Kathy Barney | H&R BLOCK BANK

One of Kathy Barney’s greatest challenges has been obtaining a bank charter for a large and diversified company by crafting an attractive and sound business case, and then appropriately executing that plan during a severe economic downturn. The chief executive of H&R Block Bank learned from that experience that she is tenacious and has the ability to solve complex issues. “Building relationships and gaining trust,” she says, “is an important part of any business.” It’s a lesson she hopes to share with younger women entering business or starting their own companies.

Barney joined H&R Block in 2003 to lead the organization of the H&R Block Bank. She serves as president and CEO of the bank, which opened in 2006. Barney defines the bank’s business objectives and develops strategy to incorporate new products and services that fit within H&R Block’s broader mission to serve as each client’s tax and financial partner.

Given that women now account for nearly 60 percent of the college degrees earned in the U.S., the American work force will have considerably more highly educated women than men over the next generation. There has been a positive evolution over the past 50 years in the country’s work force and women will continue to have exciting and challenging business opportunities, Barney said.

She has received great advice from many women over the years, one of the most useful pieces being: “Don’t talk to just hear your own voice; people will stop listening.”

Rhonda Holman | HEALTH CARE FOUNDATION OF GKC

Rhonda Holman’s advice is simple: Principles matter. “We live in a very complex world that rarely presents us with obvious or easy solutions to problems.
The best technical education won’t be enough to make some of the choices that you’ll face.” Holman, vice president of the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City, learned that lesson the hard way. Not long after the foundation began making grants, she says, “the organization’s commitment to its Guiding Principles was tested. I did a good deal of the staff work needed to gather facts, inform the board of directors and, eventually, to communicate the directors’ decision.”

She says she met the challenge by remembering what was at stake if she were insensitive or allowed herself to be intimidated. “It reminded me how important it is to walk my talk and to believe that I am affiliated with others who do the same. …I don’t blind myself to others’ points of view even when I vehemently disagree with them.”

With a rich background in nonprofit and public service, she says success relies on the ability to blend technical and interpersonal skills. “Educational credentials alone won’t guarantee that women will have more power in the work force. However, seeing women in greater numbers and at all levels of organizations will change perceptions of who we are and what we are capable of. My hope is that more women in business will influence the way that business success is defined.”

Audrey Kunin | DERMADOCTOR

Her innovative approach, not having grown up in the ranks of major cosmetics
companies, locating her company headquarters in Kansas City, and having an “M.D.” rather than “MBA” behind her name all have been obstacles to being taken seriously within the industry.

But Audrey Kunin, a board-certified dermatologist, author, clinician, educator, television personality, and president and CEO of DERMAdoctor, Inc., says such obstacles can be overcome with relentless fortitude and a “never-give-up” attitude. “It hasn’t always been easy to maintain this positive belief in myself, but it was vital to keep me motivated, and kept company morale and enthusiasm high during even the most difficult challenges.”

Kunin has created many clinically proven, patent-pending formulations that target overlooked yet common skin concerns. She says believing in your abilities and trusting your instincts is key for achieving success. “You need to believe in yourself because if you don’t, nobody else will. Radiate an aura of confidence and success; it will be your best business accessory.”

Kunin was fortunate to have two women influence her: Her middle school science teacher, Jane Bainbridge, who excited her about the field of science and solidified her interest in pursuing medicine; and physician E. Dorinda Shelley, whose approach to the practice of dermatology helped Kunin broaden her understanding of how to think outside the therapeutic box.