About You Can’t Fail, Inc.

Within one year of incorporating a private sector leadership development corporation, Gwen, Inc. hosted the first You Can’t Fail: Because Your History Says You Can’t Conference in the fall of 2009. The conference was a great success attracting 100 women from across New York State in its first year.

Gwen, Inc. continued to host the You Can’t Fail conference annually and to date has impacted the lives of more than a 1,000 women via the conference and related workshop events.

After seven years of producing the conference, Gwen Webber-McLeod transitioned the conference into its own free standing nonprofit organization, You Can’t Fail, Inc. Her dream became a reality on June 25, 2015 when You Can’t Fail, Inc. received 501(c)(3) designation to continue providing additional leadership development workshops in collaboration with other organizations.

History

You Can’t Fail, Inc. is a nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) charitable organization status. Gwen Webber-McLeod, President/CEO Gwen, Inc. and Founder of You Can’t Fail, Inc., dreamt about creating an organization that would provide strategically designed multicultural leadership development experiences for emerging and established women leaders. These experiences would explore and place emphasis on the unique leadership journey of professional women of color.

Gwen believes that part of her purpose is to pave the way for the next generation of emerging women leaders and is committed to opening doors for professional women of color.

Mission Statement

You Can’t Fail, Inc. is a nonprofit company whose mission is to provide strategically designed multicultural leadership learning environments for professional women of color and those who support them, “Unexpected Leaders,” and other young women and individuals who are striving to build their self-esteem and grow personally as they build a successful leadership path.

The Unexpected Leader®

You Can’t Fail, Inc. founder, Gwen Webber McLeod is intrigued by the unique leadership journey of women leaders of color. Throughout her career she noticed women leaders of color are not having the same professional experiences as their white male and female counterparts. She observes this is especially true as it relates to access to leadership positions in companies and organizations. Gwen's own leadership journey made her realize how often she is experienced as "unexpected", and how frequently her talents, skill and leadership are questioned because of her gender and race. This inspired her to think specifically about factors impacting professional women leaders of color. She trademarked the phrase the “Unexpected Leader” to define this unique professional experience. She provides executive coaching services out of Gwen, Inc., her private sector leadership development corporation for women leaders of color under this trademarked brand.

The Unexpected Leader® is a professional woman of color who upon hire or promotion breaks the cement ceiling in a company or organization. Seldom is it "expected" for women leaders of color to achieve executive leader status. However, when they do, the Unexpected Leader® always exceeds expectations. The professional factor of "unexpectedness" sets off career long dynamics professional women leaders of color must navigate. These dynamics are::

  • Being the First, Only and Different

  • Struggling to gain and sustain credibility due to unchecked racism, sexism and microaggression in company or organization culture

  • Deep desire to build a legacy that opens doors for women leaders of color following in their footsteps

When Gwen founded You Can't Fail, Inc. its mission was intentionally created to position the organization to provide support and specific leadership development experiences for women leaders of color early in their careers. Her personal goal is to ensure these women understand the dynamics of being an Unexpected Leader® and how to overcome to ensure career success. All You Can’t Fail programs are designed with the Unexpected Leader® in mind.

The You Can't Fail experience positions women leaders of color to develop philosophies, skills and behaviors of successful women leaders of color. The evidence of our success is when women leaders of color leave our programs prepared to be recruited, hired, promoted and positioned for executive leadership opportunities.

The Future of You Can’t Fail, Inc.

During 2023-2024 the YCF Board of Directors will:

  • Develop an ecosystem of support for women and girls of color by creating shared understanding of the multiple organizations’ work in meeting their needs

  • Host an event for leaders of those organizations in the Central New York region serving women and girls of color focused on creating an advocacy agenda to ensure that funding and policy attention are a priority to support the ecosystem’s work

  • Leverage our relationship with current funders to create additional opportunities for the You Can’t Fail organization and signature programs with a goal of creating long term sustainability