the chamber's annual report examining both progress and persistent challenges for women in the workforce. After the break, we zoom in a bit on what Ross says about how women entrepreneurs are faring in our state. I'm Chandra Thomas Whitfield. This is Colorado Matters from CPR News and krcc. Feel already buried deep. Six feet on the screens and no one seems to hear a thing. Do you know that there's still a chance for you? You're with Colorado Matters on CPR News and krcc. I'm Chandra Thomas Whitfield. Let's get back to our conversation with Simone Ross, CEO of the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce. She's talking with us about the organization's 2026 State of Women Business Report, which is released each March in observance of Women's History Month. Underway. Now, turning to entrepreneurship. What are the major roadblocks women face when it comes to starting and scaling businesses in Colorado?
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B
That's a great question. You threw out a statistic around women exiting the workforce, women of color exiting the workforce. Right now in the United States of America, women are starting new businesses 5x5 times more quickly than men, and women of color are doing so more quickly. We call it necessity entrepreneurship, which. Right. You can get some gifts that are born from necessity entrepreneurship, for sure. You also can face uphill battles when you're finding yourself participating in this necessity entrepreneurship marketplace. We know that women's access to capital is far less than men. It's at around 2% right now. Women in aggregate have access to venture funds. Women of color, it's 0.35% are getting funded by venture. We know that women typically aren't getting bank loans. They don't even think to get bank loans. So what they're doing is they're cashing in their 401 plans, they're putting lines of credit on the equity of their homes, all of those things to get their business started and to get up and going. This again, when we talk about women not being dei, but gdp, this has huge economic impacts on a women's economy. For us to have a thriving economy. And so the big thing is certainly, yes, access to capital, access to a network, access to be able to have people that can help you support your business and those business plans and building performas. Oftentimes women fall at a larger disadvantage even though they are starting businesses more quickly than men. And so shout out to all the entrepreneurs out there, we need you creating the next big thing. We need you in employing people because we know that women are more likely to employ other women and to create a different culture that creates more belonging. But we also need to make sure that every ecosystem is supportive.
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A
Continuing on with the entrepreneurship topic, what are the biggest hurdles women encounter when trying to grow beyond solo ownership and hire employees?
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B
That is a phenomenal question. Some of the larger barriers, again, it's access to capital dependent upon where the business is. Sometimes they are not able to get bank funding. A lot of women are oftentimes bootstrapping those businesses. You know, there's sometimes starting a business is easy, right? Getting your business from $0 to $250,000 in annual revenue, it happens. And sometimes it can happen quickly. Getting that next benchmark from 250 to 750 is tough. 750 to a million, that's really, really hard for women. And it requires opportunities for mentorship. It requires the state, right, to really get involved and figure out how they can support women. We've got some amazing lending options in Colorado. Shout out to our friends at oedit, like the Climber loan. It's a loan that really does work to support women and entrepreneurs and typically people who are not funded in a bank setting. But that access to capital to get women to that next point, to be able to hire to cover some of those operations costs, that's where we're seeing a huge drop off and a huge barrier.
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A
What policy or business practice changes in your view would make the most immediate difference for women entrepreneurs, especially women of color in Colorado?
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B
That is a great question. And I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge that right now due to some of the federal pressures and changes that we've seen with the current administration, there's been a lot of funding shifts that have happened that have actually taken away access to capital and funds that states are able to provide. And that's been a huge shift that we've seen. Oftentimes women do need more access to grant opportunities for a big concept or for maybe research and development. That's something that the state can really support on. I think the other big thing when we're talking about contractual allocations for primes versus subs on contracts. That's something that cities, states, municipalities, federal government, they can't get rid of that. They cannot get rid of those policies because it does really support economic equity for entrepreneurs, for small business owners. And it gives them again, access to networks and access to opportunity that oftentimes just before systemic barriers, we wouldn't have access to. And so it's not a conversation that should be politicized around dei. It's a conversation around access to opportunity, having real conversations around systemic barriers, those programs and opportunities that combat those systemic barriers. And how do we get on the right track and back on track?
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A
Another resource being discussed by the organization that you lead, the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce, is the work that Works for all retention resources. Can you tell us more about the guide?
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B
This guide, if you're an employer and you don't have the work that works for all resource guide, you're missing out. These are actions, strategies, steps to ensure that your entire workforce is thriving. Again, low cost to no cost strategies from returnship programs for women that are returning back to work from leave, parents returning back to work from leave, anyone that's gone on leave and needs to return. A lot of companies don't offer returnship programs simple solutions around like flexible scheduling within returnship, looking at how those modifications can be supported. These are simple, simple things that companies just aren't doing. The guide also discusses workforce flexibility. How can we implement workforce flexibility even sometimes in those workforces? We had an expert from our dear partners and our presenting sponsor, HCA Health One. The head of nursing was sharing some of the strategies that she's putting in place for flexible scheduling and to beat the burnout for women. And so this guide has about 10 strategies. It is a 12 page guide for employers that touch on all of these things from flexibility to mid level manager training to fixing the broken rung to returnship programs for women to creating sponsorship culture. All of those things in a handy guide that no cease level leader, no chro, no leader of a team should be leading without having this guide in their pocket.
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A
Now how does one get ahold of a guide?
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B
You gotta go to cwcc.org and then we'll get you to the guide.
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A
Sounds like a great infomercial. But wait, there's more.
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B
Wait, there's more for $9.99 we'll have to share that.
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A
Well, a recent national analysis tied to International Women's Day ranks Colorado 15th in the nation for female owned businesses with women owning 38.2% of firms. In your view, what does that tell us about the state's entrepreneurial landscape?
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B
There is just something special about Colorado. I think that our state differs greatly and we were having this conversation before we went on air about the willingness of women to help women in this state. I think there is just something, I don't know if it's the fresh mountain air, I don't know if that we're a mile above sea level, but we have an amazing community of people that really does honor the values of community and building a network. And I think that that definitely helps women owned businesses sustain. You've got phenomenal organizations. Toot toot. That's me tooting our horn at cwcc. The Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce is an incredible network of women at every level. Whether it's large corporations to solopreneurs to mid level companies, mid sized companies that are all in on supporting women's advancement and ensuring that we've got a thriving women's economy. And I think that these aspects of this state really do support women starting businesses. Additionally, we've got some phenomenal industries in Colorado. Our leading industries are aviation and aerospace and we've got women that are starting businesses in tech in these particular industries. And Colorado is a great place to do that. We've got one of the largest thriving startup weeks in the United States of America. And we've got a phenomenal office of Economic Development and International Trade minority business office that is really working to support women. And I would be remiss if I didn't shout out our partners at Denver International Airport at den. They are doing phenomenal things to ensure that women are able to start businesses, do it well and sustain those businesses.
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A
Now that study I referenced was based on U.S. small Business Administration data and it was conducted by Algo. It found a notable gap between non employer and employer businesses owned by women. Why would you say that distinction is important?
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B
Well, again, when we talk about this and the size businesses that women are starting in Colorado, a lot of them are micro firms. A lot of them are. When I look at my chamber membership, it actually tracks to the data. Roughly 38% of my chamber membership is women small businesses. And so that tracks with the data. And so that's I think again, when we're talking about those disparities, that access to capital piece, it truly does come into play. When we're thinking about the size of businesses that women are starting, they're smaller typically than other businesses. Women are now starting to get more into the acquisition space but that's just not a space where women have really, really gotten into business. They're typically startups that are bootstrapped and it takes longer. Right. It's a longer Runway for those businesses to become large employer style firms. So it completely tracks.
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A
As we wrap up, what are your final thoughts?
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B
Employers need to get back to the mindset that they had, you know, six years ago, where we're talking about really looking at our workforce with a lens of intentionality, looking at our C suite with a lens of intentionality, looking at what candidates are coming into the door, also looking at who's leaving your company and why are they leaving your company. We started to make progress between 2020 and 2022. I lovingly call that the false dawn. And now we're in a retrenchment phase where we're going back to those statistics and we're backsliding more than ever to any business leader, business owner, operator, we can't slide back because we are still moving ahead. If your business slides back, who do you want to be? Do you want to be Blockbuster or do you want to be Netflix? You don't want to be Blockbuster, you want to be Netflix. And by going backwards, you're setting yourself up to be Blockbuster. Wow.
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A
Simone, thanks so much for keeping these issues on the forefront for us here in Colorado.
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B
Well, thank you for continuing to champion women, champion women in business. You are absolutely phenomenal.
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A
Simone Ross is CEO of the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce, which releases its annual report examining both progress and persistent challenges for women in the workforce and in entrepreneurship across our state. To learn more, visit the chamber's website, cwcc.org that's cwcc.org when we come back, how what's known as the gender pay gap is impacting women here in Colorado and the significance of March 26 this year. And arguably it's not so good. I'm Chandra Thomas Whitfield. You're with Colorado Matters on CPR News and krcc. Welcome back to Colorado Matters on CPR News and krcc. Hi, I'm Chandra Thomas Whitfield. Before the break, we heard from Simone Ross, CEO of the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce, talking about her State of Women in Business address. We're continuing our focus today amid Women's History Month. A new report from the Women's foundation of Colorado and the Institute for Women's Policy Research shows that despite some progress, women in Colorado still earn significantly less than men and face other systemic barriers that compound over a lifetime. This year, equal payday the date each year that marks how far into the current year that women must work to match what men earned in the previous year is March 26th. Louise Meyerland is with the Women's foundation of Colorado. She joins me now to talk about this issue and the new status of women. Colorado SNAPSHOT Report Louise, welcome to the program.
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C
Thank you so much.
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A
Let's start with the big picture. How do the wages of women in Colorado compare to men overall?
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C
Unfortunately, they still lag way behind Colorado women who work full time year round. They're still only paid 80.9 cents compared to every dollar paid to men in our state. This is a persistent problem that we're continuing to work on.
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A
Can you explain what this figure represents and how it factors into the broader picture of economic inequality for women?
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C
Women in Colorado are facing compounding economic barriers. They're paid less than men on average. That means that they experience higher rates of poverty. And it makes it harder for women in our state to stabilize, support their families in the ways they want to and build for long term economic security.
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A
Now your report highlights how inequities extend far beyond wages, with aspects of health care and childcare playing a role in women's economic security. What are some of the health and family related factors your research found?
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C
Women in Colorado face a number of barriers to full participation in the workforce. In addition to low wages they're paid, women also have to juggle caregiving responsibilities. That means that they're more likely to have to work part time because they're juggling earning and caring for their families. And the costs of child care in our state are so high that some women have to pay nearly half of their earnings in order to afford childcare in our state.
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A
Well, I can totally relate to that because after many years of being childless and single, it was pretty jarring once I got married and had kids just to realize how much of child care and caregiving just kind of dominates your life.
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C
It does. And it's so expensive. And we also know that predominantly women who work to provide child care services that help our whole economy keep working, they're often paid low wages for that essential work as well.
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A
And such an important thing to keep children safe and learning, all of that.
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C
Absolutely. And to keep moms working so that they're able to support their families and build for stable futures as well. Childcare is essential and it is so expensive in our state.
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A
Now your report also breaks this down by race and ethnicity. How are women of different races faring and what do equal paydays tell us about when they catch up to white men's prior year earnings.
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C
We know women of color experience a number of barriers to full inclusion in the workforce and in our economy. And that shows up in their pay being even lower than the pay that women overall experience. And that means that more women of color are likely to experience poverty than white women counterparts. And poverty rates are higher for women of every race and ethnicity than for men. In Colorado, we know that more than 40% of black women in our state who are raising children under the age of 18 are experiencing the challenges of poverty.
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A
Well, this is a topic that is near and dear to my heart because before I worked for CPR in 2019-20, I actually did a podcast called in the Gap about how the gender pay gap affects, as I called it, the lives and livelihoods of black women working in America. And it was extremely eye opening. Welcome to in the Gap, a podcast about how and why black women aren't getting their green. Yes, I'm talking about money. I'm your host, journalist Chandra Thomas Whitfield. How did that compare to what you were making?
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B
I was 40 to 45,000 less than that number. So I was very immediately shocked that, you know, I was offered so much lower and I was there longer. I had more tenure.
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C
So that has its roots in how we have viewed women and people of color. And black women stand at that intersection, that intersection of racism and sexism that is very much embedded in our history as a nation. It's shameful, really, that in this society, women who are working and contributing in such valuable ways continue to be undervalued and underpaid for their work. It's simply not fair. It should not be. And this is exactly why the Women's foundation of Colorado care so much about pay equity. Because when women are unfairly underpaid today, it destabilizes their family in the current day, but also their future. Because women of color experience such wide pay gaps, this results in higher rates of poverty in their retirement years, lower incomes in their retirement years, and all the pay gaps that women of color experience today mean that it's harder for them to make ends meet, but it also means that they can't invest in their long term economic stability. Women of color have lower retirement income than white women and far less than the average man in their retirement earnings. And older women in our state are experiencing higher rates of poverty as well. The pay gap today facing women is a challenge each and every day for the rest of their lives.
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A
Now, many people assume education or moving into management closes the gender pay gap. Your research finds otherwise.
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C
The pay gap is present and persists at every educational level. For example, Colorado women with a bachelor's degree who are working full time year round, they're earning on average $70,000 a year. Well, men with the same degree are being paid $100,000 a year. And in professional and managerial roles, where the earning potential is higher, women in our state are experiencing a 25% pay gap.
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A
Now, Colorado has been a national leader with the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act. How is that law making a difference? And where are there still implementation issues that need attention?
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C
Colorado's Equal Pay for Equal Work act is changing the nation and beyond. It requires that employers are transparent about the pay and benefits when they're posting to fill a vacant position. And it also prohibits employers from discriminating on the basis of sex or the combination of sex and race or any other protected factor when they're paying their employees. This means that they're transforming the marketplace for talent by setting an expectation that people should be able to see how much an employer values a role before they decide whether or not to apply for it or pursue that opportunity.
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A
Now, what challenges are you seeing with implementation of this act?
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C
So this was a big change for employers. Colorado was the first state in the nation to require pay transparency in job postings, and this means that it was a big change for a lot of folks to learn about and put into practice. And while pay transparency is present in the vast majority of job postings now, it's not 100%. Some employers still don't know that they need to include this information when they're hiring, and that's why ongoing education is so important. Thankfully, the Women's foundation of Colorado is able to make that easier for employers to understand. And also we're providing some information for job seekers to better understand their rights and protections that they have under the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act. We have resource guides available for folks@wfco.org equalpay check them out.
- [34:38]
A
So your report also looks ahead. How does artificial intelligence factor into the future of pay equity?
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C
We're seeing more and more that as AI tools are used in recruitment, selection and hiring, that required information, like how much a job pays isn't always included in job postings as it's required to be. The fact of the matter is whether it's a human or an AI enabled system posting a job, the information still needs to be required, working to make sure that folks understand that and that access to this information is widely available
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A
and there's a lot of concern about bias.
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C
As more and more AI tools are used in hiring, there's potential for these tools to perpetuate and exacerbate existing discrimination. These AI models are built on what exists, and we know that the pay gap and gender discrimination in the workplace has existed for a long time. So it's part of what has trained these systems. And that's why it's so crucial for us to advocate for guardrails and more transparency about how AI is being used in workplace decisions to ensure that we're able to protect folks from discrimination.
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A
And beyond wages, this Colorado snapshot looks at a broader picture. What else should listeners know?
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C
Women in our state are facing a variety of challenges, from health care to the expense of child care to unequal wages, no matter how hard they are working or how much they've advanced their education. And what this really means is that women in our state aren't getting a fair shot. And we all deserve a fair shot to build a good life for ourselves. What this report really shows us is that our state prioritizes and invests in women. We'll all have a better future. A great opportunity for Colorado to do this right now is with some policy changes that really do prioritize resources for Colorado's women and their families. In the state legislature, they're considering some tax policy changes that will really put hands right in the pocket of the working families that need it most. We're advocating for the Family Affordability tax credit to be restored so that the resources women and families really need are available today and into the future.
- [37:16]
A
Louise, thanks so much for joining us.
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C
Thank you.
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A
Louise Meyerland is the policy director for the Women's foundation of Colorado. She joined us to talk about the new Status of Women Colorado Snapshot Report released in partnership with the Institute for Women's Policy Research. It highlights that despite some progress, women in Colorado still earn significantly less than men and face other systemic barriers that tends to compound over a lifetime. According to a recent statewide analysis, women working full time in Colorado earn about 81 cents for every dollar earned by men, and disparities in health care access, child care costs and retirement savings add to the long term income inequality this year Equal Payday, the date each year that marks how far into the current year that women must work to match what men earned in the previous year is March 26th. To learn more or to check out the report, you may visit the Women's foundation of Colorado's website, which is www.wfco.org. that's www.wfco.org I'm Chandra Thomas Whitfield. You're with Colorado Matters on CPR News and krcc. From CPR News, this is Colorado Matters for Women's History Month. A new look at the state of women in the workforce in Colorado. Even as the state ranks relatively strong for female entrepreneurship, new data shows persistent pay gaps, workforce losses and barriers for growth.
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B
Women aren't leaving work. Work is leaving women.
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A
We talked with Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce CEO Simone Ross about what's driving the trends and what the chamber says employers must do now to help retain and advance women in the workplace. Then a concerning statewide report that shows women in Colorado still earn 81 cents for every dollar earned by men.
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C
Women in our state aren't getting a fair shot and we all deserve a fair shot to build a good life for ourselves.
- [39:24]
A
And we learned the significance of the date March 26th. You're with Colorado Matters on CPR News and krcc. I'm Chandra Thomas Whitfield. A record number of women in Colorado left the workforce in 2025. Many cited burnout, caregiving demands, limited workplace flexibility and the rollback of inclusive practices as among the reasons is one of the major findings in a soon to be released report by the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce. Most fitting as we observe Women's History Month underway now. The Chamber CEO Simone Ross joins me now to tell me more about the report that highlights both progress and persistent challenges for women in the workforce and in entrepreneurship across our state. Simone, welcome to Colorado Matters.
- [40:15]
B
Hi Chandra, thank you for having me.
- [40:18]
A
Simone, you recently delivered the 2026 State of Women in Business address at your annual event in downtown Denver, and that also featured a panel of local women executives talking about what's driving talent loss and some retention solutions that are working. What do you consider the big takeaways from the report?
- [40:39]
B
The key takeaways? In my keynote, I shared that it's personal. With all the rhetoric that we've heard at a national level regarding women and women being able to be so frivolously classified as dei, I really drove home that women, in fact, are not dei. They are gdp. And it's personal. Women's economic equity is personal. Access to opportunity is personal. Workforce development to ensure that women are able to be recruited and retained. It's personal. And so throughout that keynote, I really took our audience and our community through the things that we all deal with. It's not just women versus Men, right? It's college degrees. It's a change in jobs, it's having children, it's getting married, it's getting divorced. All of those things are a part of our workplace identity. The only difference when we talk about gender is that women are expected to choose. They're expected to choose the family over the career. They're expected to choose caring for aging or ailing parents over career. And disproportionately, men aren't having to make these choices. And it has a tremendous economic impact on women, on families, on gdp. And so it's not a matter of just putting women in a box saying they're dei. It's a matter of, again, making it personal and ensuring that we have systems to support the variants in identity and those gender roles that disproportionately fall on women. And so it was wonderful. And then we moved into the panel where we really got into some of those solutions to retain women.
- [42:24]
A
What is the central message you want business and community leaders to take away from this report?
- [42:30]
B
So the women on board's report, it shows in Colorado specifically, and this is an alarm at the gate, right now, women's public board participation is on the decline. We've actually declined 1.3% over last year. Last year, we were at 29.1% of publicly traded boards, had three or more women on their boards. Now we're at 28.75% of Colorado's publicly traded boards having three or more women on their boards of directors. This is an alarm. This means that we are no longer prioritizing or operating with intentionality around having inclusive boards of directors. And so Colorado's businesses, as my kid would say, they gotta lock in. They gotta lock back in on intentionality and inclusivity. What we also know is that the C suite is truly the conduit to having access to corporate boards. We're seeing those numbers declining as well with women serving in C level roles. And so there's a direct correlation there. And this is something that we can easily remedy. It just requires, again, the business community to lock in. One of the takeaways from the luncheon was that women aren't leaving work. Work is leaving women. Work needs to come back to women.
- [43:46]
A
Let's dig a little deeper into these factors you described that women are feeling like they have no choice but to leave the workforce. Any insight into new circumstances that are exacerbating those factors?
- [44:02]
B
There certainly are a variety of new circumstances, one of which is workplace flexibility. That's something that women truly benefit from. And I want to be clear. Everyone benefits from having workplace flexibility. But Again, when you look at caregiving responsibilities, household responsibilities, when you look at all of those things, it falls disproportionately on women. And so oftentimes, women are choosing again to exit based on these return to work mandates. They're choosing just not to be in a corporate environment that doesn't offer them workplace flexibility. Whether it's to pick a child up from school, whether it's to drop a child off to go to a soccer game, or like you have to do later, attend an awards event, women aren't wanting to choose that versus being at work. And what we learned through Covid was that you can actually do all of it. And so that's one of the key things that's making women exit the corporate ecosystem is return to work mandates that don't leave wiggle room for flexibility. And so in our retention guide, we have some suggestions, like, let's look at maybe a different kind of work schedule. We're not scheduling meetings before 10 or after 3pm that's so simple. Right? It's so simple. You're taking the stress and pressure off of a population that might need to do pickups, drop offs, late start days. You're giving them an opportunity to come in, still engage with their teams. Yes. But you're creating those flexible options for them to be able to feel success and not have that stress and that pressure that oftentimes caregiving responsibilities provide. Or it can even be something as simple as, you know what, I gotta wash my kids basketball uniforms and I gotta get them in the wash and I gotta do it before I head out to work. But taking that stress off, right? It's a simple solution.
- [45:55]
A
Yeah. Well, this is feeling more like a therapy session for me because all of the above, you know, I had the privilege of having a career before children and actually having a family. And that was a huge shift for me because I did not have to even consider these schedules. And it is definitely very stressful when, you know, you have a boss that goes, hey, let's start this meeting at 3, and you're like, oh my gosh, I have to leave. And just being put in that situation, having to ask for permission to leave or to, you know, just manage all the responsibilities. And as we know, school and work and all of this all seems to kind of collide.
- [46:42]
B
And it does quickly. Yes. And that was what one of the takeaways was, is that it's personal. Women's advancement is not transactional. It's personal. And so to dehumanize the movement for equity in Work and equity to access to opportunity. By simply saying that's a DEI issue, we're going down the wrong path. As leaders, it desensitizes us to what our workforce needs. And again, what works for women works for all. But to just simply say that's dei, that's not true, it's personal. And so that is why we published the guide. The guide even talks about some strategies to be able to increase workforce participation and access to opportunity within the broken rung. The broken rung is defined as those entry level women employees who are not being elevated to mid to senior level management roles. There's a huge disparity within that. For every 100 men that's promoted from entry level to manager, 83 women are promoted from entry level to manager. And so we call that the broken rung. And it's even more disparate for women of color in the workforce. So within the guide, I keep talking about the guide, it's a cliffhanger. I'm dangling a carrot because I want everybody to say, well, tell me about this guide and where do I access it? We talk about ways to train your middle level managers in supporting entry level team members. We discuss opportunities for clear career pathways, sponsorship, mentorship, culture, really integrating that into the workforce. Because this is where the crisis is, is within that broken rung. This is where we're seeing the drop off that leads to the 28.75% of women participating on publicly traded boards in our state. And we can fix it, but we just have to, we have to lock
- [48:37]
A
in from the data your organization tracks, where are the biggest equity gaps right now for women?
- [48:43]
B
Yeah, that's a great question. The equity gaps truly do lie within that broken rung. There is a glass ceiling. We always hear about cracking the glass ceiling. That's where you can see up to the top and at least you kind of know what you want to strive for. There's also the cement ceiling. That's really the ceiling that we see disproportionately for women of color, differently abled women in the workforce. It's where you can't even see up to the top because you have such little accessibility to understanding your career pathway and having access to leadership. And so within that broken rung, when we talk about fixing it, it's simple solutions, right? Companies can employ a policy around skip level meetings where senior leadership is not expecting employees that are entry level to come up to them. They're going down to where those entry level employees are to have conversations. It's around employers really implementing strategic goal setting to understand where do their team members want to go? What are some things they want to be working on that they don't have an opportunity? Where do they think their gifts are? And saying, well, how can we plug this into the organization? How can we get you in on a project again to get rid of that cement ceiling, to create exposure to different leaders and to get that skill set out. Simple things, no cost things. It just requires intentionality and recognizing the disparities in the workforce.
- [50:04]
A
Simone Ross, CEO of the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce, talking with me about the chamber's annual report examining both progress and persistent challenges for women in the workforce. After the break, we zoom in a bit on what Ross says about how women entrepreneurs are faring in our state. I'm Chandra Thomas Whitfield. This is Colorado Matters from CPR News and krcc. Drifting through the wind, wanting to start again. Do you ever feel disobey within like a house of cards one blow from caving in. Do you ever feel already buried deep, six feet on the screens but no one seems to hear a thing? Do you know that there's still a chance for you? You're with Colorado Matters on CPR News and krcc. I'm Chandra Thomas Whitfield. Let's get back to our conversation with Simone Ross, CEO of the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce. She's talking with us about the organization's 2026 State of Women Business Report, which is released each March in observance of Women's History Month underway. Now turning to entrepreneurship, what are the major roadblocks women face when it comes to starting and scaling businesses in Colorado?
- [51:25]
B
That's a great question. You threw out a statistic around women exiting the workforce, women of color exiting the workforce. Right now in the United States of America, women are starting new businesses 5x5 times more quickly than men, and women of color are doing so more quickly. We call it necessity entrepreneurship, which. Right. You can get some gifts that are born from necessity entrepreneurship, for sure. You also can face uphill battles when you're finding yourself participating in this necessity entrepreneurship marketplace. We know that women's access to capital is far less than men. It's at around 2% right now. Women in aggregate have access to venture funds. Women of color, it's 0.35% are getting funded by venture. We know that women typically aren't getting bank loans. They don't even think to get bank loans. So what they're doing is they're cashing in their 401k plans, they're putting lines of credit on the equity of their homes, all of those things to get their business started and to get up and going. This again, when we talk about women not being dei, but gdp, this has huge economic impacts on a women's economy for us to have a thriving economy. And so the big thing is certainly, yes, access to capital, access to a network, access to be able to have people that can help you support your business and those business plans and building performas. Oftentimes women fall at a larger disadvantage even though they are starting businesses more quickly than men. And so shout out to all the entrepreneurs out there, we need you creating the next big thing. We need you employing people. Because we know that women are more likely to employ other women and to create a different culture that creates more belonging. But we also need to make sure that every ecosystem is supportive.
- [53:18]
A
Continuing on with the entrepreneurship topic, what are the biggest hurdles women encounter when trying to grow beyond solo ownership and hire employees?
- [53:27]
B
That is a phenomenal question. Some of the larger barriers, again, it's access to capital dependent upon where the business is. Sometimes they are not able to get bank funding. A lot of women are oftentimes bootstrapping those businesses. You know, there's. Sometimes starting a business is easy, right? Getting your business from $0 to $250,000 in annual revenue, it happens. And sometimes it can happen quickly. Getting that next benchmark from 250 to 750 is tough. 750 to a million, that's really, really hard for women. And it requires opportunities from women, mentorship. It requires the state right. To really get involved and figure out how they can support women. We've got some amazing lending options in Colorado. Shout out to our friends at oedit, like the Clymer loan. It's a loan that really does work to support women and entrepreneurs and typically people who are not funded in a bank setting. But that access to capital to get women to that next point, to be able to hire to cover some of those operations costs. That's where we're seeing a huge drop off and a huge barrier.
- [54:34]
A
What policy or business practice changes in your view, would make the most immediate difference for women entrepreneurs, especially women of color in Colorado?
- [54:46]
B
That is a great question. And I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge that right now, due to some of the federal pressures and changes that we've seen with the current administration, there's been a lot of funding shifts that have happened that have actually taken away access to capital and funds that states are able to provide. And that's been a huge shift that we've seen. Oftentimes, women do need more access to grant opportunities for a big concept or for maybe research and development. That's something that the state can really support on. I think the other big thing when we're talking about contractual allocations for primes versus subs on contracts, that's something that cities, states, municipalities, federal government, they can't get rid of that. They cannot get rid of those policies because it does really support economic equity for entrepreneurs, for small business owners. And it gives them again, access to networks and access to opportunity that oftentimes, just before systemic barriers, we wouldn't have access to. And so it's not a conversation that should be politicized around dei. It's a conversation around access to opportunity, having real conversations around systemic barriers, those programs and opportunities that combat those systemic barriers. And how do we get on the right track and back on track?
- [56:05]
A
Another resource being discussed by the organization that you lead, the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce, is the Work that Works for All Retention Resource Guide. Can you tell us more about the guide?
- [56:16]
B
This guide, if you're an employer and you don't have the work for all that Works for all resource guide, you're missing out. These are actions, strategies, steps to ensure that your entire workforce is thriving again, low cost to no cost strategies from returnship programs for women that are returning back to work from leave, parents returning back to work from leave, anyone that's gone on leave and needs to return. A lot of companies don't offer returnship programs simple solutions around like flexible scheduling within returnship, looking at how those modifications can be supported. These are simple, simple things that companies just aren't doing. The guide also discusses workforce flexibility. How can we implement workforce flexibility even sometimes in those workforces? We had an expert from our dear partners and our presenting sponsor, HCA Health One, the head of nursing was sharing some of the strategies that she's putting in place for flexible scheduling and to beat the burnout for women. And so this guide has about 10 strategies. It is a 12 page guide for employers that touch on all of these things from flexibility to mid level manager training, to fixing the broken rung, to returnship programs for women to creating sponsorship culture. All of those things in a handy guide that no cease level leader, no chro, no leader of a team should be leading without having this guide in their pocket.
- [57:48]
A
Now how does one get ahold of a guide?
- [57:50]
B
You gotta go to cwcc.org and then we'll get you to the guide sounds
- [57:57]
A
like a great infomercial. But wait, there's more.
- [58:00]
B
Wait, there's more for $9.99.
- [58:06]
A
Have to share that Well, a recent national analysis tied to International Women's day ranks Colorado 15th in the nation for female owned businesses. With women owning 38.2% of firms. In your view, what does that tell us about the state's entrepreneurial landscape?
- [58:25]
B
There is just something special about Colorado. I think that our state differs greatly and we were having this conversation before we went on air about the willingness of women to help women in this state. I think there is just something. I don't know if it's the fresh mountain air, I don't know if that we're a mile above sea level. But we have an amazing community of people that really does honor the values of community and building a network. And I think that that definitely helps women owned businesses sustain. You've got phenomenal organizations. Toot, toot. That's me tooting our horn at cwcc. The Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce is an incredible network of women at every level, whether it's large corporations to solopreneurs to mid level companies, mid sized companies that are all in on supporting women's advancement and ensuring that we've got a thriving women's economy. And I think that these aspects of this state really do support women starting businesses. Additionally, we've got some phenomenal industries in Colorado. Our leading industries are aviation and aerospace and we've got women that are starting businesses in tech in these particular industries. And Colorado is a great place to do that. We've got one of the largest thriving startup weeks in the United States of America. And we've got a phenomenal office of Economic Development, international trade minority business office that is really working to support women. And I would be remiss if I didn't shout out our partners at Denver International Airport at Denmark, they are doing phenomenal things to ensure that women are able to start businesses, do it well and sustain those businesses.
- [60:01]
A
Now that study I referenced was based on U.S. small Business Administration data and was conducted by Algo. It found a notable gap between non employer and employer businesses owned by women. Why would you say that distinction is important?
- [60:18]
B
Well, again, when we talk about this and the size businesses that women are starting in Colorado, a lot of them are micro firms. A lot of them are. When I look at my chamber membership, it actually tracks to the data. Roughly 38% of my chamber membership is women small businesses. And so that tracks with the data. And so that's I Think again when we're talking about those disparities, that access to capital piece, it truly does come into play when we're thinking about the size of businesses that women are starting. They're smaller typically than other businesses. Women are now starting to get more into the acquisition space. But that's just not a space where women have really, really gotten into business. They're typically startups that are bootstrapped and it takes longer. Right. It's a longer Runway for those businesses to become large employer style firms. So it completely tracks.
- [61:10]
A
As we wrap up, what are your final thoughts?
- [61:13]
B
Employers need to get back to the mindset that they had, you know, six years ago, where we're talking about really looking at our workforce with a lens of intentionality, looking at our C suite with a lens of intentionality, looking at what candidates are coming into the door. Also looking at who's leaving your company and why are they leaving your company. We started to make progress between 2020 and 2022. I lovingly call that the false dawn. And now we're in a retrenchment phase where we're going back to those statistics and we're backsliding more than ever to any business leader, business owner, operator. We can't slide back because we are still moving ahead. If your business slides back, who do you want to be? Do you want to be Blockbuster or do you want to be Netflix? You don't want to be Blockbuster, you want to be Netflix. And by going backwards, you're setting yourself up to be Blockbuster.
- [62:15]
A
Wow. Simone, thanks so much for keeping these issues on the forefront for us here in Colorado.
- [62:22]
B
Well, thank you for continuing to champion women, champion women in business. You are absolutely phenomenal.
- [62:28]
A
Simone Ross is CEO of the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce, which releases its annual report examining both progress and persistent challenges for women in the workforce and in entrepreneurship across our state. To learn more, visit the chamber's website, cwcc.org, that's cwcc.org when we come back, how what's known as the gender pay gap is impacting women here in Colorado and the significance of March 26 this year. And arguably it's not so good. I'm Chandra Thomas Whitfield. You're with Colorado Matters on CPR News and krcc. Welcome back to Colorado Matters on CPR News and krcc. I'm Chandra Thomas Whitfield. Before the break, we heard from Simone Ross, CEO of the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce, talking about her State of Women in Business address. We're continuing our FOCUS Today amid Women's History Month, a new report from the Women's foundation of Colorado and the Institute for Women's Policy Research shows that despite some progress, women in Colorado still earn significantly less than men and face other systemic barriers that compound over a lifetime. This year equal Payday, the date each year that marks how far into the current year that women must work to match what men earned in the previous year, is March 26. Louise Meyerlin is with the Women's foundation of Colorado. She joins me now to talk about this issue and and the new status of women. Colorado SNAPSHOT report. Louise, welcome to the program.
- [64:25]
C
Thank you so much.
- [64:26]
A
Let's start with the big picture. How do the wages of women in Colorado compare to men overall?
- [64:33]
C
Unfortunately, they still lag way behind. Colorado women who work full time year round. They're still only paid 80.9 cents compared to every dollar paid to men in our state. This is a persistent problem that we're continuing to work on.
- [64:50]
A
Can you explain what this figure represents and how it factors into the broader picture of economic inequality for women?
- [64:57]
C
Women in Colorado are facing compounding economic barriers. They're paid less than men on average. That means that they experience higher rates of poverty and it makes it harder for women in our state to stabilize, support their families in the ways they want to and build for long term economic security.
- [65:21]
A
Now your report highlights how inequities extend far beyond wages, with aspects of health care and childcare playing a role in women's economic security. What are some of the health and family related factors your research found?
- [65:35]
C
Women in Colorado face a number of barriers to full participation in the workforce. In addition to low wages they're paid, women also have to juggle caregiving responsibilities. That means that they're more likely to have to work part time because they're juggling earning and caring for their families. And the cost of child care in our state are so high that some women have to pay nearly half of their earnings in order to afford childcare in our state.
- [66:10]
A
Well, I can totally relate to that because after many years of being childless and single, it was pretty jarring once I got married and had kids just to realize how much of childcare and caregiving just kind of dominates your life.
- [66:29]
C
It does. And it's so expensive. And we also know that predominantly women who work to provide childcare services that help our whole economy keep working, they're often paid low wages for that essential work as well.
- [66:45]
A
And such an important thing to keep children safe and learning, all of that.
- [66:50]
C
Absolutely. And to keep moms Working so that they're able to support their families and build for stable futures as well. Childcare is essential and it is so expensive in our state.
- [67:03]
A
Now, your report also breaks this down by race and ethnicity. How are women of different races faring? And what do equal paydays tell us about when they catch up to white men's prior year earnings?
- [67:16]
C
We know women of color experience a number of barriers to full inclusion in the workforce and in our economy. And that shows up in their pay being even lower than the pay that women overall experience. And that means that more women of color are likely to experience poverty than white women counterparts. And poverty rates are higher for women of every race and ethnicity than for men. In Colorado, we know that more than 40% of black women in our state who are raising children under the age of 18 are experiencing the challenges of poverty.
- [68:00]
A
Well, this is a topic that is near and dear to my heart because before I worked for CPR in 2019-20, I actually did a podcast called in the Gap about how the gender pay gap affects, as I called it, the lives and livelihoods of black women working in America. And it was extremely eye opening. Welcome to in the Gap, a podcast about how and why black women aren't getting their green. Yes, I'm talking about money. I'm your host, journalist Chandra Thomas Whitfield. How did that compare to what you were making?
- [68:40]
B
I was 40 to 45,000 lessons than that number. So I was very immediately shocked that, you know, I was offered so much lower and I was there longer, I had more tenure. So I was.
- [68:54]
C
That has its roots in how we have viewed women and people of color. And black women stand at that intersection, that intersection of racism and sexism that is very much embedded in our history as a nation. It's shameful, really, that in this society, women who are working and contributing in such valuable ways continue to be undervalued and underpaid for their work. It's simply not fair. It should not be. And this is exactly why the Women's foundation of Colorado cares so much about pay equity. Because when women are unfairly underpaid today, it destabilizes their family in the current day, but also their future. Because women of color experience such wide pay gaps. This results in higher rates of poverty in their retirement years, lower incomes in their retirement years. And the pay gaps that women of color experience today mean that it's harder for them to make ends meet. But it also means that they can't invest in their long term economic stability. Women of color have lower retirement income than white women and far less than the average man in their retirement earnings. And older women in our state are experiencing higher rates of poverty as well. The pay gap today facing women is a challenge each and every day for the rest of their lives.
- [70:35]
A
Now, many people assume education or moving into management closes the gender pay gap. Your research finds otherwise.
- [70:42]
C
The pay gap is present and persists at every educational level. For example, Colorado women with a bachelor's degree who are working full time year round, they're earning on average $70,000 a year. Well, men with the same degree are being paid $100,000 a year. And in professional and managerial roles, where the earning potential is higher, women in our state are experiencing a 25% pay gap.
- [71:12]
A
Now, Colorado has been a national leader with the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act. How is that law making a difference? And where are there still implementation issues that need attention?
- [71:23]
C
Colorado's Equal Pay for Equal Work act is changing the nation and beyond. It requires that employers are transparent about the pay and benefits when they're posting to fill a vacant position. And it also prohibits employers from discriminating on the basis of sex or the combination of sex and race or any other protected factor when they're paying their employees. This means that they're transforming the marketplace for talent by setting an expectation that people should be able to see how much an employer values a role before they decide whether or not to apply for it or pursue that opportunity.
- [72:12]
A
Now, what challenges are you seeing with implementation of this act?
- [72:17]
C
So this was a big change for employers. Colorado was the first state in the nation to require pay transparency in job postings. And this means that it was a big change for a lot of folks to learn about and put into practice. And while pay transparency is present in the vast majority of job postings now, it's not 100%. Some employers still don't know that they need to include this information when they're hiring, and that's why ongoing education is so important. Thankfully, the Women's foundation of Colorado is able to make that easier for employers to understand. And also we're providing some information for job seekers to better understand their rights and protections that they have under the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act. We have resource guides available for folks@wfco.org equalpay check them out.
- [73:11]
A
So your report also looks ahead. How does artificial intelligence factor into the future of pay equity?
- [73:17]
C
We're seeing more and more that as AI tools are used in recruitment, selection and hiring, that required information like how much a job pays isn't always included in job postings as it's required to be. The fact of the matter is whether it's a human or an AI enabled system posting a job, the information still needs to be required working to make sure that folks understand that and that access to this information is widely available.
- [73:48]
A
And there's a lot of concern about bias.
- [73:50]
C
As more and more AI tools are used in hiring, there's potential for these tools to perpetuate and exacerbate existing discrimination. These AI models are built on what exists, and we know that the pay gap and gender discrimination in the workplace has existed for a long time. So it's part of what has trained these systems. And that's why it's so crucial for us to advocate for guardrails and more transparency about how AI is being used in workplace decisions to ensure that we're able to protect folks from discrimination and
- [74:29]
A
beyond wages, this Colorado snapshot looks at a broader picture. What else should listeners know?
- [74:35]
C
Women in our state are facing a variety of challenges, from health care to the expense of child care to unequal wages, no matter how hard they are working or how much they've advanced their education. And what this really means is that women in our state aren't getting a fair shot. And we all deserve a fair shot to build a good life for ourselves. What this report really shows us is that our state prioritizes and invests in women. We'll all have a better future. A great opportunity for Colorado to do this right now is with some policy changes that really do prioritize resources for Colorado's women and their families. In the state legislature, they're considering some tax policy changes that will really put hands right in the pocket of the working families that need it most. We're advocating for the Family Affordability Tax credit to be restored so that the resources women and families really need are available today and into the future.
- [75:48]
A
Louise, thanks so much for joining us.
- [75:50]
C
Thank you.
- [75:51]
A
Louise Meyerland is the Policy director for the Women's foundation of Colorado. She joined us to talk about the new Status of Women Colorado Snapshot Report released in partnership with the Institute for Women's Policy Research. It highlights that despite some progress, women in Colorado still earn significantly less than men and face other systemic barriers that tends to compound over a lifetime. According to a recent statewide analysis, women working full time in Colorado earn about 81 cents for every dollar earned by men. And disparities in health care access, childcare costs and retirement savings add to the long term income inequality. This year, Equal Pay Day, the date each year that marks how far into the current year that women must work to match what men earned in the previous year is March 26th. To learn more or to check out the report, you may visit the Women's foundation of Colorado's website, which is www.wfco. that's www.wfco.org. i'm Chandra Thomas Whitfield. You're with Colorado Matters on CPR News and krcc. This is Colorado Matters from CPR News and krcc. I'm Chandra Thomas Whitfield. Today, amid Women's History Month, we've been talking about women in the workplace and the challenges they say they face, including unequal pay and a lack of access to some professional opportunities. But what about the barriers that exist inside of us? Denver author and CEO of Bettercertify, Danaya Wilson says mindset matters. It's a key focus of her book Change Makers Blueprint for Lasting Impact and Ethical Change. We spoke last March. Danaya, welcome to Colorado Matters.
- [77:43]
D
Thank you for having me.
- [77:45]
A
What inspired you to put pen to paper, so to speak, and tell this story in a book form?
- [77:51]
D
Yes. So this book, the start of the book at least, was essentially a love letter to my daughter in a world that she's going to inherit. So I was hoping that I could kind of take some responsibility for the way that things have been going as far as for women leaders and, and really figure out what I could do as a CEO, as a business leader to make it a little bit easier for my daughter and future generations of women to get leadership positions. And how I got into a book form is I love reading and I I have a undergraduate degree in marketing and a master's degree in organizational leadership. And so I love anything and everything book and academia. And so I really wanted to write something that did not just give a blueprint on how to do these things, how to make impact, but something that also was research based and data driven that provided strong evidence for why we as a society should do these things. And Change Makers Wanted is targeted towards those individuals, those women leaders that are already in positions and to enact change that hopefully will have a ripple down effect for her when she gets into the corporate world or organizational leadership. And maybe a little bit timely, but the thing that I was looking at, I don't know if you ever read like Lean in and past feminist kind of movement books and that was the closest book I could relate to was 13 years ago.
- [79:28]
A
Wow.
- [79:29]
D
And I was like, wow, we really haven't made the strides that we really could be making what does that look like on a practical day? One level. So if we do these things, maybe in 10, 20 years, we're actually going to see the change. We want to see what stands out
- [79:46]
A
most to you as a challenge you faced early in your professional career. And how did you eventually address this challenge?
- [79:54]
D
When you are a woman in a male dominated industry, you feel this persistent need to show up and over show up, be the best person in the room, outperform everybody around you because you're automatically devalued, you're automatically thought, well, why are you in the room? You don't look like us, you don't behave like us, we don't understand you. And so to counter that, women tend to show up with all the bells and whistles, as I like to say it, the decrees. And you know, we're, we're working after hours and we're pushing hard to be able to just earn our place at the table. What I've seen is we don't need to do that. If we're able to be confident in what we bring to the table, then it doesn't matter what everybody else around us thinks. We've earned our spot just by being there. And so what I'm teaching women is just accept that you don't need to know what everybody's thinking in the room to be good at your job.
- [80:54]
A
Well, I'm sure you want people to actually read the book and get all of the many gems in there. So we won't give it all away, but instead we're going to have a little fun and go over the list of your top five takeaways from the book, something you put together for us, sort of like how late night talk show host David Letterman used to do back in the day. And yes, we, we're gonna do it backwards, starting with number five and work our way up to number one. So here we go. Top five signs you're a change maker and the world needs to know. So number five, you say you see what's broken and refuse to accept it any longer.
- [81:39]
D
Yeah. Change makers do not just see a problem or acknowledge that it exists. They take ownership of that. They get their team together and then they tackle it.
- [81:51]
A
Number four, you move beyond words, building bridges and making connections.
- [81:59]
D
You understand that change happens when people come together and you're willing to not only build those bridges that binds that connection, but then you're ready to take it to that next level. What does it look like to impact change with the group, that team that you've put together?
- [82:17]
A
I Like that you say that they take action instead of waiting for someone else to step up.
- [82:24]
D
Bring solutions to the table. I used to joke. So originally the title to my book was Build the Table as opposed to Sit at the Table. Then I realized I needed a little. A lot more change makers to help me. So put out the warning flag. But essentially, that's the thing, is, like, we're looking to enact systemic change from day one. So bring your hammer. We're going to build this the right way.
- [82:46]
A
Number three, you get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
- [82:51]
D
Change makers know how to sit in that icky, sticky mud and know that it is for the end goal. I'm going to do this today because my impact is going to be felt tomorrow. I talk a lot about in the book that I have an anxiety disorder, that I am quick to flip that panic switch on. But if I'm looking at the end goal, what, you know, maybe it's on the other side of that airplane door or that scary meeting I have to just get through. Maybe on the other side, I'm going to feel better. It's always about that feel future goal. And that outweighs the uncomfortableness of today.
- [83:30]
A
Number two, you turn setbacks into strategy.
- [83:34]
D
Mm. I have had a lot of setbacks in my life. I have had a lot of people devalue my work.
- [83:45]
A
Many times you've walked into a space and it was automatically assumed that you were not qualified. Qualified.
- [83:51]
D
Yeah, exactly.
- [83:51]
A
Or you were not worthy or you were not as talented as you are.
- [83:55]
D
Yeah. So interpreted as different means less qualified. Different means that I don't belong there. And instead, what I've been able to do is put that in the fuel, you know, in my belly and fuel the fire that keeps me to push forward. You say I'm not worthy or that I can't do these things. Watch me.
- [84:17]
A
Number two, really resonated with me because I do a lot of mentoring specifically to young journalists. And there's lots of no's in journalism, believe me. Do you have the right voice? Do you have the right look? Do you have the right degree and pedigree? And one thing I've been kind of encouraging my mentees to see is, like, if you get a no, all you need to do is regroup and figure out a new strategy on how to get that opportunity or another opportunity. And I tell them countless stories of things that started off as a no that became a yes later. And maybe it was just the right time for that.
- [84:55]
D
Absolutely. I think it's never split the difference. The book Never split the difference. And it says a no means not right now. In the context of business, that's really helpful because you're right. You're gonna knock on a lot of doors that don't ultimately end in a pathway, but then maybe they do set a something that you're able to get through down the road.
- [85:20]
A
And I like that you say analyze, adapt, and come back stronger. I love that. And number one, we should have a drum roll. You inspire others to rise up with you.
- [85:37]
D
Yes. The true mark of a change maker. You're not willing to just drive change for yourself. You are paving a way for future leaders so broad, you know, not just individually, but how can we amplify this and really, truly change the world?
- [85:53]
A
Yes. And I do remember in college, you know, there was always this competition for internships and scholarships and, and I remember the shock on people's faces when my group would not only apply, but we would share with others. And they were almost like, why would you share? Why wouldn't you hide this? And it's like, hey, someone's gonna get it. If it's not me, it could be you. And you will be able to come back and give us tips and advice. So it's just a mentality shift, right?
- [86:24]
D
Yeah. You're not operating out of scarcity. You're operating out of there's plenty for everybody. And maybe it's not my time, but it's gonna come back around and I'll want to be shared with as well.
- [86:35]
A
Daniya, thanks so much for sharing your insights with us.
- [86:38]
D
Thank you.
- [86:39]
A
Denver author and CEO Dana Wilson speaking with me last March. Her book is called Changemakers Blueprint for Lasting Impact and Ethical Change.
- [86:51]
B
She's just a girl and she's on fire Hotter than a fantasy Lonely like a highway she's living in a world and it's on fire Filling with catastrophe but she knows she can fly away
- [87:11]
A
oh,
- [87:14]
B
she got four feet on the ground and she's burning it down oh, oh, she got a head in the clouds and she's not backing down this girl is on fire this girl is
- [87:39]
A
on fire thanks for joining us today. I'm Chandra Thomas Whitfield. This is Colorado Matters from CP NPR News, nkrcc.