In an increasingly remote workforce where working from home is becoming more commonplace, the allure of the “corner office” may have lost some of its luster. But when it comes to landing a C-Suite title, for many ambitious professionals, earning a seat at the leadership table (virtual or physical) remains an important career goal.  Unfortunately, no matter where they log-on, female executives have their work cut out for them on their journey to the top.

The 2025 Women in the Workplace McKinsey study found that for the 11th consecutive year, women remain underrepresented at every level of the corporate pipeline, with only 29% of C-Suite positions held by women across industries. The percentage for the food industry C-suite is sitting at 24%, which is a slight boost compared to previous reports of 18% for the food sector, and 13% in retail and consumer goods.

In food safety, it’s no surprise that women are underrepresented in the C-suite, similar to any other food-adjacent industry. It doesn’t have to be that way, though. Not if we speak up and develop a healthy support system of professional women who share their wisdom while supporting each other’s career paths. During our Women in Food Safety monthly gatherings, that’s exactly what we do.

Last month, we called upon Katy Jones, an accomplished leader in the software industry specializing in the food sector and the current CEO of Trustwell, to hear about her career journey. Katy began her journey with FoodLogiQ in 2015, and following its merger with ESHA Research to form Trustwell, she stepped in as the CEO in 2024, leading Trustwell’s mission to drive positive change across the food industry. Today, Trustwell’s supply chain management software connects product development and compliant labeling with supplier compliance and enhanced traceability to create a full-scale quality assurance solution used by thousands of food operations worldwide.

During Katy’s session, she traced her own path from a marketing role to COO and eventually CEO. Along the way, she shared a handful of meaningful lessons that anyone eyeing a C-suite seat needs to hear.

What struck me most was how honest Katy was about the messy parts. The jobs she didn’t get, the discomfort of taking on responsibilities she’d never held before, the pressure of making hard calls in a room of executives who didn’t always expect her to be there. If you missed the live session, here are five lessons worth carrying with you while climbing the unpredictable corporate ladder.

1. Chase the responsibility, not the title.

Katy’s first piece of advice cuts against how most of us are taught to think about career growth. Instead of angling for the next promotion or a fancier title, look for the hard projects nobody else wants to own. Titles follow capability, not the other way around. When you consistently raise your hand for difficult work, you build the track record that makes you a stronger candidate when the next opportunity arises.

2. Learn to communicate like an executive.

This one is about a mindset shift, not just polish. Katy encouraged the audience to walk into every conversation with leadership armed with solutions, not just problems. Anyone can flag an issue. What gets you invited into higher-level conversations is showing up with a recommendation, a next step, or at least a framework for thinking through the problem. It signals that you’re already operating at the level you’re trying to reach.

3. Build a reputation that strengthens your network.

Katy put it simply: your reputation enters the room before you do. Networking gets a lot of airtime in career advice, but she argued that trust is the real currency, and trust is earned through consistent, reliable work over time, not a well-timed LinkedIn message. Build the reputation first, through integrity and results. Once you’ve put in the hard work, your network tends to grow naturally.

4. Don’t wait until you feel ready.

Katy was candid that her background was entirely in marketing before she took on operations and, eventually, the CEO role. She wasn’t fully prepared for either transition, and she said plainly that almost nobody feels ready when a bigger opportunity shows up. Her advice: if you wait for the comfort of readiness, you’ll wait forever. Sometimes the right next step is simply to commit to learning fast once you’re in the seat. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable, because that discomfort is usually a sign of tremendous growth.

5. Don’t try to imitate someone else’s leadership style.

The last lesson was about authenticity. Katy talked about resisting the urge to copy a leadership style that isn’t yours, and instead adapting your approach to the people you’re leading rather than forcing a one-size-fits-all method. She mentioned using tools like Skill Builder, Enneagram, and Culture Index to better understand how her team members work, so she can meet them where they are. She was also direct about the fact that traits often coded as “soft”  (empathy, emotional intelligence) aren’t liabilities in leadership. They’re assets, as long as you also learn to be clear when a decision has to be communicated.

Katy described personally meeting with every employee affected by a difficult decision she’d had to make, so each person understood it wasn’t a reflection of their work. It was a good reminder that authenticity in leadership isn’t about being soft. It’s about staying true to your values even when the moment calls for something hard.

If there’s one common thread running throughout Katy’s session, it’s this: a career with purpose isn’t built through a straight line of promotions. It’s built through responsibility, trust, and a willingness to be uncomfortable and take necessary risks, on your own terms, in your own style.

Sure, some days you might feel like “just a step on the boss man′s ladder” working the 9-5 lifestyle in the food industry. As the wise Dolly Parton once said, “It’s enough to drive you crazy if you let it.” But if you take Katy’s lessons to heart and pour yourself a cup of ambition, your C-suite opportunity might present itself sooner than you think.

Editors Note: The Food Safety Consortium and Food Safety Tech supports WIFS and for five years has published a dedicated Women In Food Safety column.