Author: Tori Draude, Founder & CEO
At Varada, we talk a lot about leadership. Not just who leads, but how. As a women-owned company in the defense space, we’re used to walking into rooms where the default definition of leadership doesn’t look like us. And honestly, we’re proud of that. We’re not trying to fit in. We’re here to lead differently.
Leadership, to me, isn’t about being the loudest or most authoritative voice in the room. It’s about listening well, leading with clarity, and doing the hard things the right way. It’s about knowing who you are and not being afraid to lead from that place. That’s what I’ve done, and that’s what we model across Varada.
The Power of Femininity in Leadership
In a world that still equates leadership with toughness, control, and hierarchy, feminine traits are often seen as soft or secondary. But I see them differently. Empathy, intuition, resilience, and collaboration are not weaknesses. They are strategic strengths. They shape how we communicate, how we solve problems, and how we bring people together to do meaningful work.
These are not backup traits. They are leadership traits. At Varada, we don’t minimize them. We build our teams around them. We trust them. We lead with them. And we see the results every day.
We Don’t Have to Lead Like Men
Too many women are taught that the only way to succeed is to shed their femininity. We’re told to be more aggressive, more stoic, more like the men who have come before us. But I never wanted to lead like a man. I wanted to lead like myself. I wanted to show that you can be strong and empathetic, decisive and collaborative, clear and compassionate. These are not contradictions. They are the reason I’ve been able to grow this company, build strong teams, and earn trust in spaces that haven’t always made room for people like me.
We don’t need to change to be taken seriously. We need to stop shrinking to fit systems that were never built with us in mind. That’s not just a mindset. It’s a shift in power. And it’s already happening.
Leadership Is a Human Skill
Success doesn’t belong to one gender. Leadership isn’t a male trait. It’s a human skill. It’s the ability to set vision, earn trust, and create space for others to grow. I’ve never believed that leadership should look one way. It should reflect the people behind it. Diverse. Real. Evolving.
At Varada, we don’t just talk about this. We live it. We lead together. We support one another. And we don’t gatekeep what leadership looks like. Everyone here is expected to lead. Not with ego, but with intention.
Every Woman’s Journey Matters
I get asked often who inspires me. I never have just one answer. I am inspired by every woman who has ever had to fight for her voice to be heard. Every woman who has chosen to start over. Every woman who leads quietly. Every woman who leads loudly. Every woman who shows up in the face of resistance, even when it would be easier to step back.
From the women breaking ground in government and tech to the women running households and raising future leaders, I see strength in every story. These women are not the exception. They are the rule. And they are the reason I believe so deeply in what we’re building at Varada.
We’re Not Asking to Join the Table
We are a women-owned business in a field where women have historically been underrepresented. That’s not a disclaimer. It’s a differentiator. We’re not asking to be included. We’re building something new. And we’re doing it with the belief that how we lead is just as important as what we deliver.
Feminine leadership is not a side conversation here. It is the standard. And it will continue to define how we grow, how we show up, and how we support the next generation of women who will lead in their own way.
Final Word
If you take anything from this, I hope it’s this. You don’t have to change who you are to lead. You just have to decide what kind of leader you want to be. And then commit to showing up that way, every single day. That’s what I try to do. That’s what we ask of each other here. And that’s what I believe the future of leadership should look like.
Leading like a woman isn’t about style. It’s about strength. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
