

Members of the Bizwomen Leadership Council have shared strategies for managing competing demands while preserving access to colleagues and employees. The discussion focuses on practical leadership boundaries, communication habits and protected work time, offering specific approaches for professionals handling increasingly fragmented schedules. Key Takeaways Members of the Bizwomen Leadership Council shared approaches to protecting leadership time while remaining accessible The discussion focuses on boundaries around meetings, decisions, communications and personal time Microsoft’s 2025 Work Trend Index found Microsoft 365 users were interrupted every two minutes on average during an eight-hour workday Nearly half of employees surveyed by Microsoft said their work felt chaotic and fragmented The council members’ approaches focus on preserving focused work without cutting off access to colleagues and employees Women Leaders Address the Demands on Executive Time Members of the Bizwomen Leadership Council have shared practical approaches for protecting focused work time while remaining available to colleagues, employees and stakeholders. The September 28 discussion examines the time pressures created by meetings, decisions, communications and expanding executive responsibilities. The council’s discussion involves seven members who describe ways they maintain boundaries without becoming inaccessible. Their approaches address the need to decide which demands require direct attention while preserving relationships

For Maven Clinic, women’s health is moving deeper into employer-benefit strategy. The company will hold its inaugural Onward summit Sept. 30 in New York City as employers expand fertility, maternity and menopause support while facing rising costs and uneven employee confidence. The event puts that tension at the center of the discussion. Key Takeaways Maven Clinic will hold its inaugural Onward summit on Sept. 30, 2026, in New York City, bringing together benefits leaders, health-plan executives, clinicians and healthcare companies. Maven’s 2026 survey found employers reported a 39% average increase in women’s and family health benefit offerings, while employee ratings of feeling “very well” supported declined by an average of 10%. Business Group on Health says 58% of surveyed employers will expand women’s preventive care in 2026, while 58% will provide menopause support programs. Mercer projects employer health benefit costs per employee will rise 6.7% in 2026, the highest increase in 15 years. The New York-based company announced Onward on Aug. 17, with the first summit scheduled for Sept. 30 in New York City. The event is set to include employer representatives from Bank of America and Pinterest, along with clinicians, Maven executives and healthcare companies including Mirvie, Color
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Two women entrepreneurs received a combined $20,000 through Curate’s inaugural New Orleans pitch competitions. Alicia Williams received $15,000 for Selah, while Aisha Abbasova earned $5,000 for ABBASAID. The three-day conference brought more than 200 women together for sessions covering entrepreneurship, leadership, technology, fundraising and professional development. Key Takeaways Alicia Williams, founder of Selah, received the $15,000 Curate Women’s Pitch Competition award. Selah is developing an app focused on helping women understand and manage hormonal health. Aisha Abbasova, founder of ABBASAID, received $5,000 through the Student Pitch Competition. ABBASAID is developing an AI-powered seeing-eye cane for people with visual impairments. Curate’s first New Orleans conference attracted more than 200 women and included sessions on entrepreneurship, AI, fundraising, grants and leadership. Curate Awards $15,000 to Selah Founder Alicia Williams Alicia Williams, founder of Selah, received $15,000 through Curate’s Women’s Pitch Competition during the organization’s first New Orleans conference. The award was the larger of the two pitch prizes presented during the event. Selah is developing an app focused on helping women understand and manage hormonal health. Williams’ business was selected for the Curate Women’s Pitch Competition, which formed part of the three-day conference in New Orleans. The award placed women’s health technology