Women Leaders at Hudson Yards Discuss Workplace Equality
This story originally appeared on Hudson Yards.
“Events like this set a tone,” Sundays Nail Salon Founder and CEO told the audience at Hudson Yards’ International Women’s Day celebration on Friday. “They put a spotlight on women employees and, by giving them the microphone and letting their voices be heard, let them see that it’s okay to speak up.” At the forum, hosted in SAP’s innovation space on the 48th floor of 10 Hudson Yards, the panelists offered a mix of encouragement, advice and inspiration.
Ariana Horry, founder of Milk and Honey Babies, told those gathered, “Don’t let anyone dim your light—even if you come prepared and know your numbers—someone will still try. So know that you bring a unique perspective to the conversation and have every right to be there as well.”
Mary McGreevy, vice president and general manager of Neiman Marcus Hudson Yards, has found that opening doors for women in the workplace means rooting for one another: “I’ve been so fortunate in my career to have really powerful women that took me under their wing. I saw some roles to aspire toward and, because of that, achieved them. So I try to do the same with women in my organization.”
Kirsten Allegri Williams, chief marketing officer of SAP SuccessFactors, talked about her company’s commitment to supporting female-founded entrepreneurs and her involvement with designer Rebecca Minkoff’s Female Founders Collective. That effort encourages companies and consumers to buy female “because that’s the best way to encourage economic growth and to give women a platform to make a difference in their communities and the economy.”
At an earlier International Women’s Day breakfast, hosted Tuesday in the Zodiac Room at Neiman Marcus, Hudson Yards’ chief marketing officer Stacey Feder discussed the commitment to showcasing female artists throughout the campus. “We can put them on the world stage and make sure people know about them,” she said. “We take that responsibility very seriously.”
To demonstrate its commitment to the values of International Women’s Day, Hudson Yards will continue to promote and support the neighborhood’s women-led and -founded businesses throughout the month. Visitors who shop or dine at several featured retailers—among them Forty Five Ten (led by Kristen Cole), Heidi Klein (founded by Heidi Gosman and Penny Klein), Dylan’s Candy Bar (founded by Dylan Lauren), Belcampo (founded by Anya Fernald) and Kāwi (led by Chef Eunjo Park)—will receive a complimentary gift from Sundays Nail Salon.