I’ve heard it all my life: “Women can’t do that.” “Women aren’t as strong as men.” Or my personal favorite— “That’s a man’s job.”

Cringy, I know.

I’m not a feminist. I’ve just had the best seat in the house.

Growing up as the youngest of three, I had a front-row view. My older sister could do that. She was as strong as men—maybe not physically (though, with a five-year age gap, that was debatable back then)—but she could outthink, outwork, and outlead most people around her.

Because competence isn’t gendered.

I grew up in a strong female family. My dad lived under one. And he respected that strength. We didn’t shy away from it—we learned from it.

And now, I married one. She’s been the rock, the anchor, and (more times than I care to admit) the breadwinner. She’s analytical, smart, and goal-oriented—and I get to call her “babe.” Not in a patronizing way, but in that wink-and-a-nod kind of way. She gets it.

And now, I’ve got three daughters of my own—just like my grandfather.

I practically broke out into fisticuffs whenever I heard those old arguments. Looking back now, I get it. They didn’t have the privilege of growing up next to some of the strongest women to ever walk the earth. If I were them, I might’ve thought the same way.

But I didn’t. I couldn’t. Because I’ve seen what real strength looks like.

That’s why women might actually rule the world. They don’t rule it from a throne. They rule it from the trenches. From the boardrooms. From the classrooms. From the homes.

And in my world—from the data centers, the analytics dashboards, and the strategy rooms.

I get to watch my sister, Tawny Nichols , lead visionary healthcare data ecosystems that help clinicians make better decisions. And my wife Joleen Nichols , a brilliant revenue analyst, find meaning and accuracy in the numbers that drive healthcare forward.

And then there was Susan Carmichael—one of the toughest, most determined women I’ve ever worked with. Our CEO once described her as a bulldog, and he wasn’t wrong. She didn’t just earn respect; she commanded it. Life threw more at her than most people could handle, but she stood her ground every single time. Susan’s strength wasn’t just professional—it was personal. She reminded me, and everyone who knew her, that courage isn’t the absence of fear. It’s doing what’s right even when you’ve already been through hell.

They rule it quietly, powerfully, and with purpose.

And I get a front-row seat.

👉 Who’s a woman in tech or healthcare who’s changed the way you see leadership and strength?