#143: Rewriting the Rules of Business for Women with Catherine Lang-Cline
What if the very rules of business were never written for women, but you could learn how to win the game anyway? Catherine Lang-Cline is living proof that you can. As co-founder and former CEO of Portfolio Creative, she led her company to six consecutive years on the Inc. 5000 list, was named Columbus CEO’s Most Admired CEO five years in a row, and has since sold her company to step into a new chapter of mentorship, speaking, and authorship.
In this powerful conversation, Catherine shares how women can navigate the unspoken codes of male-dominated business environments while staying authentic, strategic, and unshakably themselves. From building a company that ran without her, to knowing when it was time to exit, she walks us through the mindset shifts, relationship strategies, and leadership moves that helped her create a business others wanted to buy.
We talk about how to build credibility in the room, the art of growing a team smarter than you, and how women can balance ambition with sustainability. Catherine also shares insights from her book The Rules of the Game for Women in Business, including the one rule that surprises people most, and why it matters. This episode is filled with timeless wisdom, real-world tactics, and the kind of practical insight you’d only get from someone who’s played the long game and won.
