What does it take for a woman to be a leader in the foodservice industry? We take a look today at some of the career journeys of prominent leaders, including Nadia Liu Spellman of Dumpling Daughter, sisters Mandy and Rebecca Wolfe of Mandy's Gourmet Salads and Kelsey Greer of PepsiCo. And Jill Sower, a doctoral student at Auburn University, has made waves with her research on Gulf Coast oyster farming and community-building efforts.

Here's what else to expect in today's issue:

• Alaina Love dishes on embracing authenticity and living a life that aligns with who you are.
• Judith Germain highlights the need for genuine systemic change to ensure lasting inclusion.
• Allison Dunn offers tips for how to understand how your cognitive style affects your productivity.

Nadia Liu Spellman, founder of Dumpling Daughter, began her journey in the bustling dining rooms of her parents' renowned Chinese restaurants, where she absorbed the energy and creativity of a culinary legacy. Although she built a foundation in finance, as her father advised, her passion for food led her to open Dumpling Daughter in 2014 with inheritance and mentorship support. Amid industry challenges and shifting consumer trends, Liu Spellman pivoted from traditional restaurants to retail and food service, partnering with major distributors and retailers to bring the brand's frozen dumplings and sauces to prominent grocery chains and online and grow Dumpling Daughter into a $7 million business.

Since launching in 2004, siblings Mandy and Rebecca Wolfe have grown Mandy's Gourmet Salads from a small counter in a Montreal clothing store into a Canadian restaurant chain with 17 locations, with plans to expand to the US. With no formal business or culinary training, Mandy focused on menu creation while Rebecca applied her design background to the brand's visual identity. The brand's eclectic, homey vibe extends beyond the menu with branded home goods, cookbooks and grocery products.

Kelsey Greer, senior director of brand partnerships and concepting at D3, PepsiCo Foods' in-house creative agency, has made significant strides in her 15-year career by building a centralized strategic partnerships division that manages entertainment and culture deals across 36 PepsiCo products, including notable collaborations with "Jurassic World Rebirth" and "Twisters." She is adaptable and willing to embrace new challenges, and her journey is marked by continuous growth and reinvention, reflecting a commitment to learning and leadership within the industry. She is also a strong advocate for working mothers, and she mentors rising talent through PepsiCo's Women's Inclusion Network.

BUBS, the Swedish candy brand from Orkla Snacks, has been named one of Time's Best Inventions of 2025. The recognition follows the opening of BUBS' first US pop-up store in New York City and a viral social media campaign. "Interest in BUBS is strong and growing, and our expansion into the American market is an important step in the brand's continued growth," says Orkla Snacks CEO Ingvill T. Berg.

Auburn University doctoral student Jill Sower is making an impact on the Gulf Coast oyster farming scene through her research and community-building efforts. Sower's work focuses on the aftermath of a 2019 freshwater influx that devastated Mississippi's oyster reefs, and she has built relationships with farmers and other stakeholders while developing the first Gulf Coast oyster industry community of practice. Her work combines scientific study with policy analysis, drawing on 62 stakeholder interviews to develop strategies for addressing industry challenges such as hurricanes and flooding.

Taco John's Chief Operating Officer Jackie Secor notes that COOs serve as "the bridge between franchisees and the corporate office." Secor highlights her role in spreading corporate culture and notes that "we seek to create a sense of community among our franchisees and make our frontline employees realize they're part of something larger than their restaurant's four walls."

Instead of waiting for permission from others, living authentically requires you to consciously permit yourself to act in ways that align with your values, including taking risks and expressing vulnerability, says Alaina Love, the CEO of Purpose Linked Consulting. In this interview with SmartBrief's Candace Chellew, Love outlines how permission works and how her new book, "Permission to Be You," can provide a "coach in a box" to help you recognize and honor who you already are.

What you say to yourself -- those critical voices in your head that keep you in doubt and prevent you from becoming the bold, resilient and innovative leader you want to be -- don't stay in your head -- they show up in your work and undermine team cohesion and performance, write leadership authors Suzy Burke, Rhett Power and Ryan Berman. "You can't create a calm, confident, accountable team if you're running around with a chaotic inner dialogue," they write. "Culture starts with what you say to yourself in those private moments before the big decision, before the investor pitch, or before the tough conversation."