True innovation is not about creating the flashiest tools or chasing the latest trends. For women in business, it is about building systems that work for everyone -- centering equity as a core principle, not a footnote. Real progress does not happen by tweaking broken systems. It happens when we reimagine the foundations altogether.

The Portland Metro Innovation Hub checked all the equity boxes on paper. I was the unanimous choice to lead it. What happened next became a masterclass in how not to build. Here is what I learned -- and why I keep building Business 4 Good, because even if I am no longer in that role, it remains my job to connect resources to the people who need and deserve them.