By Renee Fraser, PhD 

CEO, Fraser Communications 

In a recent reflection I shared a moment that stopped me in my tracks: a young girl I’d never met wrote about me in a school assignment, citing my work as the reason she saw herself in business and communications. She didn’t know I was her classmate’s grandmother. She just saw a woman doing the work—and saw something of herself in it. 

That moment reminded me that influence doesn’t always look the way we expect. Sometimes, the most meaningful mentorship happens quietly. You may not even know it’s happening. 

But you do have to be visible for it to happen. 

Let me be clear: this isn’t about self-promotion for the sake of it. It’s about purpose-driven visibility. When we share the realities of our work—the challenges, the lessons, the values that guide us—we create a path for others to walk through. We normalize success that looks like ours. And we send a quiet but powerful message: You can do this too. 

So many women I know, especially those who’ve come up through male-dominated industries, were taught to keep their heads down and let their work speak for itself. 

And while hard work is always at the core of meaningful leadership, we also need to speak for ourselves. We need to tell our stories. We need to “brag”—as uncomfortable as that word can feel—not out of ego, but out of responsibility. Because you never know who’s listening. Or who’s watching. 

That’s why I make it a point to submit our work for awards. Yes, the honors feel good. But more importantly, they shine a light on work that matters. Work that changes behavior, improves health, and serves the public good. If we don’t talk about it, who will? 

That’s also why I host The Dr. Renee Fraser Show. Every week, I bring on leaders who are doing meaningful work—from government to tech to grassroots advocacy—to discuss the issues that shape our communities and our lives. These conversations are not just interviews; they’re windows into what leadership looks like, and who it’s for. 

And it’s also why I stay active on social media. Not because I have all the answers, but because I believe in making our leadership visible. If young women never see leaders who look like them, sound like them, or share their values, how will they ever believe that leadership is possible for them? 

Visibility isn’t vanity. It’s vision. 

You may not always see the impact of your voice, your work, your leadership. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Sometimes it shows up quietly, years later, in a young girl’s essay. Or in a decision someone makes because they saw a little bit of themselves in you. 

So to the women reading this: keep going. Keep building. Keep putting your purpose into words, into action, into motion. Because even if you don’t know it, someone out there is watching, listening, and growing because of you. 

All the best, 

Renee Fraser, PhD