In this episode, we're discussing the importance of women's representation in leadership roles in the channel industry. Our guest today is Heather Zindel - Board Member and Vice President of Strategy & Operations at Women Executives Channel Advisory Network (WECAN), a leading organization that champions women's advancement in the channel. We start the conversation by asking our guest to tell us about her background in the channel. …and it’s extensive! Heather goes into the detail of WECAN, a non-profit organizastion and explains their primary mission. She explains that the main aim is to empower women in the channel industry by providing them with networking opportunities, mentoring, coaching and resources to advance their careers. She gives examples of challenges which include gender bias, lack of mentorship opportunities, and other barriers that prevent women from accessing leadership positions. We also delve into how companies and organizations can create a more inclusive culture that supports the advancement of women into leadership roles. She stresses that companies need to make this into a sustainable culture and not just a one-time or once a year event. Overall, our guest provides valuable insights and guidance on how to create a more diverse and inclusive culture in the channel industry, where women have equal opportunities to advance into leadership roles. Thank you for tuning in to Channel Voices! External Links: Heather's LinkedIn Profile (WECAN) Women Executives Channel Advisory Network website WECAN - Contact Thank you for tuning in to Channel Voices! If you appreciate this resource please consider supporting us. Thank you! To stay up to date follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Check out The Partner Ecosystem Foundations Program - A linear, strategic and executable education program based upon decades of experience from the most successful partner ecosystem minds in the world. You can of course contact us on our social channels or by visiting our website: www.ChannelVoices.com Subscribe to Channel Voices Scope, a monthly LinkedIn newsletter where we provide you with additional information accompanying the podcast. We hope you find this newsletter informative and useful for your career and organisation. We would also like to invite you to join our growing Channel Ecosystems Community on Twitter, a community of channel professionals exchanging ideas, sharing insights and learning from each other. Let’s grow together! Until next time 👋