Subscribe here:
Even Here, Women Don’t Make It to the Top. Why??
Women make up 87.5% of interior design students and 85% of the workforce. Yet at the industry's top firms, only about 40% of leadership positions are held by women. So if the pipeline isn't the problem, what happens on the way to the top?
Recorded live at the Mannington Commercial showroom in Chicago,, Amanda Schneider was joined by Jennifer Graham, Managing Principal at Perkins&Will, and Kerry Reynolds, President of Girls With Impact, to explore why women continue to face barriers to advancement, even in industries where they make up the majority.
Together, they unpack the unwritten rules of career advancement, the importance of sponsorship, and why confidence alone isn't enough to close the gap. From early-career opportunities and the weight of caregiving responsibilities to leadership systems designed for another era, the conversation challenges us to rethink not just how we prepare women to advance, but how organizations create opportunities for them to succeed.
In this episode:
Why a female-dominated workforce doesn't necessarily translate to female representation at the top
How early-career opportunities, sponsorship, and visibility shape advancement
Why motherhood and caregiving can widen gaps that begin long before parenthood
What organizations can do to rethink outdated leadership systems and create more equitable opportunities
Why meaningful change requires both individual confidence and organizational accountability
Links Mentioned:
Grab your copy of Work for What's Next.
Sign up for ThinkLab’s Newsletter to keep up with industry trends.
Follow Amanda on LinkedIn for more workplace insights.
Book Amanda for a speaking engagement.
Design Nerds Anonymous is a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Design Nerds Anonymous was produced and edited by SANDOW DESIGN GROUP, with music from Blue Dot Sessions. Special thanks to the podcast production team: Hannah Viti, Rob Schulte, and Rachel Senatore.
Special thanks to our podcast sponsor Haworth for hosting this event - a company doing big things to move the design industry forward.
Want to sponsor an episode?
Design Nerds Anonymous is the only podcast of its kind – holding an engaged audience of architects, designers, CRE leaders, and end users – and delivering the most insights per minute on the forces shaping the built environment. With over 100K+ downloads, the show features industry powerhouses from brands like Chick-fil-A, Hilton, and StoryBrand, having bold conversations on what’s next in business and design—market shifts, process innovation, and the hidden dynamics driving change.
Learn more about becoming a sponsor.