Rapid Response: How Chief became a phenomenon, w/CEO Carolyn Childers

Origins

Carolyn Childers and Lindsay Kaplan founded Chief in 2019, driven by a personal need to support senior executive women who often lacked a community for growth and leadership. Initially starting with 200 members in New York City, the idea quickly resonated, leading to a waitlist of thousands, highlighting a widespread demand for such a network 1. The pandemic accelerated Chief's transition from in-person gatherings to a more virtual model, which unexpectedly increased engagement threefold as women sought support during unprecedented challenges 2.

Women needed this community more than ever. They were trying to lead through social unrest and business challenges that nobody had ever foreseen.

--- Carolyn Childers

This shift underscored the importance of Chief's mission to empower women leaders by providing them with essential resources and connections.

   

Platform

Chief's platform evolved significantly, focusing on creating a robust community for senior executive women through technological advancements. Carolyn Childers emphasized the importance of building a data-driven infrastructure to facilitate meaningful connections among members, rather than investing in proprietary video technology 3. The platform's core service, "core groups," brings together small groups of women with an executive coach to tackle professional and personal challenges, leveraging machine learning to optimize these connections 3.

Our mission is broad. It is to change the face of leadership.

--- Carolyn Childers

The recent $100 million Series B funding round, supported by partners like Capital G, underscores the platform's potential to expand and innovate further 4.