Her Story: Edition 9
Be inspired and uplifted by Her Story, a weekly series of articles about courageous and powerful women leaders who are living life on their terms.
Hello, Denyse here, and a very warm welcome to We Are Mimosa, a space for ambitious female founders building brands aligned with their purpose and values, and who care about making the world a better place.
This week’s Her Story is a little different. Over the past week, I've shared the second in a two-part series examining Kamala Harris's remarkable journey and leadership style. Today, as we stand on the precipice of a historic election, we'll explore how this crucible moment represents not just a political campaign, but the founding of a new vision for American democracy – one centred on freedom, justice, and the power of breaking silence around issues that shape women's lives.
On Freedom and Democracy
On Tuesday, Vice President Harris stood on the Ellipse – the same ground where democracy was threatened on January 6th – to deliver her closing argument to the American people. The symbolism could not have been more powerful: reclaiming this space not through force or fear, but through hope and a vision of freedom.
Freedom has been the heartbeat of Harris's campaign – from her campaign song choice to her consistent message about protecting fundamental rights. But this isn't just about political freedom. As we've seen throughout her campaign, it's also about the intimate freedoms that shape our daily lives: the freedom to make decisions about our own bodies, the freedom to access healthcare without judgment, the freedom to vote without interference, the freedom to build the lives we imagine for ourselves and our children.
Female Founder Spotlight: Building a New Model of Leadership
While we typically use this space to highlight women building businesses, today we examine Kamala Harris as a founder in her own right. Just as entrepreneurs identify gaps in the market and create solutions, Harris has recognised a critical gap in American leadership and is building something entirely new.
Starting a presidential campaign from scratch just months before an election is not unlike launching a startup in a highly competitive market. It requires:
Vision and Innovation: Harris isn't just running a campaign; she's creating a new model of presidential leadership based on coalition-building and collaborative problem-solving.
Breaking Barriers: Like the most successful founders, Harris identified outdated taboos and restrictions that need challenging. From her early focus on maternal health disparities to her current campaign's frank discussion of women's healthcare needs, she's consistently pushed boundaries of political discourse.
Building from First Principles: Starting with core values of fairness and justice, Harris has built an approach that treats women's health and freedom not as niche issues, but as fundamental to democracy itself.
Scaling Impact: From her early days protecting vulnerable children as a prosecutor to her current campaign to protect democracy itself, Harris has consistently found ways to scale her impact.
Creating New Pathways: Just as successful founders open doors for others, Harris is creating pathways for future generations of leaders, especially women and people of colour.
Leading Woman: Michelle Obama's Revolutionary Voice
When Michelle Obama stood unabashedly in her Black womanhood at August's Democratic National Convention, she did more than deliver a speech - she created a permission structure for other women to claim their own power. For me personally, this moment catalysed the creation of Her Story. Like many women, I found in Obama's example the language to articulate something that had been brewing within me - what U.S. Congresswoman Maxine Waters calls "Reclaiming My Time" - stepping fully into my power as a woman and unapologetically pursuing my vision.
This week, Obama brought that same revolutionary spirit to Michigan, breaking new ground in how we discuss women's health and freedom in political discourse. Moving beyond traditional campaign rhetoric, she spoke directly about the real-world impacts of healthcare restrictions on women's lives. Her speech addressed everything from menopause to maternal health disparities, bringing previously taboo topics into the mainstream of political discussion.
"This is about every woman's right to be treated with dignity," Obama declared, before detailing how restrictions on women's healthcare affect everything from managing chronic conditions to making career decisions. Her willingness to discuss these issues openly builds on her groundbreaking podcast work, where she's consistently challenged silence around women's health.
This Week We're Talking About... A Historic Convergence
As Harris stood on the Ellipse on Tuesday, reclaiming that space for democracy through hope rather than force, we witnessed the culmination of multiple boundary-breaking moments. Her speech wove together themes of personal and political freedom, demonstrating how the fight for democracy is inseparable from the fight for women's full participation in society.
This week also marked another historic first as Rachel Reeves became Britain's first woman Chancellor, delivering her inaugural budget. For analysis of what the budget means for women-owned businesses, visit my website: denysewhillier.com/ceosecrets
These moments of women claiming space - whether on the Ellipse, in Michigan, or at the despatch box - represent more than individual achievements. They demonstrate how women's leadership can transform not just who holds power, but how power itself is exercised.
The contrast with authoritarian approaches couldn't be clearer. While authoritarianism thrives on silence and shame around "private" matters, Harris and Obama demonstrate that true freedom requires bringing these issues into the light. Their approach shows that:
Personal health freedom and political freedom are interconnected
Breaking silence around women's health is essential to democratic progress
Leadership in a democracy requires addressing the full spectrum of human experience
As we look toward Tuesday's election, the choice isn't just between two candidates – it's between silence and voice, between shame and dignity, between restriction and freedom. Harris's approach, grounded in emotional intelligence and collaborative leadership, offers a path forward not just for American democracy, but for anyone seeking to build something that lasts.
Over to You
What aspects of this historic moment resonate most with you? How do you see the relationship between personal and political freedom in your own work? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Until next time,
Denyse
P.S. Get out and vote! Democracy only works when we all participate.
About me
If you’re new to my work, it might be helpful if I explain who I am and what I do!
I’m Denyse Whillier, a former Chief Executive with more than 25 years of business experience under my favourite Sézane belt. I upcycle my skills and experience to provide business mentoring and strategic support, reimagined for female founded businesses.
My mission is simple. It’s to make it easier for women to build thriving brands which are aligned with their purpose and values and to close the gender gap in entrepreneurship, one female founder at a time.
I’ve always worked for organisations with a strong commitment to DEI and was part of the team which led the implementation of the MacPherson Report to address institutional racism in London's public services.
To find out how I can support you on your business journey, check out this link. And if you’d like to know more about the results my clients get, here are some of my case studies.
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