Nicole Stephenson spotlights authenticity, mentorship and leadership

Nicole Stephenson, founder of Narrativa Consulting and a Wharton lecturer, is highlighting a leadership model built on confidence, communication and community. Her story centers on career growth through mentorship, asking for help and helping professionals lead more authentically.

Why it matters: - Stephenson’s message lands at a time when many professionals are looking for clearer guidance on leadership, career growth and confidence. - Her work centers on communication skills, relationship-building and self-advocacy, which can affect hiring, advancement and workplace culture. - Her book, Unapologetic: Boldly Lead the Life and Career You Deserve, aims to help women and other professionals move past self-doubt and lead more intentionally.

What happened: - Nicole Stephenson is the founder of Narrativa Consulting and a lecturer in the Wharton Communication Program at the University of Pennsylvania. - She is being profiled by Influential Women for her work as a communicator, speaker, author and leadership advocate. - Stephenson’s career spans media, nonprofit leadership, professional development and executive communication. - She says her approach is rooted in authenticity, mentorship and unapologetic leadership.

The details: - Stephenson started her career at KYW Newsradio in Philadelphia during the 2008 financial crisis. - She worked across the newsroom and marketing departments early on. - She helped launch the station’s first digital marketing role and its Facebook presence. - Within less than a year, she became Marketing Director at 22. - Stephenson became the youngest woman and only female director among senior leaders at the organization. - She came from a blue-collar background and entered corporate America without prior experience in that environment. - At The Main Line Chamber of Commerce, she began as an assistant through a mentorship connection. - She later became Executive Director of the Society of Professional Women. - She spent more than a decade in that role. - During that time, she reshaped programming, launched initiatives, hosted high-profile speakers and built a community focused on advancing women in leadership. - Stephenson also completed the Institute for Organization Management through the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. - She wrote Unapologetic over three years. - The book emphasizes mentorship, sponsorship, skill-building and intentional leadership. - Stephenson says she is comfortable asking questions and asking for help. - She recalls asking basic workplace questions early in her career, including what a 401(k) was. - She views curiosity as a strength rather than a weakness. - She encourages professionals to build a “personal board of directors” made up of mentors with different backgrounds and expertise. - She also believes younger professionals can serve as mentors by offering fresh insight into changing workplace dynamics. - Stephenson says professionals should evaluate opportunities based on whether they offer meaningful connections, education or strategic growth. - She believes organizations must communicate value clearly in a crowded events and chamber marketplace. - Her core values include authenticity, honesty, integrity and empathy. - She says authenticity builds trust and helps relationships stay rooted in sincerity rather than transactions. - She believes empathy means listening and understanding others without needing to agree with every viewpoint. - Her closing message to professionals is to keep moving forward.

Between the lines: - Stephenson’s career arc reflects a broader shift toward leadership styles that reward emotional intelligence as much as credentials. - Her emphasis on mentorship by committee suggests a practical response to the limits of relying on a single advisor. - Her focus on asking questions challenges the idea that leadership requires pretending to have all the answers. - The profile also frames visibility itself as part of the mission: helping people see their own value before they ask others to recognize it.

What's next: - Stephenson is continuing her work through Narrativa Consulting, the Wharton classroom and speaking engagements. - Her book and public platform give her a wider reach with professionals seeking guidance on communication, confidence and career growth. - She is expected to keep promoting authenticity, mentorship and relationship-based leadership as core strategies for advancement.

The bottom line: - Stephenson’s message is simple: strong careers are built not just on talent, but on self-awareness, connection and the willingness to keep learning.