25 Voices, 25 Years is a celebration of the people who have shaped NextUp into the organization it is today, from founders and members to everyone in between.
To kick off the series, hear from Michele Hanson, CEO of ExecuInsight and the original founder of NextUp, who started it all back in 2001. Over the past 25 years, she has watched her vision grow into a nationwide community of 500+ companies spanning every industry, collectively serving more than 12 million employees. From the earliest days of building something from nothing, to reflecting on a quarter century of impact, Michele’s story is where ours begins.
Take us back to the beginning. What led you to create NextUp?
As a young woman advancing in the corporate environment, I often found myself working almost exclusively with men. In meetings, I would be talked over. I wasn’t always included in informal networking opportunities, and at times my contributions were overlooked.
At one point, I asked my company to provide me with a mentor. There were no women above me in my division, so they connected me with a woman from the legal department. I arrived at our first meeting full of hope, thinking I had finally found someone who could guide me.
My first question was simple: “How do I get these guys to listen to me in meetings?”
Her response surprised me. She suggested that I might need to adjust how I presented myself, even joking about wearing “coke bottle glasses.” While she meant to help, it was a moment that made me realize just how complex the environment was for women trying to advance.
Around that same time, I attended a large industry conference along with two other women from our company. We weren’t issued our own badges, we had to share, which sent a clear message about how women were perceived at the time.
After the event, both women received inappropriate follow-up calls from men they had met there. When we connected the next day, I asked them one question: “Are you ready to take this to the top?”
They said yes.
That moment sparked action. With support from senior leadership, including the CEO of a major corporation, we engaged directly with conference organizers. Meaningful changes followed — from how women were represented on the convention floor to ensuring women had a voice on stage as speakers and leaders.
For the next two years, I continued to stay closely involved, helping ensure those standards were upheld.
But more importantly, it became clear that these weren’t isolated issues, they were systemic.
That realization led to the creation of the Network of Executive Women, now NextUp. What began as a small group of committed individuals quickly grew into a movement — one focused on connection, advocacy, and creating more equitable opportunities for women across the industry.
Looking back, it’s incredibly meaningful to see how far things have come — and to know that those early efforts helped lay the foundation for the community that exists today.
When you helped start NextUp, what problem were you trying to solve, and what part of that problem still surprises you today?
When we started NextUp—then called the Network of Executive Women (NEW)—we were trying to solve a very real problem in the Consumer Products industry: women were the primary shoppers in retail stores, yet their voices were largely absent from the executive suites where the most important decisions were being made.
Our goal was to create a community where women could uplift one another, share insights, build leadership capability, and help open doors that had historically been closed. What began as a simple idea quickly grew into a movement focused on elevating women’s voices and expanding their presence in leadership across the industry.
What still surprises me today is how important those networks of support remain. The need for connection, mentorship, and sponsorship is just as critical now as it was when we first started. Seeing the impact of that collective effort over time is both inspiring and a reminder that lasting change happens when people come together with a shared purpose.
Lasting change happens when people come together with a shared purpose.
What’s a moment from the early days that made you realize NextUp could become a much larger organization?
There were two moments in the early days when I realized that the organization might become something much larger than the small idea I had originally imagined.
The first was the unexpected wave of support that came from across the industry. As I began sharing the vision of creating a network where women in the Consumer Products industry could support one another and advance into leadership roles, the response was remarkable. I found myself sitting in meetings with CEOs and senior leaders from some of the largest companies in the world.
What struck me most was that many of the earliest champions were men who recognized the same disconnect we did: women represented the core customer in our industry, yet their voices had little presence in the rooms where the most important decisions were being made.
The second moment came just as we were preparing for our very first event. Everything was planned, invitations had gone out, and then the unimaginable happened—the attacks of September 11th. Our event was scheduled to take place just two weeks later. Like everyone else in the country, we were shaken and uncertain about what to do. We asked ourselves difficult questions: Would people travel? Would anyone attend? Was it even appropriate to move forward? After thoughtful conversations, we made the decision to continue. The turnout exceeded anything we had hoped for, and the energy in the room was extraordinary. People weren’t just attending an event, they were showing up for each other. In that moment it became clear that this wasn’t just a meeting or a new organization. It was the beginning of a community and a movement.
What’s something you could never have predicted about the future of NextUp?
I could never have predicted the extraordinary level of support and enthusiasm that would grow around NextUp.
In the early days, we knew there was a need, but none of us could have imagined the scale of the response. It quickly became clear that this was an idea whose time had come, and that people across the industry were ready to make meaningful change.
What has inspired me even more is the incredible success of the people who have been part of this community. So many of the members who have served on boards, led regional groups, or volunteered on committees have gone on to achieve remarkable leadership roles in their careers.
There is something truly special about what happens when people come together in an environment built on support, shared learning, and opportunity.
Through NextUp, members have gained skills, confidence, critical insights, and lifelong connections that helped propel them forward. Watching those leaders grow and succeed has been one of the most rewarding and meaningful outcomes of this entire journey.
If you could give one piece of advice to today’s NextUp members navigating leadership in a very different world, what would it be?
Get involved in NextUp in whatever way you can, whether that’s serving on a board, joining a committee, or participating in regional or national programs. The relationships you build and the experiences you gain through this community are incredibly powerful. Surrounding yourself with other leaders who are navigating similar challenges and opportunities will give you insight, encouragement, and the tools to move forward with confidence.
Just as important, don’t shy away from healthy conflict. Some of the most meaningful progress we made in the early days came from differences in work styles and perspectives. I tend to be very driven and action-oriented, and there were times when others approached things more thoughtfully or cautiously. What made us successful wasn’t eliminating those differences—it was learning to understand and value them. When you take the time to appreciate how others think and operate, conflict becomes productive, not divisive.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from watching this community evolve over the years, it’s that when people support one another, embrace their differences, and keep pushing themselves to learn and lead, extraordinary things can happen.
NextUp was built on that belief, and the future of leadership will continue to be shaped by those who choose to grow, connect, and bring others forward with them.
“Leadership isn’t about agreement—it’s about alignment through understanding.”
What comes to mind as you think about NextUp celebrating its 25th Anniversary?
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of watching thousands of women, and many supportive men, come together to mentor, encourage, and champion one another. Seeing individuals grow in confidence, step into leadership roles, and help others along the way has been one of the most rewarding parts of this experience for me.
I am also incredibly proud of the people who have continued to carry the vision forward.
Organizations like NextUp thrive because of the passion and dedication of volunteers, board members, corporate partners, and members who believe deeply in creating opportunity for others.
Knowing that something we started continues to open doors and inspire the next generation of leaders is both humbling and deeply fulfilling.
Every organization has a story, and ours is made up of the people in it. We are honored to share just a few of those voices as we mark 25 years of NextUp!
Thank you to our Platinum Sponsor, The Coca-Cola Company, our Presenting Sponsor, PepsiCo, and our Premier Sponsor, Visa, for helping bring this series to life.
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