Most companies target women as end users, but few are effectively

When Indra Nooyi declared, “Most companies target women as end users, but few are effectively utilizing female employees when it comes to innovating for female consumers. When women are empowered in the design and innovation process, the likelihood of success in the marketplace improves by 144%!”, she spoke not merely as a business leader, but as a seer of human potential. Her words illuminate a truth often ignored in the corridors of commerce: that the insights, creativity, and experience of women are not just valuable, but essential for understanding the needs of half of humanity. To design for women without including women in the act of design is to build in shadow, to navigate without the stars.

The origin of this statement lies in Nooyi’s tenure as CEO of PepsiCo, where she witnessed firsthand the transformative power of diversity in leadership and innovation. In her experience, products designed with the wisdom and perspective of women often outperformed those shaped by a homogenous, male-dominated vision. Nooyi’s insight is not statistical abstraction alone — though the 144% figure is striking — but a testament to the human principle that those who live experience differently possess knowledge that cannot be replicated by observation alone. Innovation, she teaches, is best when it flows from the full river of human insight, not a single narrow stream.

Her words also carry a deeper philosophical resonance. The ancients recognized that the wise must consult many voices to approach truth. Plato’s Academy, for example, valued dialogue and debate precisely because the mind of one alone cannot see the whole. Nooyi extends this wisdom to the realm of business and design: when women are empowered, when their perspectives are woven into the very fabric of innovation, the creations that emerge are richer, more relevant, and more likely to resonate in the world. It is a recognition that collective intelligence exceeds singular vision, and that success is born from inclusion, not exclusion.

Consider the story of Coco Chanel, who transformed fashion not merely through skill with fabric, but by embodying the lived experience of women. She understood comfort, freedom, and elegance in ways male designers could not. By placing women’s needs at the center of design — and designing from the perspective of women themselves — she revolutionized style and built an empire. Nooyi’s words echo this principle: to design effectively for women, one must engage those who inhabit their world, for insight cannot be fully imagined, only lived.

The quote also reveals a profound economic and moral truth: empowerment is not a gift; it is a strategy. By involving women in design and innovation, companies not only achieve justice and equality, they enhance profitability and societal relevance. History teaches that when talent is ignored or marginalized, both creativity and society suffer. Nooyi quantifies this lesson: 144% improvement is not merely a number; it is the evidence of the power of inclusion, a beacon showing that ethical action and strategic success need not be at odds.

Her message extends beyond the corporate world. It is a call to action for any field where human insight shapes outcomes — from science to art, from governance to technology. Inclusion is not benevolence; it is necessity. The ancients understood that the most enduring civilizations were those that embraced diverse voices, from philosophers to artisans, from citizens to counselors. By applying this principle, Nooyi asserts, we create work that is not only effective, but deeply human.

O listener, let her wisdom guide your hand: seek the perspectives of those most affected by your decisions, and allow them a voice in shaping outcomes. Whether you design a product, craft a policy, or build a team, remember that insight is not singular. Those who are empowered to contribute their lived knowledge elevate the entire endeavor. To neglect their participation is to limit the horizon of possibility; to embrace it is to unlock exponential growth — in understanding, innovation, and impact.

And thus, the lesson endures: inclusion is innovation, empowerment is excellence, and listening is leadership. Indra Nooyi’s insight reminds us that human creativity and enterprise are strongest when all voices are heard, especially those whose experiences reflect the realities of the world we seek to serve. In empowering women, we do not merely correct a wrong — we awaken the full potential of human ingenuity, and in doing so, we build a future of both justice and triumph.