TAPESTRY OF PROGRESS

For the founders of Beyond Barriers, Women’s History Month is personal. Led by Wilmette-based Brooke and Laura Ricketts and Monica Marquez and Nikki Barua of New York, this team of accomplished executive women have a multitude of intersectional experiences among them.

Beyond Barriers helps the world’s leading companies and the diverse professionals who power them accelerate success. Using a unique combination of predictive and personalized guidance, proven strategies, and a powerful community of experts and peers, Beyond Barriers delivers breakthrough results.

Monica Marquez is co-founder and Chief Learning Officer of Beyond Barriers. With her pioneering work as author of the Goldman Sachs Returnship program and as a founder of Google’s Product Inclusion Council, Marquez has deep personal and professional experience breaking down barriers in the workplace. She is a Latina, a first-generation college graduate, and a first-generation corporate executive. For Marquez, Women’s History Month is particularly relevant.

“It’s a time to reflect on the shoulders I stand on, the giants whose struggles paved the way for me to be here as an executive and entrepreneur, carving my own path. But it’s also more than that. It’s a call to action, a reminder that the fight for women’s equality isn’t solely about celebrating the past, but about shaping a future where progress doesn’t come at the expense of others, but uplifts us all,” she says. “Growing up, my world was a vibrant tapestry woven from the threads of sacrifice and resilience. My abuela taught me the power of grit and determination. My mother, a teacher and military wife, instilled in me a hunger for education and a yearning to break free from the limitations that confined her. These weren’t women focused on making history, but they were intentionally forging a path for me that my ancestors could have only dreamed of.”

However, the world outside their family home wasn’t always welcoming.

“The statistics are stark: Latina women earn 84 cents for every dollar earned by white men, face higher rates of poverty and violence, and remain underrepresented in leadership positions. These are not just numbers, but reflections of my own lived experience,” explains Marquez.

Each of the founders of Beyond Barriers climbed a corporate ladder that wasn’t designed for them, and in so doing, they saw an opportunity: when entire populations within a company aren’t fully empowered, the company is leaving profit and opportunity on the table.

“When we disrupt these barriers, we create opportunities for both the individuals and their families and the organizations they work for,” she adds. “We started this work focused on women because women are the largest group of underleveraged employees, worldwide. Then late last year in partnership with a large finance institution, we began offering our platform to all genders and all backgrounds, and the results have been very exciting: 40 percent increase in engagement, 20 percent increase in retention, and 54 percent increase in promotability. The work started focused on elevating women, but we realized when you elevate women, the effects radiate system wide. Today we’re working with a number of Fortune 500 companies across their entire population to accelerate success. This isn’t a DEI play, it’s a performance play.”

Here’s why:

1. Results are more powerful when everyone is empowered: McKinsey & Company research found that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 25 percent more likely to have above-average profitability than companies in the fourth quartile. Companies with ethnically diverse executive teams were 36 percent more likely to see aboveaverage profits.
2. Deeper bench, expanded opportunities: Many companies struggle with a diverse leadership pipeline but these same companies aren’t investing mid-career, when diverse talent drops off. We can’t be what we can’t see. Conversely, when companies invest in and elevate women and underrepresented groups, a more diverse pipeline follows.
3. Building a more equitable world: When we fight for women’s rights, we fight for human rights. We challenge discriminatory systems and outdated norms, creating a more just and equitable world for everyone, regardless of gender, race, or background.

“So, this Women’s History Month, let’s not just celebrate the past; let’s commit to shaping a brighter future for everyone,” Marquez says. “By acknowledging the struggles of the past, celebrating the triumphs of the present, and actively working toward a more equitable future, we can create a world where the success of one is not at the expense of another, but where we lift as we rise.”

Citing Maya Angelou’s quote: “We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color,” Marquez says we should “choose to create a tapestry where every thread counts.”

For more information, visit gobeyondbarriers.com.