Throughout her career, Kate Jaspon often found herself without a roadmap—no woman partner at KPMG to look up to, no clear example of a female finance leader, no blueprint for balancing a rising career with the demands of family life. But rather than focus on the limitations, she leaned into the opportunities, steadily rising through the ranks to become CFO of Inspire Brands.
Many of the major career moments in Jaspon’s life coincided with personal milestones. For many women, these moments bring the pressure of choosing between home and career. Jaspon is quick to challenge that narrative.
Jaspon also calls out a dynamic she encountered earlier in her career—what she refers to as “Queen Bee Syndrome,” where it can feel like there’s only room for one woman at the top. In an industry where more than 60 percent of American women have restaurant experience, she says, building inclusive leadership teams isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s smart business.
MORE: Check out Kate Jaspon’s journey to the CFO role at Inspire Brands
“Having diversity in mindset and having women at the table in foodservice just makes sense,” she says. “Our leadership team, our board, and our franchisee base need to reflect our crew and our consumers. Women… we need you to speak up and provide your insight. We need to drive strategy because our decisions matter too.”
Jaspon encourages women to seek out both mentors—people to talk to and learn from—and sponsors, those willing to advocate behind closed doors.
“Your mentor doesn’t need to look like you,” she says. “They’re great as sounding boards or when you need to vent. But you also need a sponsor who will put their personal equity behind you when you’re not in the room, and you may only have one or two of those in your whole career. Sometimes you have to shift from mentors to sponsors because you need an advocate. But there are a lot of loyal, good people in this business to connect with.”
Jaspon has often been the only woman in the room—and over time, she’s learned to own that space. It’s also given her a deeper understanding of inclusion.
“Having been the only female in the room, I now pay attention to who else may be the ‘only’—like the only person of color,” she says. “I try to make sure my voice is heard, and theirs too. So many doors have been opened for me, and it’s our job as leaders to make sure they stay open.”
