Read These 25 Women Authors on Power, Strategy and Growth
Martechvibe highlights voices whose work explores organisational culture, marketing strategy, bias, resilience, and the realities of building influence in complex systems.
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For much of modern business history, the books shaping how leaders think about power, strategy, and success came from a relatively narrow circle. The ideas were influential, but the perspectives behind them were often strikingly similar.
That landscape is now changing. Women are expanding what leadership literature looks like and what it examines.
On the occasion of International Women’s Day, Martechvibe highlights voices whose work explores organisational culture, marketing strategy, bias, resilience, and the realities of building influence in complex systems.
Here are 25 authors, and a reading list guaranteed to change your life…
Alida Miranda-Wolff
Book: Cultures of Belonging
Alida approaches organisational culture through the lens of consulting experience. As founder of the DEIB consultancy Ethos, she worked closely with companies seeking to move beyond symbolic diversity initiatives. Her work focuses on how belonging can be embedded into everyday systems and decision-making. Cultures of Belonging translates that insight into a practical playbook for leaders working to build inclusive organisational cultures.
Strategy consultant Amanda has advised organisations including Coca-Cola, Delta Air Lines, and Walmart on navigating industries defined by rapid change. A Harvard MBA and member of Marshall Goldsmith’s coaching network, she focuses on helping leaders rethink strategy. Her book, Fearless Growth, offers a framework for building resilience and competitiveness in markets that refuse to stand still.
Ann has played a defining role in shaping modern content marketing. As Chief Content Officer at MarketingProfs and Co-Founder of ClickZ, she helped build one of the earliest communities focused on digital marketing strategy. Drawing on that experience, Everybody Writes guides professionals on how to communicate ideas clearly, write effectively, and build trust with audiences.
Brené Brown
Book: Dare to Lead
Brené has spent more than two decades researching courage, vulnerability, and trust in leadership environments. Holding the Huffington Foundation Endowed Chair at the University of Houston, her work has influenced organisations worldwide. In Dare to Lead, she brings that research into the workplace, offering leaders a framework for building cultures grounded in accountability, empathy, and psychological safety.
Dr Candace combines corporate leadership experience with academic research on professional development. A former Chief Communications Officer, she holds a Doctor of Management from Case Western Reserve University. Drawing on research involving thousands of professionals, Get Your Career in SHAPE presents a structured framework for navigating career progression.
Dr Christine’s career sits at the intersection of marketing, technology, and customer intelligence. Beginning at HP in Germany, she later became one of the most recognised voices in B2B marketing and martech. Customer Insight Strategies reflects that work, outlining a structured approach for turning customer intelligence into long-term competitive advantage.
Debbie has spent decades shaping how organisations think about branding, creativity, and identity. As former President of Design at Sterling Brands, she has consistently explored the strategic role design plays in business and culture. In Why Design Matters, she brings those ideas together, examining how design thinking influences leadership, innovation, and organisational storytelling.
Diane, Founder of DHgate Group, has leveraged over 30 years of business and digital experience to drive the company’s mission of empowering everyone through digitalisation. Her leadership journey mirrors the rise of global digital trade. The Inner Mountain reflects the discipline, mindset, and inner resilience she believes underpin meaningful achievement.
Dorie Clark
Book: The Long Game
Dorie has been recognised repeatedly by Thinkers50 as one of the world’s leading business thinkers. Earlier in her career, she worked as a journalist and political campaign spokesperson. Her book, The Long Game, encourages professionals to think beyond short-term visibility and focus instead on sustained strategic effort that builds long-term influence.
Emily Chang
Book: Brotopia
Journalist Emily spent years reporting from the centre of Silicon Valley, interviewing founders, investors, and executives. That access gave her a close view of how informal power networks influence hiring, funding, and opportunity. Brotopia brought those dynamics into public conversation, becoming one of the most widely discussed books examining gender and power in the technology sector.
Claire, co-founder of Forget The Funnel, is a go-to-market strategist with more than a decade of experience helping SaaS companies build sustainable growth and product adoption strategies. In Forget the Funnel, co-authored with Georgiana Laudi, she challenges traditional marketing frameworks and explores how organisations can align strategy with the realities of modern customer journeys.
Janine has spent decades helping organisations communicate complex ideas clearly through The Presentation Company, working with teams at Apple, Google, and Nike. In Everyday Business Storytelling, co-authored with Lee Lazarus, she explores how storytelling techniques can turn presentations into more engaging and persuasive strategic conversations.
Julia has spent years interviewing founders, CEOs, and innovators shaping the global technology industry. Her reporting frequently explores leadership, business strategy, and innovation. In her book When Women Lead, she builds on those conversations, examining how female executives and founders approach leadership, decision-making, and building successful companies.
Former Australian Prime Minister Julia brings rare firsthand insight into leadership at the highest levels. She has spent decades navigating power structures across politics and international diplomacy. In Women and Leadership, co-authored with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, she draws on conversations with global figures to examine the structural barriers that continue to shape women’s rise in politics and business.
Leadership advisor Dr Karyn has spent decades helping organisations navigate complex leadership challenges. Her work combines psychology and business strategy. Her book, The Three Chairs, introduces her leadership framework, explaining how the mindsets of control, influence, and collaboration shape decision-making and organisational culture.
Laura Huang
Book: Edge
Currently Associate Dean at Northeastern University and previously a professor at Harvard Business School, Laura’s research explores how bias and context influence success. In Edge, she builds on this work to show how individuals can reframe perceived disadvantages and turn them into sources of credibility, influence, and professional advantage.
Harvard Business School professor Linda has spent decades studying how leaders grow inside complex organisations like Google and NASA. Her research focuses on the transition from individual contributor to manager and the practical realities that shape leadership credibility and authority. Her book Becoming a Manager has become a foundational leadership text, helping professionals understand how leadership evolves through experience rather than titles.
Martina Lauchengco
Book: Loved
Martina spent more than three decades in product marketing and venture capital, helping launch products such as Microsoft Office and Netscape Navigator. Her work emphasises the strategic role of product marketing in company growth. In Loved, she explains how aligning product development, positioning, and customer insight can help companies build products that customers genuinely value.
Nancy’s career sits at the intersection of advertising creativity and behavioural science. As co-founder of HBT Marketing, she has developed campaigns recognised for their effectiveness. Her book, Using Behavioural Science in Marketing, translates decades of cognitive research into practical techniques that help marketers design campaigns aligned with real human decision-making.
Purna has spent her career at the forefront of digital marketing transformation. After building her reputation at Microsoft, she now leads global Applied AI strategy at LinkedIn. Her work focuses on how technology reshapes marketing strategy. In High-Impact Content Marketing, she brings those perspectives together, offering marketers practical guidance for navigating an evolving digital ecosystem.
Sheryl Sandberg
Book: Option B
Sheryl’s leadership career spans public service, technology, and global advocacy. After roles at the US Treasury and Google, she served as COO of Meta and founded the Lean In community. In Option B, written with psychologist Adam Grant, she reflects on resilience and explores how individuals and organisations can rebuild after personal or professional setbacks.
Innovation strategist Simone has spent years advising organisations such as 3M, PepsiCo, and Medtronic on how to rethink innovation from within. Through her advisory firm, Blood Orange, she focuses on helping companies develop cultures that support experimentation and adaptability. Her book, Disrupt It Yourself, captures that philosophy, encouraging leaders to treat disruption as an internal capability rather than an external threat.
Stacey Abrams
Book: Level Up
Stacey has built a career spanning law, politics, entrepreneurship, and publishing. A former Minority Leader in the Georgia House of Representatives, she has navigated leadership across multiple arenas. In Level Up, co-authored with Lara Hodgson and Heather Cabot, she explores how entrepreneurs and leaders can rethink growth strategies in uncertain economic environments.
Dr Stephanie founded McLean Hospital’s College Mental Health Program, supporting students across hundreds of institutions. Her work increasingly focuses on how bias and misunderstanding appear in professional environments. Her book, Did That Just Happen?!, co-authored with Dr. Lauren Wadsworth, offers practical strategies for recognising those moments and responding constructively in the workplace.
Yale School of Management professor Zoe studies persuasion, negotiation, and behavioural decision-making. Before academia, she managed a major product segment at Mattel and later earned her doctorate at Harvard Business School. In Influence Is Your Superpower, she blends behavioural science with practical insights into how influence works in professional and everyday interactions.
