Early on in her career, Courtney Stanley often found herself in environments where she felt the need to shrink.

"Success looked like fitting into a mold, staying agreeable and keeping my head down," says Stanley, a keynote speaker and executive presence coach and host of the women-inspired podcast "Dare to Interrupt." "I learned to perform instead of lead, to edit my voice instead of trust it. And while I was achieving on the outside, I was losing touch with my most powerful asset: my authentic self."

Stanley says it takes practice—and a lot of unlearning—to break free from people-pleasing, imposter syndrome and the fear of being "too much." "But that journey has helped me rediscover who I am, what I stand for and how I want to show up in the world," she says. "I stopped waiting for permission and started leading with purpose, vulnerability and truth."

Confidence, visibility and authenticity take center stage in a live recording of Stanley’s Meetings Today podcast "Dare to Interrupt" during Smart Monday, powered by MPI, on Oct. 6, the day before IMEX America begins in Las Vegas. In advance of this recording, we caught up with her to discuss empowering women and being an advocate for inclusion.

The landscape for women in the meetings, hospitality and tourism industry has transformed in complex ways over the past few years, according to Stanley.

"The pandemic was a major disruptor; women disproportionately lost jobs across the sector, and while the industry has rebounded economically, the recovery hasn’t been equally felt," she says. "According to Forbes, women in hospitality remain significantly underrepresented in leadership, with only 30% of leadership positions being held by women, and just 6% of CEOs in hospitality are women."

Growing voices

At the same time, Stanley says, something powerful has been happening: Women have started raising their voices and not just asking for better but demanding it.

"We’ve seen women mentoring each other, starting their own companies and choosing authenticity over assimilation," she says. "That’s where conversations like Dare to Interrupt matter. Because representation without voice isn’t enough. We need spaces where women can speak freely, lead boldly and shape the future of our industry without being talked over or boxed in. And we need companies and conferences to support that with action, not just intention. We’ve come a long way, but there’s still work to do. And that work starts by listening."

Everyone has a role to play in creating a culture where all voices are seen, heard and valued, according to Stanley.

"Inclusion isn’t a trend; it’s a responsibility. And it doesn’t fall on the shoulders of one gender, one title or one department," she says. "Being an advocate starts with awareness, taking a moment to look around the room and ask, ‘Who’s missing?’ ‘Whose voice isn’t being heard?’ and ‘Whose contributions are being overlooked or taken for granted?’ Once you see the gaps, the next step is action. That means choosing to bring in speakers with diverse perspectives, not just familiar names. It means noticing when someone is interrupted and creating space for them to finish their thought. It means sponsoring someone’s growth behind closed doors, not just offering encouragement in public."

For those in leadership, it’s about building teams and decision-making tables that don’t just look diverse, Stanley says, but think, lead and challenge the norm in diverse ways.

"This industry is built on connection, and when we’re intentional about inclusion, we create experiences that are more impactful, more human and, ultimately, more successful," she says. "Being an advocate means using your voice and your influence to ensure others have the chance to do the same. That’s where real change begins."