#21: How the Most Powerful Women Win — Fortune's Emma Hinchliffe Breaks It Down

What do Kim Kardashian, Sara Blakely, and Melanie Perkins have in common—and can you have it too? In this episode of This Is How SHE Did It, Bonnie Habyan sits down with Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune's Most Powerful Women editor, who has personally interviewed each of these trailblazing founders and countless others redefining success on their own terms. From newsroom beginnings to front-row access to the world's most powerful women, Emma shares what she's learned about imposter syndrome, mentorship, and the unseen confidence that drives extraordinary achievement. Together, they explore the traits that unite top female leaders—and how owning your story just might be the key to joining their ranks.

About Emma Hinchliffe

Emma Hinchliffe is Fortune's Most Powerful Women editor, overseeing editorial for the longstanding franchise. As a senior writer at Fortune, Emma has covered women in business and gender-lens news across business, politics, and culture. She is the author of the Most Powerful Women Daily newsletter (formerly the Broadsheet), Fortune's daily missive for and about the women leading the business world. She is a co-chair of Fortune's Most Powerful Women Summit, where she's interviewed everyone from Fortune 500 CEOs and U.S. politicians to Hollywood stars, and previously co-chaired Fortune's MPW Next Gen Summit and the Fortune/U.S. Department of State Global Women's Mentoring Partnership. Her work, which includes magazine features with subjects ranging from Meta and CVS Health to Canva and the WNBA, has been honored by the Silurians Press Club and the Deadline Club. Before joining Fortune, she worked as a reporter for Mashable and the Houston Chronicle. She is a graduate of Georgetown University and lives in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Emma Hinchliffe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmahinchliffe/

Resources

Fortune Magazine: https://fortune.com/author/emma-hinchliffe/

In this episode, Fortune's Emma Hinchliffe shares what she's learned from interviewing the most powerful women in business—and how those insights translate into real-world confidence, leadership, and career growth. From Fortune 500 CEOs to iconic founders, Emma breaks down the patterns she sees again and again among women who rise to the top.

Drawing from conversations with leaders like Sarah Blakely, Melanie Perkins, and Kim Kardashian, we explore imposter syndrome, visibility, mentorship, and what it truly takes to own your story in today's professional landscape.

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