Female Firebrands

“Reading Female Firebrands is like getting to listen to a private conversation among powerful, smart women sharing their war stories about the challenges of being a woman in the workplace. Kiner is personable, authentic, and pragmatic. The book combines inspiration with actionable advice targeted not only to female professionals, but also to men who want to be better advocates and HR and business leaders who want to lead better.”

—JULIE PHAM, Vice President of Community Engagement & Marketing, Washington Technology Industry Association

“A frank, straightforward examination of what women face in the workplace on a daily basis. Mikaela incorporates stories from a strong cross-section of women, with up-to-the-minute examples that made me ache with empathy, grind my teeth in indignation, and applaud the courage of women everywhere who are choosing to stand up to change the workplace for themselves— and for all of us.”

—AMY SALLIN, Interim Director, Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship, University of Washington Michael G. Foster School of Business

“As a seasoned HR veteran, Mikaela Kiner has seen it all. She and the women she interviewed share candid stories about what professional women face every day and how they persevere. Kiner does not hesitate to tackle complex issues of privilege and race. Though these topics will certainly make for some discomfort among readers, the women’s unflagging spirit and resiliency are that much more admirable given the hard truths about how far we still are from attaining equality.”

—STELLA ASHAOLU, Founder & CEO, WeSolv

“A smartly written book that puts women’s stories at the center of the narrative and will help women (and men) effect positive change in the workplace. I couldn’t get enough of these real-life stories told by women from an incredibly diverse set of industries and backgrounds. Their advice and ideas are remarkably easy to understand and put into action. I plan on giving this book to the potential Female Firebrands I know, and the men that want to be great advocates.”

—CHRIS CAPOSSELA, Chief Marketing Officer, Microsoft

“I have spent the past 20 years working as a senior human resource leader in the technology industry. Mikaela’s story and the stories of the Female Firebrands she spotlights are my story and the story of millions of women across the world. These stories provide insight, guidance, and support and are a must read if you are a woman working in business today, a young woman beginning her career, or anyone who supports women in the workplace. This book will warm your heart, ignite your passion, and foster belief in yourself. Thank you, Mikaela, for sharing these stories and supporting women everywhere.”

—REBECCA CLEMENTS, Vice President of Human Resources, Moz

“#FemaleFirebrands offers authentic insight into our evolving workplace, as the rules are getting rewritten in real time. It also gives insight into what it takes to simultaneously balance ambition and commitment to your family. It is modern and honest. A must read for today’s career trailblazer.”

—JAIME KLEIN, FOUNDER, Inspire Human Resources

“I can’t imagine a better person than Mikaela Kiner to write a book that positively addresses the reality of what it means to be a woman in corporate America. Reading the brutally honest experiences of women who’ve ‘been there,’ coupled with realistic advice on how to improve not only your own experience at work, but also that of others, is extremely empowering. I’ve been fortunate to have Mikaela as a friend and colleague who has provided valuable guidance and advice as I’ve progressed in my career; I’m thrilled that she has used her expertise to offer similar guidance through this book to working women everywhere!”

—TERESA MILLER, General Counsel, Rick Steves’ Europe

“In her new book, Mikaela Kiner provides a fresh, concise, and authoritative account of the challenges women leaders face in today’s corporate and entrepreneurial work environments. She weaves together the stories of 13 inspiring women, who provide unique perspectives on how the modern work- place must evolve to become a more balanced, inclusive, and empowering place. Male managers like me who aspire to be more conscious, curious, and thoughtful about our roles, biases, and team cultures will find practical advice in Kiner’s work for becoming stronger advocates for women and better leaders. Kiner’s interviews are peppered with insightful commentary and data, as well as checklists at the end of each chapter to help put wisdom into action. Kiner’s work is a welcome addition to the literature on women in the workplace and a fun, fascinating read!”

—DAVEY FRIEDMAN, Consumer Sales Manager, WeWork

“Kiner’s Female Firebrands demonstrates that in the modern workplace, there must be a better way—which she shows us in an actionable and unapologetic manner. Kiner illustrates her guidance with compelling examples of women in the workplace; and follows up with tangible, tactical how-to steps at the end of each chapter. Whether you’re an industry veteran, fresh out of school, or returning after a break, this is a must-have survival handbook for women in the corporate workplace.”

—NANCY JENSEN, CEO and Co-Founder, The Swing Shift

“Mikaela Kiner brilliantly tackles one of the most critical issues in today’s society: gender diversity in the workplace. Through an account of her own experience as a longtime Amazon executive and the stories of women alike, Kiner offers a refreshing and uniquely honest perspective on what it means to be a female in the modern-day workplace. Female Firebrands will inspire readers to think critically about the ways in which gender impacts their daily lives and will provide the tools necessary to be advocates for change.”

—ANISH BATLAW, Operating Partner, General Atlantic

“If companies want to create workplaces that inspire people to do their best work, then we have to face the hard truths people experience today. Mikaela helps us better understand the systemic factors and history at play in many organizations and punctuates this knowledge with the impact that these factors have had on real individuals at all stages of their career. But instead of just highlighting the challenges, Female Firebrands provides actions that leaders, individuals, allies, and HR professionals can take to make their organizations more equitable and more human for everyone. Transforming companies into ones our children will be proud to work for will continue to take intentional work at all levels, and Mikaela provides us all with a great field guide to get started wherever you are today.”

—DAN SPAULDING, Chief People Officer, Zillow Group

“Mikaela provides a thought-provoking examination of inequities through tangible, relatable stories that challenge the status quo. Reading this book, I often found myself nodding in agreement and then pausing to question my own privilege and way of thinking.”

—AHMAD CORNER, Founder and Community Builder, Young Professionals Organization

“What I loved about this book was the marriage of deeply personal stories from a diverse group of women with actionable advice for not just women but also male advocates, HR, and business leaders. Without an integrated approach to tackling inequities in the workplace, nothing will improve. Mikaela Kiner makes a call for all of us to examine and check our own privileges and then to use those same privileges to help create a more equitable workplace for everyone.”

—LYDIA FRANK, Vice President of Content Strategy, PayScale

“As a leader of a team or organization, whether you are a woman or man, Female Firebrands is a practical read of some very complicated topics. It is an honest look at many important issues facing our workforce. Mikaela is one of the highest-judgment people I’ve had the pleasure to work with, and she applies that horsepower to an unflinching dive into traditionally sensitive topics with the goal of making them normalized, accessible, and actionable. At the end of every chapter is a checklist (for women, male advocates, and HR professionals) that is both practical and enormously helpful. Whether a longtime leader or a new leader, Female Firebrands is a must-read for today’s leaders seeking to understand and do right.”

—JERRY HUNTER, SVP Engineering, Snap Inc.

“Kiner advocates practicing inclusion in the workplace, saying good-bye to outdated norms where women are often sidelined and excluded, and instead turn- ing everyone—women and men both—into advocates and allies. Kiner argues that the old ways of corporate America—one seat at the table, double standards for women, and motherhood penalties—have prevented women from thriving for far too long. Her practical advice, illustrated by candid stories of her own and of the thirteen female firebrands she interviewed, shows readers a new way to create workplaces where everyone has a sense of belonging.”

—CARA BRENNAN ALLAMANO AND ROBBY PETERS, Founders, PeopleTech Partners

“Female Firebrands provides an honest account of women’s experience in corporate America as it has been, and offers a clear, tangible path toward what it must become. Incorporating diverse perspectives from women across the whole spectrum of work, the book discusses ideas and strategies for both men and women to create an empowered, inclusive workplace for all women. Mikaela’s passion, pragmatism, and authenticity shines through, making this a must-have handbook for everyone in the corporate world.”

—MANMEET SANDHU, Chief People Officer, PhonePe

“In her book Female Firebrands, Mikaela Kiner directly tackles challenges of women in the workplace. By bringing in a diverse set of female firebrand voices and interweaving it with in-depth research and her own wisdom and experience, Mikaela gives us a book that both illuminates our challenges in new ways and provides a pragmatic playbook not just for women, but also HR professionals and men advocates.”

—SABINA NAWAZ, global CEO coach, keynote speaker, and writer for Harvard Business Review and Forbes

“In Female Firebrands: Stories and Techniques to Ignite Change, Take Control, and Succeed in the Workplace, CEO and executive coach Mikaela Kiner blends her story with the stories of the female firebrands she interviewed. These mis- sion-driven women ranging from CEOs and founders to diversity experts and nonprofit leaders share their struggles and achievements and talk about the power of women supporting women. With both candor and optimism, Kiner provides the tips—and encouragement—that women and male advocates need so they can work together toward lasting change.”

—ELIZABETH SCALLON, Head of WeWork Labs Northwest

“Female Firebrands is a wonderful book that honors the spirit, passion, and commitment women bring to work, the workplace, and leadership. The stories are inspirational and educational for everyone, and I highly recommend this book for men and women in business.”

—JOSH BERSIN, Global Industry Analyst in Leadership and HR

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