Welcome to The Empowered Issue of SUCCESS, inspired by the incredibly strong women who over the decades have fought for more opportunities and respect, and the ones who continue that fight today.
We are inspired by the work these women have put in to develop the extra talent, skill and patience they have historically been required to demonstrate to reach milestones in business and career life.
We are inspired by the extra effort these women give at home, where their nurturing instincts keep families together.
And we are inspired as always by the lengths that SUCCESS readers of all kinds, creeds, races, religions and genders are willing to go to make their dreams become a reality.
This, to be sure, is a special edition of the magazine, and a long time coming. SUCCESS has now been around for more than 120 years, and has given witness to the incredible, millenniums-overdue ascendance of women in society during the same span.
When this magazine began in 1897, it’s fair to say quite generally, things were different. One of the earliest SUCCESS covers I’ve seen, from around the turn of the century, regarded the professional prospects of women simply by asking “Is Marriage a Good Job?” For decades the cover was dotted almost exclusively by male business titans.
I’m thankful to have come along at a more evolved time, and proud of what our team has done to highlight the achievements and encourage the further growth of so many incredible women. We’ve made this a priority during my tenure, and it is no longer a goal, but rather a mandate in every issue that we print. Still, there is room for this special occasion, an entire edition that has been inspired by and created for women.
That’s not to say it’s an issue that our male readers might as well disregard; the timeless lessons in these pages will serve anyone—proof, if there are people somewhere who still need it, that we’re really not all that different.
There is room for this special occasion, an entire edition that has been inspired by and created for women.
I can think of no better person to front The Empowered Issue than Rachel Hollis, who, after her breakout in 2018, some might think of as the “next big thing” in personal development, although they would be missing the fact that she already is.
Hollis inspires millions of people, especially women, to reach further toward the life they want and the potential they haven’t even begun to test. Her 2018 book, Girl, Wash Your Face was the most impactful release of the year, and the follow-up, due out in March, is sure to exceed it. Our cover story on Hollis is a profile of a person who, never mind all the social media followers and the rising fame, is real above all else. That’s something to which we should all aspire.
So let me be real. No matter the struggles in our past, no matter the challenges in our present, women and men alike, individually and collectively: The future is ours to decide and create.
Let’s get to work. Together.
Related: Rachel Hollis: ‘You’re Allowed to Want More for Yourself’
This article originally appeared in the Summer 2019 issue of SUCCESS magazine.
