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InnovateHERs: Why Purpose-Driven Entrepreneurial Women Rise to the Top by Barbara Kurshan and Kathy Hurley

May 29, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Barbara Kurshan and Kathleen Hurley

Book Review

If you want to know how you can foster an entrepreneurial mindset to succeed in business, then authors Barbara Kurshan and Kathleen Hurley will tell you how in their new book InnovateHERs: Why Purpose-Driven Entrepreneurial Women Rise to the Top.


How do you take an idea, dream or goal and transform that into a strategy for success in a purpose driven organization? How can you align your purpose and passion to help you do well and do good in your profession? Authors Barbara Kurshan and Kathleen Hurley, both experienced and highly regarded business and education leaders, wanted to know how today’s top female leaders might answer these questions. So, they asked. The result is InnovateHERs: Why Purpose-Driven Entrepreneurial Women Rise to the Top. Through personal interviews with 30 of today’s top women leading purpose-driven organizations, ranging from those in startups and nonprofits to those in large companies across the globe, Barbara and Kathleen have created a unique, insider’s view of what it takes to be a successful female leader in today’s competitive world. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, corporate leader, or new to business, learning how to leverage your personal entrepreneurial traits and skills is key to accelerating your purpose-driven professional journey. Learn how these accomplished, purposed-driven, entrepreneurial women blazed new trails and rose to the top of their professions. Discover how to think bigger, lead stronger, and embrace your unique passions, traits, and skills. They are InnovateHERs, and they’ll show you how to be one, too.

Author quotes

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, corporate leader, or new to business, learning how to leverage your personal entrepreneurial traits and skills is key to accelerating your purpose-driven professional journey.

Learn how these accomplished, purposed-driven, entrepreneurial women blazed new trails and rose to the top of their professions.

Discover how to think bigger, lead stronger, and embrace your unique passions, traits, and skills. They are InnovateHERs, and they’ll show you how to be one, too.

About the authors

Barbara Kurshan

Dr. Barbara “Bobbi” Kurshan, is the President of Educorp Consultants Corporation and Senior Innovation Advisor, Graduate School of Education, Education Entrepreneurship, University of Pennsylvania, and a former education industry entrepreneur. Dr. Kurshan has more than 40 years’ experience in education as a researcher, entrepreneur, developer, investor, and company executive. She developed the first children’s software products for Microsoft, as well as award winning products for McGraw-Hill, Apple, CCC (Pearson), and others. She is the author of several books, including Internet for Kids (Sybex); Exploring Creative Writer and Exploring Fine Artist (Addison-Wesley Longman); Understanding Computers Through Applications (Glencoe); Activities for Kids and Kids at Heart (Reston). She has received numerous awards and recognitions including the WISE Prize, the King Bahrain UNESCO Prize, 2019 Most Influential Corporate Board Directors, 100 Edtech Influencers, and Laureate Tech Awards – Technology Benefiting Humanity.

https://innovatehers.org

Kathy Hurley

Kathy Hurley is a former senior executive for numerous educational publishing and technology companies, including IBM and Pearson. After retiring from Pearson, she was selected as a Fellow of the Advanced Leadership Initiative (ALI) at Harvard University and co-founded a global nonprofit organization, Girls Thinking Global. In 2004, Hurley was inducted into the Association of Educational Publishers’ Hall of Fame and in 2019, she received the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award in Education Technology from the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA). Currently, Hurley is a senior advisor to several educational technology companies, education associations, and school superintendent networks. She is also the co-editor, with Priscilla Shumway, of Real Women, Real Leaders: Surviving and Succeeding in the Business World (Wiley).


Why LoA loves it…

We all know that passion and purpose go hand in hand, so in their new book InnovateHERs, Barbara and Kathleen introduce us to what it takes to be a successful woman business leader in today’s competitive world. As an entrepreneur, whether you are a start up or a highly experienced woman business builder, learning how to leverage your personal entrepreneurial traits and skills for success is key. This is a great book which, through case studies and conversations with highly experienced women entrepreneurs, shows you how to turn your ideas, dreams and goals into a strategy for success. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa

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Healthy snack treats…We love showcasing Africa’s women agribusiness builders, and ReelFruit, founded by Affiong Williams, is inspirational - it’s the largest fruit processing, packaging and distributi Image of the Day / Dokmai Rwanda

Made in Rwanda Handbag…A passion for handcrafted accessories, combined with a sense of pride for ‘Made in Rwanda’ products, inspired Dokmai Rwanda founder, Bernadette Umunyana, to create a company Image of the Day / Eki Silk

Silk Serenity…Nothing is quite as luxurious as silk, that’s why we love the ‘Africa on Silk’ collections from Eki, founded by Hazel Eki Osunde. Her latest Deep Dive Collection is inspired by the p Image of the Day / The Nanjala Company

Pot plants delivered… Give gifts that will last, such as these stunning plants in individual pots from The Nanjala Company in Kenya, founded by Teresa Nanjala Lubano. This online store creates customized Image of the Day / Sari for Change

Sustainable Sari Glamour - If you want to wear a robe that makes you feel and look glamorous, then Rayana Edwards, founder of Harem in South Africa, has a range of fabulous robes all made from sari fabrics. She has

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