Recode Decode: Square CFO Sarah Friar and Instacart CEO Apoorva Mehta

Leadership

Sarah Friar, Square's CFO, highlights the importance of women in leadership roles, emphasizing the need for diversity at all levels of an organization. She points out that Square's executive team is predominantly female, which she credits to the leadership's commitment to diversity. Friar argues that diversity is not just a moral imperative but a business one, as companies with diverse leadership tend to perform better financially 1.

You can't be what you can't see.

--- Sarah Friar

Despite some progress, Friar notes that many companies, like Amazon, still lack gender diversity in their top ranks, which she finds embarrassing 2.

   

Support

Support networks play a crucial role in empowering women entrepreneurs, according to Sarah Friar. She founded "Ladies Who Launch," a nonprofit aimed at nurturing women in business by providing community, mentorship, and inspiration. Friar emphasizes that women often face challenges in accessing capital and building business plans, making support networks vital for their success 2.

Women are amazingly entrepreneurial.

--- Sarah Friar

She believes that sharing stories of resilience and success can inspire more women to pursue entrepreneurship and leadership roles.