Two Stages. Two Wins. And Still Worth Thinking About.

It’s been over a week, and I’m still thinking about it.

Two stages. Two wins.

I’m a huge fan of Broadway, and Michael (my husband) is a big horse racing fan—so this one hit both worlds for us.

At the Belmont Stakes on June 6 and the Tony Awards on June 7, women made headlines in very different arenas—yet the impact felt remarkably similar.

Not because of the wins themselves.
But because of what they represent.

What We’re Really Seeing

At the Belmont, Cherie DeVaux stepped into a space where women have historically been the exception and won.

At the Tonys, Liberation, written by Bess Wohl and directed by Whitney White, brought women’s voices and leadership to center stage—both in story and in execution.

Different industries. Same message.

Women are not just participating at the highest levels.
They are leading, shaping, and defining what comes next.

The Part That Stays With Me

What struck me then and continues to stay with me is this:

None of those wins happened that weekend.

They happened in the months and years before.

The preparation.
The setbacks.
The pivots.
The decisions made when the outcome was uncertain.
The consistency when no one was watching.

Success at that level is never about one moment. It’s built through hundreds of moments that don’t make headlines.

Just like many leaders, it’s the hours, often years behind the scenes that lead to these visible wins.

Beyond the Headlines

And over a week later, what’s even clearer is this isn’t isolated.

We’re seeing it everywhere.

  • Mary Barra leading General Motors through transformation 

  • Fei-Fei Li, often called the “Godmother of AI,” shaping the future of technology 

  • Taylor Swift redefining ownership and long-term strategy in entertainment 

And beyond the headlines, women are building companies, leading teams, and creating impact every single day.

Why This Matters

This is exactly why I love hosting Her Success Story.

Every week, I sit down with women leaders, founders, and executives to talk about what really drives success.

Not just the accomplishments.

But the story behind them:

  • The risks they took 

  • The challenges they navigated 

  • The moments they almost walked away 

  • The decisions that changed everything 

Because every headline we celebrate started long before anyone was paying attention.

My Takeaway

A week later, these moments are still worth paying attention to.

Not because they were surprising.

But because they are becoming expected.

And that may be the biggest shift of all.

What are you building today that may not be fully visible yet?

Listen to Her Success Story:
https://slatersuccess.com/podcasts/

And if you’re looking for real-time examples, look no further than Cherie DeVaux, Bess Wohl, and Whitney White—leaders in completely different arenas, each doing the work long before the world was watching, and now defining what’s possible.

Ivy SlaterComment