Trans Visibility is a Bottom-Line Strategy: Meet the Leaders Proving It

I want to share something personal with you today: CEOs love numbers. Revenue, profit, market share—these speak louder than words. But between you and me, leaders sometimes overlook one powerful strategy for boosting their bottom line: trans visibility.

Here's the thing you need to understand: embracing trans leadership isn't just good ethics—it's smart business. Let’s talk about this together, using real-world examples backed by solid numbers, because I wouldn't normally share this, but for you, it could mean serious gains.

Revenue Growth Driven by Vision

Pay close attention to this next part: Martine Rothblatt, CEO of United Therapeutics, is one of America's highest-paid executives. She founded her biotech firm and turned it into a powerhouse worth billions. Rothblatt isn't successful because she's trans—she’s successful because she knows how to grow revenue, innovate constantly, and make strategic decisions under pressure.  Rothblatt earned a compensation package worth $37.1 million from United Therapeutics.The majority of the compensation package is for stock opti

How about this: United Therapeutics reported $1.9 billion in revenue in 2023 alone.  Rothblatt’s clear-eyed, strategic leadership has consistently expanded market share and driven steady profits. Her journey shows that trans leaders deliver results, plain and simple.

Operational Excellence Means Profit

Stick with me here because this is where most people get lost. Michaela Mendelsohn, CEO of Pollo West Corp, oversees multiple El Pollo Loco franchises, and she's a master at operational excellence. Her identity doesn't define her business savvy, but it certainly informs her resilience and strength.  I encourage you to read Michaela's piece from Washington Blade, Proud to be a transgender business owner.

Pollo West Corp consistently ranks among the top-performing franchises, with revenue per store significantly above the national average. Mendelsohn's franchise group achieves approximately 20% higher sales figures compared to peer franchises. If you're anything like me, you know operational consistency translates directly into profits.

Innovation Fuels Profitability

Trans leaders often bring fresh perspectives simply because they're accustomed to challenging the status quo. Harvard Business Review found leadership found that companies' LGBTQ+ employees report that their business ideas are 21% less likely to win endorsement. Trans leaders, comfortable with questioning conventional thinking, drive innovation that leads directly to revenue growth.  Different life experiences bring different perspectives to business, and that does one thing, and one thing only: enables better strategy, better decision making, and better results.  

Culture as a Competitive Advantage

Like it or not, your company’s culture directly impacts your bottom line. The Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index highlights that LGBTQ+-inclusive companies have significantly lower turnover rates and higher employee productivity. Lower turnover and higher employee productivity is a good thing, and you can’t afford to NOT hire the best talent or to lose them for any reason that isn’t linked to performance, value created, and outcomes.

Remember Laverne Cox in "Orange Is the New Black"? She wasn’t celebrated just because of her identity—she was praised because she was compelling and talented. Her success wasn’t in spite of being trans; it was independent of it. Just like your next great VP of sales, head of marketing, or COO.

Your Next Move: Visibility to Profitability

Before we move on, I need you to understand this one thing clearly: Visibility is a growth strategy. Rothblatt and Mendelsohn aren't exceptional because they're trans—they're exceptional because they're leaders who know how to turn strategy into results. Their identities are strengths that add to their professional skills, resilience, and innovation.

Here's my straightforward suggestion: Start deliberately including trans professionals and leaders in your pipeline. Measure your success by real business KPIs: revenue, profits, innovation, and retention rates. Trans visibility pays off, literally.

And that's why it matters.

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