BRAVE-ish at AdWeek: The Power of Community, Conversation, and The Female Quotient’s Book-SHE-lf


Lisa Niver, author of BRAVE-ish, Shelley Zalis, founder of The Female Quotient, Orlando Reece, Head of Global Sales, Insider Inc. Photos by NYC Party Booth

There are conferences — and then there are gatherings. Spaces where people don’t just show up to exchange business cards, but to connect, share, think, and imagine a better future together.

For me, AdWeek has always been one of those rare spaces — because of The Female Quotient.

Where It All Began: Shelley Zalis and a Different Kind of Room

The Female Quotient was founded by Shelley Zalis, a visionary force who saw something missing in corporate culture: not just seats for women at the table — but tables that women built themselves.

The movement began at CES, where Shelley invited women to walk the floor together — because walking alone can feel isolating, but walking together feels like power.

From that simple, bold act grew The FQ Lounge — a home base inside major global conferences — a sanctuary for women to gather:

A place to meet. A place to recharge. A place to be heard. A place to show up fully — without apology.

What started as women walking side by side has expanded into a global movement and a thriving community of leaders, creators, innovators, and changemakers.

The Book-SHE-lf: Celebrating Women’s Stories

One of my favorite elements of the Lounge is the Book-SHE-lf — a curated library of books written by women, displayed in a space built for conversation.

It’s more than a shelf. It’s a statement:

Women’s stories matter. Women’s voices matter. Women’s authorship matters.

In 2023, I was honored to have my memoir, BRAVE-ish, included — and to sign books and meet readers. It remains one of the most meaningful moments of my author journey.

In 2024, I was invited again — but I was deep in my book tour (airports, stages, interviews, suitcases with opinions). I promised myself: I’ll be back.

In 2025, I returned — and it meant even more.


Thank you to Christyl Lucille Murray for introducing me The Girl Scout Team. I loved being a Girl Scout!

Returning to the Lounge in 2025

For three days, I signed BRAVE-ish inside the Lounge — surrounded by:

women I admire, women I’ve learned from, and women I had just met but felt instantly connected to.

That familiar, powerful feeling returned: being in a space built for women, by women.

This year, I had the joy of reconnecting and connecting with:

Shelley Zalis, whose leadership continues to expand what community can mean

Orlando Reece, Business Insider

Holly Corbett, Forbes

Christyl Lucille Murray, Girl Scouts of the USA

Jennifer Baggett Brennan, co-author of The Lost Girls and journalist at The Washington Post

…and so many new friends, colleagues, and co-conspirators in courage.


I love spending time with the 2/3 of THE LOST GIRLS! Have you read it yet? It inspired me to write BRAVE-ish! Holly Corbett, Lisa Niver and Jennifer Baggett Brennan

Books Are Not Just Stories — They Are Bridges

When someone picked up BRAVE-ish, we didn’t just talk about the book. We talked about:

courage reinvention identity the beauty of starting again and how “small steps lead to BIG changes.”

I write those words in every book not because they sound nice — but because they are true.

A Space That Makes Room for All of Us

The Female Quotient Lounge isn’t just a lounge. It’s:

a gathering place a platform a listening room a launchpad a reminder that we belong here.

When women share stories and space, we don’t just change the conversation — we change the culture.

Gratitude

To Shelley — thank you for the vision and the invitation. To Erika and Paige — thank you for the warmth, coordination, support, and joy. To everyone who stopped by — thank you for trusting me with your stories. To The Female Quotient community — thank you for making the world feel wider, kinder, and more possible.


THANK YOU so much to the entire team at THE FEMALE QUOTIENT especially Paige and Erika!

Here’s to What Comes Next

More voices. More stories. More courage. More books on more shelves.

Here’s to all of us — finding our place, telling our stories, and being brave-ish together.

An honor to be back on the book-SHE-lf! AdWeek 2025

What an incredible honor to sign my memoir Brave-ish at AdWeek in The Female Quotient Lounge! Being part of the book-SHE-lf — surrounded by two dozen trailblazing female authors — was pure magic. I’ll never forget watching readers reach for my book, sharing stories, and smiling as I signed each one with my favorite reminder: “Small steps lead to BIG changes.”

Every conversation reminded me why I wrote Brave-ish — to inspire courage, connection, and the belief that every bold leap starts with one small step. Meeting fellow book lovers, celebrating women’s voices, and being part of this empowering community filled me with gratitude. Huge thanks to everyone who stopped by, took photos, and helped capture these unforgettable moments. And to @thefemalequotient and @adweek (powered by @juucecharging) — thank you for championing creativity, authenticity, and women who lift each other higher.

I loved being back at AdWeek with The Female Quotient, signing Brave-ish in the Lounge and connecting with so many inspiring leaders, storytellers, creators, and changemakers. Some of my favorite moments were the people —standing shoulder-to-shoulder with women (and allies!) who are shaping culture, amplifying purpose, and lifting each other higher. It was such a joy to share this experience with:

Shelley Zalis, Founder of The Female Quotient

Orlando Reece, Business Insider

Holly Corbett, Forbes, Consciously Unbiased

Christyl Lucille Murray, Girl Scouts

Jennifer Baggett Brennan, The Lost Girls / Washington Post…and so many new friends I’m excited to continue building with.

Being part of the Book-SHE-lf again — surrounded by powerful women authors — felt like coming home. I’m still so moved every time someone chooses Brave-ish and shares what courage means to them. And a very special thank you to the entire TFQ team — especially Paige and Erika — for your kindness, coordination, warmth, sparkle, and support. You make everyone feel welcome and seen. I left feeling:grateful, supported, inspired and so incredibly honored. Thank you The Female Quotient and Advertisting week for making space for women’s stories, women’s leadership, and women’s voices. Here’s to courage, community, creativity… and being brave-ish together.

An incredible honor to be signing my book Brave-ish at AdWeek in The Female Quotient Lounge! Two years ago, I was here when the book had just been published — and now, after two years on tour and 10 awards later, it feels amazing to be back! So grateful to meet readers, connect with fellow book lovers, and see Brave-ish on the book-SHE-lf alongside so many inspiring authors.

AdWeek NYC 2023 in the Female Quotient Equality Lounge

 

Yay!! My memoir on the bookSHElf at the Female Quotient Equality Lounge at Adweek NYC 2023!

Thank you Shelley Zalis, The Female Quotient and Advertising Week!