An Interview With Vanessa Ogle
Women in Leadership Empowering and Mentoring Other Women: As a woman in leadership, I believe we should make it a priority to empower and mentor women who are looking to advance in their careers. This collaboration can provide women with more insight into how they can reach those leadership positions, which can lead to further empowerment. We must lift one another up — and that starts at the top. It is important that we tackle the issues that women face in the workplace together, and we won’t be able to do that as successfully if we are not supporting the other women in our workplaces and industries.
Despite strides towards equality, women remain underrepresented in leadership and management roles across various sectors. In this series, we would like to discuss the barriers to female advancement in these areas and explore actionable strategies for change. We are talking with accomplished women leaders, executives, and pioneers who have navigated these challenges successfully, to hear their experiences, tactics, and advice to inspire and guide the next generation of women toward achieving their full potential in leadership and management roles. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Sharon Arthofer
Sharon Arthofer is an esteemed retail executive and seasoned entrepreneur with a passion for franchising and business development in the food and beverage space. She brings more than 25 years of multi-unit experience as a franchisee for respected national brands like Wetzel’s Pretzels. With her experience growing start-ups and proven success in bolstering national brands across the nation, she created Sip Fresh — a specialty beverage concept serving fresh fruit-based juices, smoothies and teas in a fun and engaging way. As the well-regarded CEO and founder of Sip Fresh, she brings a wealth of knowledge and a unique owner/operator perspective to the brand. Her commitment to empowering franchisees and fostering a thriving franchise community has been instrumental in driving the concept’s growth. She has established Sip Fresh as a prominent player in the beverage industry, touting streamlined operations, and a low labor model focused on driving high ROI and strong margins for franchisees. Sharon’s dedication, expertise, and innovative approach continues to inspire and drive the brand’s future endeavors.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?
My career initially began in marketing, for several international brands (Reynolds, Nestle, Time Inc.), which provided a tremendous opportunity to learn from some of the best companies in the world. I realized that I preferred more of an entrepreneurial approach to my professional career, so I set out to open my own chain of retail stores within the competitive New York market. After 13 years, I sold my NY retail business due to my husband transferring to Southern California. I was then introduced to two individuals setting out to start a QSR franchise business and jumped on for the ride and helped launch the brand. Through this experience, I gained a deeper passion for entrepreneurship and the franchise model. This entrepreneurial mindset led me to create Sip Fresh, which is a specialty beverage concept offering fresh, fruit-based drinks. I have always been a driven individual who is passionate about the franchise industry, which is what encouraged me to venture out and establish Sip Fresh, where I now serve as the CEO.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
One of the most interesting stories I have when I began my journey to become an entrepreneur occurred in the late 1980s when I went to a bank in New York to apply for a business loan. Excited to take this next step in my career, I was taken aback when the bank informed me that I would need to return with my husband so that he could co-sign the loan. They went on to tell me that 95% of businesses fail, implying that I should reconsider my decision. Instead of letting this experience deter me from accomplishing what I set out to do, I returned to the bank and secured that loan to begin my entrepreneurial journey — and I am so glad that I did. I like to reflect on this story because it serves as a reminder that when facing adversity and obstacles, stay true to yourself and remain confident in your capabilities. Don’t let someone’s doubt control the outcome you want to see.
Can you share a pivotal moment in your career that significantly influenced your path to leadership?
A defining and pivotal moment in my career that influenced my path to entrepreneurship came when I realized that, despite completing assignments and excelling in my corporate work, my contributions were passed off to other male colleagues to present to the leadership team. I wanted to have more control over the outcome of my work, which inspired me to enter my current career path. I now have the freedom to take full ownership of my efforts, build a leadership team who are also empowered to dictate their success through direct output, and take more initiative — something that I deeply appreciate and value.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
I’ve been fortunate in that I have met and worked with many helpful and successful people throughout my career, which I do not take for granted. I am especially grateful for my parents, who always made it a point to encourage my sisters and me to achieve whatever we set our minds to accomplish. They began giving us this advice when we were young, at a time when that message was not often given to young women. So, my parent’s early-on support and encouragement were truly formative and inspiring. One piece of advice that I always like to share for finding a strong support system in your career is to actively seek out mentorship — don’t wait for it to find you. Surrounding yourself with people who support and challenge you is essential for growth.
Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?
Two books come to mind: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni and Likeable Badass by Allison Fragale.
Lencioni’s work focused on how leaders can unite team members, with varying personalities and agendas, to work towards a common goal. This book also does an excellent job of laying out the framework for how leaders can redefine company culture when needed, which I find to be incredibly important in order to create a beneficial environment for all employees and achieve success.
Likeable Badass by Alison Fragale focuses on the differences between power and status while also providing insight into how women can advance to leadership roles. Fragale is a behavioral scientist who, through this book, explains that men inherently receive power and respect when placed in a leadership role. Status drives how people like and respect you, power is how you control resources that others value. Men often inherit power; women need to display capability and caring to garner status — a valuable commodity. It is an eye-opening book that sheds light on the leadership roadblocks that women often face in their path to leadership. Fragale provides key advice on how women can push through those adversities and challenge the status quo, which is why I resonate with this book.
Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life or your work?
I find myself most closely relating to life lesson quotes that revolve around having a positive outlook on life and believing that failure or setbacks may be the most important part of the journey.
Nelson Mandela’s quote: “I never lose — I either win or learn” is incredibly relevant to entrepreneurship because it serves as a reminder that even if you are facing obstacles, there is something valuable to be learned through those tribulations. When I have faced obstacles in my career, I have remained steadfast, willing to make the necessary adjustments, and did not allow those setbacks to deter me from achieving what I set out to accomplish.
Another quote I love is from Katharine Graham: “To love what you do and feel that it matters, what could be more fun?” At this point in my career, enjoying the journey is a big part of the definition of success to me.
How have you used your success to make the world a better place?
I’ve focused much of my energy and resources on supporting causes related to education and healthcare. Every October, which is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Sip Fresh makes donations to fund research and increase awareness surrounding breast cancer. I also advocate and promote the need for compassionate and empathetic care for those battling cancer. As a breast cancer survivor, I deeply understand the importance of funding research, promoting quality care and bringing awareness to this illness. It has always been my goal to utilize my platform and resources to help make our world a better place and to positively impact others.
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. According to this report, only about 31.7% of top executive positions across industries are held by women. This reflects great historical progress, but it also shows that more work still has to be done to empower women. In your opinion and experience what is currently holding back women from leadership and management?
From having conversations with young women in my industry, I found that access to childcare remains a roadblock that holds many women back from leadership and management positions in the same timeframe as their male peers. I’ve also realized that childcare accessibility and affordability subconsciously hold women back because many of them feel that this responsibility is solely placed on them to handle. If women have this weight of sole responsibility, whether it is subconscious or conscious, it can deter them from rising the ranks and seeking leadership roles because there are many additional responsibilities associated with those promotions.
This might be intuitive to you but I think it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you share a few reasons why more women should become leaders and managers?
Women have always demonstrated the ability to manage and juggle multiple responsibilities simultaneously, which is a crucial skill to possess for leadership roles. There should be no gender disparity in leadership — women are just as capable and have historically excelled in managing multiple responsibilities and challenges. It is time to better recognize the immense capabilities and qualifications that women bring to leadership.
Can you please share “5 Things We Need To Increase Women’s Engagement in Leadership and Management?” If you can, please share an example or story for each.
Women in Leadership Empowering and Mentoring Other Women: As a woman in leadership, I believe we should make it a priority to empower and mentor women who are looking to advance in their careers. This collaboration can provide women with more insight into how they can reach those leadership positions, which can lead to further empowerment. We must lift one another up — and that starts at the top. It is important that we tackle the issues that women face in the workplace together, and we won’t be able to do that as successfully if we are not supporting the other women in our workplaces and industries.
Visibility of Leadership Paths: Businesses must ensure that the pathways to leadership and management roles are evident. There must be visibility within the leadership process that all team members can identify early on in their careers. After all, how can you strive for such a position without fully knowing the path forward to accomplish that career goal?
Encourage Entrepreneurship: Based on my personal experience and career, I feel that we should encourage more women to begin their own businesses and start that entrepreneurial career path if that is what they dream of doing. This can be a daunting task, but it is also an incredibly rewarding experience to lead and manage the business you turned from a vision into a reality.
Building Trust and Connections: Trust and strong connections are some of the founding principles to have in order to move up the career ladder and step into high-ranking leadership roles. Women should ensure they are making themselves, and their work, visible to their colleagues and demonstrating trustworthiness in their actions within the workplace. That trust and that network of connections you build can influence how management sees you as a leader within that organization.
Take Control of Outcomes: Women need to take ownership of their career trajectories by actively seeking leadership opportunities and making their contributions visible. It’s essential to advocate for yourself, build confidence, and assert your value in the workplace. Taking control also means setting clear career goals and mapping out a plan to achieve them, rather than waiting for opportunities to come to you. The more women take charge of their outcomes, the more we’ll see increased engagement in leadership roles.
In your opinion, what systemic changes are needed to facilitate more equitable access for women to leadership roles?
As I mentioned earlier, access to childcare is an obstacle that many women in the workforce are currently facing — so we need to acknowledge that issue and provide solutions. Companies and policymakers need to recognize this reality and provide tangible solutions, such as subsidized childcare or more flexible work arrangements. When this systemic barrier is tackled, I feel that more women will be encouraged to join the workforce or strive for those more demanding leadership opportunities. Another change that I believe is important is to increase the encouragement for women to start their own businesses. In doing so, you can create the company culture that you want to be a part of and provide more equitable opportunities in the workforce. Be the change you want to see.
What strategies have you found most effective in mentoring and supporting other women to pursue leadership positions?
The most effective strategy I have found when mentoring and supporting other women to pursue leadership positions is approaching each conversation with a positive outlook. We already face negativity, so it is important to bring an uplifting approach to mentoring in order to ensure you are inspiring others instead of deterring them. Similar to the life lesson quotes I provided earlier, it is important to see obstacles you face as lessons to be learned rather than as failures.
How would you advise a woman leader about how to navigate the challenges of being a woman in a leadership role within a male-dominated industry?
My advice would be to approach those challenges with a determined and equitable mindset. You must remember your capabilities while also being prepared to demonstrate the knowledge and value you bring to the table, which you absolutely can do. Additionally, I advise women to push forward and have confidence in themselves when faced with adversities. Try to also foster a more positive mindset when tackling obstacles.
How do you balance the demand for authoritative leadership with the stereotypical expectations of female behavior in professional settings?
I balance this by remaining authentic to who I am, rather than conforming to expectations that society has set for women in the workplace. Being an accomplished and strong leader within an organization does not mean you must sacrifice compassion or empathy. Rather, you should use those qualities to successfully manage the tasks associated with your role. As I mentioned, Alison Fragale’s book defines male management style to revolve around power, whereas she encourages women to build “status” through thoughtful relationship building. Her premise is that status has a higher currency for women than power. Since starting my career, I have always stood by what I believed in, which has never wavered. I combine my goal-oriented, driven mindset with compassion to establish and lead a successful franchise, Sip Fresh.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
The number of people diagnosed with cancer today is staggering. As a breast cancer survivor, I know firsthand that when you get the news it can be daunting. I would inspire a movement that provides support in those early days when someone is trying to navigate the oncologists, surgeons, and treatment decisions. This is the key moment for a patient and can set the tone for the patient will handle the entire process and affect the outcome.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
You can follow me on LinkedIn, and you can also visit Sip Fresh’s website, sipfreshjuice.com. To learn more about the franchise, write to [email protected].
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
About The Interviewer: Vanessa Ogle is a mom, entrepreneur, inventor, writer, and singer/songwriter. Vanessa’s talent in building world-class leadership teams focused on diversity, a culture of service, and innovation through inclusion allowed her to be one of the most acclaimed Latina CEO’s in the last 30 years. She collaborated with the world’s leading technology and content companies such as Netflix, Amazon, HBO, and Broadcom to bring innovative solutions to travelers and hotels around the world. Vanessa is the lead inventor on 120+ U.S. Patents. Accolades include: FAST 100, Entrepreneur 360 Best Companies, Inc. 500 and then another six times on the Inc. 5000. Vanessa was personally honored with Inc. 100 Female Founder’s Award, Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and Enterprising Women of the Year among others. Vanessa now spends her time sharing stories to inspire and give hope through articles, speaking engagements and music. In her spare time she writes and plays music in the Amazon best selling new band HigherHill, teaches surfing clinics, trains dogs, and cheers on her children.
Please connect with Vanessa here on linkedin and subscribe to her newsletter Unplugged as well as follow her on Substack, Instagram, Facebook, and X and of course on her website VanessaOgle.
Sharon Arthofer of Sip Fresh On How We Can Increase Women’s Engagement in Leadership and Management was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.