Founder and CEO, Hilton Global Associates
A: One of the most important decisions I made early in my career was to stop waiting for someone else to tell me I was ready – and to trust myself enough to create my own opportunities.
I entered the investigations industry right out of college, and there was no clear roadmap – especially as a woman. It was overwhelmingly male-dominated, and I often found myself in rooms where I was the only woman and the youngest person there. I didn’t have a safety net, and I didn’t always feel fully prepared. But I learned to trust my judgment, my work ethic, and my ability to figure things out. I realized that if I wanted a different future, I would have to build it myself.
That decision ultimately led me to found Hilton Global in 2020. Starting the firm was a leap into the unknown. It wasn’t born from certainty; it was born from conviction. I believed deeply in building a firm defined by integrity, excellence, and trust. The early years required perseverance through uncertainty, financial pressure, and personal challenges – all while raising my children and trying to be fully present as a mother.
Having spent more than two decades in the investigations and due diligence space, including over a decade in senior leadership roles before founding Hilton Global, I’ve seen firsthand how resilience, accountability, and consistency shape outcomes over time.
Building Hilton Global from the ground up into a global firm serving investment institutions and government partners has reinforced that leadership is not about having a perfect path – it’s about having the courage to take responsibility for your path.
That early decision (to stop waiting and step forward anyway) shaped everything about how I lead today. I work to create the kind of environment I once needed: one where people are trusted, supported, and given the opportunity to grow. Leadership, to me, is deeply personal. It’s about creating opportunity, protecting your team and your clients, and building something that will last beyond you.
Q: What advice would you give to women who want to step into leadership roles but feel hesitant?
A: I would tell them that hesitation doesn’t mean you’re not capable – it means you understand the weight of what you’re stepping into. Every meaningful step I’ve taken in my career, including founding Hilton Global, came with uncertainty. I didn’t feel fully ready when I took those steps – but I knew that waiting for certainty would have kept me from growing.
Many women feel they need to have everything figured out before stepping into leadership. In reality, leadership is built in real time. You learn by doing. You learn by making decisions, taking responsibility, and continuing forward – even when the outcome isn’t guaranteed, even when you don’t have the management structure to support you, and even without a mentor to guide you. In many moments, you have to become your own mentor.
I would also tell them to trust their instincts and their voice. There were many moments early in my career when I questioned whether I belonged in the room. Over time, I realized that perspective, work ethic, and integrity matter more than fitting a preconceived mold of what a leader looks like.
Leadership is not about perfection. It’s about resilience, consistency, and courage. It’s about showing up – not just on the days when you feel confident, but also on the days when you don’t.
Most importantly, understand that stepping into leadership doesn’t just change your own trajectory – it also expands what others believe is possible. Someone is always watching, learning from your example. When you choose to step forward despite hesitation, you create permission for others to do the same.
Co-Head of Business Effectiveness, CIBC Commercial Real Estate
A: Earlier in my career I worked in different roles within a variety of business lines as I was helping with process improvements and business enhancements. I learned a lot of valuable skills reporting to different leaders but in particular learned the importance of loving the type of work I did and working with leaders who are not only hardworking but create a culture where people are empowered and treated well. I think realizing this lesson of doing work that fits your strengths and that you enjoy as well as working with leaders who are not only driven but act “top notch with people” enables you to truly make a difference in your role. In my current role I have both of these which makes all the difference!
Q: What advice would you give to women who want to step into leadership roles but feel hesitant?
Many of my male peers from college advanced quickly by confidently stating they could handle a role, even without direct experience. In contrast, most women I know prefer to feel fully prepared and qualified before putting themselves forward for a position. If you are hesitant to step into a leadership role ask yourself why you are hesitant and develop a mini plan so you know that you can do it. Draw on your past successes and contemplate all the skills that you do have that will enable you to take this leadership role.
Principal, Deal Team, Head of Independent Sponsor & Company Direct Investment Strategy, Avante Capital Partners
A: Early on, I did what most of us are trained to do. I kept my head down and focused on learning the technical side of the job and doing it well. That foundation mattered, and it gave me credibility.
At the same time, I quickly started to see that strong execution alone is not what moves things forward. Relationships do. Trust does. Understanding how decisions actually get made does.
I became more intentional about investing in relationships and about understanding the full lifecycle of what we were working on, not just the part assigned to me. That shift changed how I operate. Instead of asking what my piece was, I started asking how everything fit together.
Today, I try to lead with both in mind. Understand the details, but also step back and look at the bigger picture. And, most importantly, focus on making the team more effective as a whole.
Q: What advice would you give to women who want to step into leadership roles but feel hesitant?
A: Two things stand out to me.
First, have a point of view and be willing to say it out loud. You do not need to know everything, but people need to understand how you think. That is how trust builds over time.
Second, put yourself in situations where your work is visible and where you have real responsibility. Growth happens faster when you are accountable for outcomes, not just effort.
Confidence does not usually show up before you are ready. It grows after you raise your hand, after you speak up, and after you take on something that feels slightly uncomfortable. And, just as important, surround yourself with people who value your contribution and will advocate for you when opportunities are being decided.
Director at Blackrock
A: In my first role out of college, I made a deliberate decision to become the subject matter expert. Early in my career, I didn’t have tenure or experience to rely on, and earning credibility with clients and colleagues could be challenging. I realized that while there is no way to fast-track experience, I could control how knowledgeable and prepared I was.
I invested time in understanding the products, the market, and the broader asset management industry. By building credibility through knowledge and reinforcing it with ownership and follow-through, I earned trust and reliance from my colleagues and clients. I learned that when people trusted my preparation and consistency, I was better positioned to take on leadership roles and expand my own responsibilities.
Q: What advice would you give to women who want to step into leadership roles but feel hesitant?
A: I would start by saying hesitation is incredibly common when stepping into any new role, particularly a leadership position. It doesn’t mean you are unqualified, it often means you care. You do not have to be fully “ready” to take on more. In fact, most people don’t have every skill figured out before stepping into a leadership role. Leadership isn’t something you master before you begin, it is something you learn as you go.
I also believe that a little bit of fear can be a good sign. If a new opportunity feels slightly intimidating, it is often a good sign because it is pushing you to real growth. The positions that challenge you the most are where you most expand your skills and confidence.
Don’t wait for certainty. By betting on yourself you are not only growing your own skills, you are also modeling that for others.
Director, Alternative Investment Management, LLC
A: One of the most formative decisions I made was to seek out environments where I wasn’t the most knowledgeable person at the table. Being challenged early on instilled in me a commitment to continuous learning and a leadership style centered on fostering rigorous, open dialogue and elevating the strongest ideas.
Q: What advice would you give to women who want to step into leadership roles but feel hesitant?
A: Leadership rarely begins with feeling fully ready — it begins with a willingness to grow into the role, even before your confidence catches up to your capability. Leadership is less about having all the answers and more about having the courage to step forward, ask thoughtful questions, and keep learning.
Managing Partner, Summit Revere Capital
A: Early in my career, I decided I would not compromise my values to deliver a win. As I navigated assignments and roles, I had a strong sense of who I hoped to become. There were examples of leadership around me that were incredibly inspiring, and others where I grew in my certainty that I would take a different approach if I were in the same position. There is something really extraordinary about becoming the leader you strove to be not just in title but also by creating the space that your teams want to show up and be their best in.
Q: What advice would you give to women who want to step into leadership roles but feel hesitant?
A: You are so much more than your fears and doubts – even if their voice can be louder than the truth at times. Ground yourself in your preparedness (and potential!) and take the chance on yourself. As I have progressed in my career and look back at the shots I have taken, the moments where I made my greatest strides were the times that felt most impossible. I have realized that hesitation is not a reason to say no, but a moment to recalibrate and keep moving until your success is reality.