When I first started my career, I had no idea there was an “ingredient” missing from the advice we, as women, are often given about success. Like many, I believed that if I worked hard, built my skills, and showed up with confidence, it would be enough to move up the ladder. But over time, I realized there was something crucial missing.
That’s why I was thrilled to sit down with Susan Colantuono, the brilliant mind behind the TED Talk “The Career Advice You Probably Didn’t Get,” which has reached over 4.5 million viewers. In our conversation, Susan revealed what she calls the Missing 33% — a vital set of skills women often aren’t told they need for career advancement. It’s not just about personal branding or confidence; it’s about mastering business acumen, financial understanding, and strategic insight. These are the keys to unlocking leadership potential and breaking through to top roles. And in this episode, she shares why these skills are the ultimate game-changer.
Why This Episode is for You
Are you feeling stuck in your career? Despite doing everything “right,” so many of us find ourselves feeling like we’re spinning our wheels in mid-level roles. Susan’s insights helped me see why this happens and how business acumen — often an untold part of career success — can help women navigate their way into higher leadership positions.
Here’s what you’ll gain from listening:
- An understanding of the “Missing 33%” that’s essential for women’s career growth and why mastering business, financial, and strategic skills is crucial for moving forward.
- Practical ways to develop a leadership brand that stands out to decision-makers.
- Strategies to become more business-savvy and showcase your value in impactful ways.
Key Takeaways from My Conversation with Susan Colantuono
1. The Missing 33% — What No One Tells You About Success
Susan’s TED Talk unearthed what she calls the Missing 33% of career advice. While many women are encouraged to work on confidence, networking, and personal branding, few are told that business, financial, and strategic skills are actually what set top leaders apart. This isn’t about abandoning what you know — it’s about expanding your toolkit to include skills that influence big-picture decisions.
2. Why Business Acumen is the Door-Opener for Women in Leadership
If you’re wondering why so many women get “stuck” in mid-level roles, Susan’s insights could be the key. Business acumen — understanding how your work aligns with financial goals and strategies — is what positions you as an indispensable asset to any organization. Susan explains that, for women, mastering these skills can mean the difference between staying in place and stepping into roles where you can make real impact.
3. How to Start Building Business Savvy Today
The best part? Susan’s advice isn’t just theoretical; it’s actionable. In our conversation, she shares real steps you can take to develop business savvy, including:
•Paying attention to how your work affects the bottom line
•Understanding the financial impact of your projects
•Learning to position yourself as a strategic thinker who can drive outcomes
Why This Matters Now
If you’ve ever felt like your career is “stuck” despite your efforts, this episode is for you. Susan’s insights reveal why typical advice — like being confident or networking more — isn’t enough to get you noticed for senior roles. It’s about knowing your value in terms that matter to business leaders. By mastering business and financial acumen, you’re not just “doing your job” — you’re positioning yourself as a leader who understands how to drive results.
Final Thoughts: The Path Forward
In a world where women are often told to “just be confident,” Susan’s message is refreshing and, honestly, a relief. We don’t have to rely solely on charisma or personal branding to be seen as leaders. By developing business-savvy skills, we can show up as powerful, capable leaders who bring real value to the table.
I left this conversation with Susan feeling inspired and more equipped to take my own leadership journey to the next level. And I hope it does the same for you.
If you’re ready to stop feeling stuck and start moving forward with clarity and purpose, give this episode a listen. It might just be the missing piece you’ve been looking for.
I’d love to hear your thoughts after listening. What resonated with you most? Let’s continue the conversation in the comments!
About Susan
Susan Colantuono is an internationally renowned expert on closing the leadership gender gap, an author, speaker and mentor/coach.
She discovered, developed and introduced to the world a definition of leadership and 4 keys that have transformed women’s leadership development and initiatives to close the leadership gender gap:
- “Leadership is using the greatness in you to achieve and sustain extraordinary outcomes by engaging the greatness in others.” This definition led to the discovery of…
- The Missing 33% of the career success equation for women. Further developed in her book No Ceiling, No Walls it takes women beyond conventional wisdom and toward developing leadership skills in the areas of business, strategic and financial acumen.
- PIE Mentoring – what it is, how to get it and how it can help women earn sponsorship – is discussed in detail in her book Make the Most of Mentoring.
- Her TEDx Talk on “Closing the gender gap at the top.” One of only 1% of TEDx Talks to make it to the TED.com site, it was retitled, “The career advice you probably didn’t get.” Nearing 4.4 million views, it has been translated into 23 languages and covered by media including The Washington Post, Fortune Magazine, and The Guardian as one of the Top 5 Talks that will change the way you work
- 15 Gender Dynamics that create barriers for women. These make explicit the mindsets of managers that hold women back and the concrete actions that clear the pathway for advancement.
In 2002, Susan established the Women’s Institute for Leadership at Bryant University and presented Leadership Mastery programs for women until 2010. In 2004, she founded Leading Women on a B2C model. In 2015 it shifted strategy delivering unique leadership development programs for women and gender dynamics programs for managers at global clients including Verizon, DHL, onSemi, Nokia, Amgen, Campbells and many others across a range of industries.
In 2019, with a goal of spreading her actionable insights to women around the world without access to leadership development resources, she and Michelle Redfern launched the Lead to Soar network- an online global community of ambitious women committed to developing their leadership skills and advancing in their careers.
Susan has published numerous articles on leadership and is the author of two other books. Her cutting edge insights have been featured in Time, AdAge, CNBC, Forbes, CBS, Duke University’s Dialogue magazine, numerous podcasts and other media outlets. An in-demand speaker, Susan has spoken to business audiences from every continent.
Follow Susan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susancolantuono/
Visit her website: https://www.bebusinesssavvy.com/
Listen to her TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_colantuono_the_career_advice_you_probably_didn_t_get?subtitle=en
