SXSW Fireside Recap: Leading with Authenticity and Transparency
Bianca Maxwell and Sabrina K. Garba at the SXSW 2025.
Last week, I stood on stage at SXSW 2025, looking out at a room filled with leaders, creatives, and changemakers to talk about what it means to be real at work. The energy was electric. We gathered to explore what happens when we strip away the masks and get honest about how we lead, connect, and grow in our careers. Conversations like this remind me why I’m so committed to helping women build lives that feel aligned, whole, and empowered—because when we show up as our full selves, everything changes.
I had the honor of sharing the stage with Bianca Maxwell, a tech and media leader currently working at Disney. Together, we hosted a fireside chat about transparency, authenticity, and unmasking in the workplace. We talked about the realities of leadership in a world that’s constantly shifting—how we navigate corporate expectations while staying rooted in who we are, how we rebuild trust in spaces where it’s been lost, and why the future of work belongs to those brave enough to lead with honesty.
What It Means to Lead Today
During our talk, one of the most powerful themes that emerged was the tension between authenticity and transparency. How do we stay true to ourselves while still being aware of what the room needs? How do we know when it’s safe to share, and when it’s safer to hold back?
As we explored these questions, it became clear: we’re moving beyond the era of leadership that demands perfection. The most effective leaders I know don’t show up pretending—they show up prepared, present, and human. They create space for others to be seen. They know that leadership isn’t about controlling every outcome, but about cultivating trust.
The Future of Work is Personal
One of the most telling moments during our conversation came when we asked the audience, “Do you feel like you can truly be yourself at work?” In a packed room, only two hands went up. Two. That says everything.
We spend so much of our lives working, yet so many of us still feel like we have to shape-shift just to be accepted. For members of the Honey Hive community—aspirational women, creatives, and leaders who are doing deep personal work—that pressure can feel especially heavy. You’re building a life with intention. You want to show up in your softness and your strength. But when the culture around you doesn’t reflect your values, it’s easy to feel stuck, stagnant, or misunderstood.
But the tide is turning. More and more, people are craving work that feels meaningful. They want space to express themselves, to rest when needed, to speak up without fear. This shift isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s becoming a must. Leaders and workplaces that don’t adapt will lose talent and miss out on the very magic that makes businesses thrive. Because the future of work isn’t just about innovation—it’s about integrity.
What’s Next?
Sabrina K. Garba at the SXSW 2025.
I left Austin feeling deeply inspired—not just by the ideas we shared, but by the possibility of where we go from here. The conversation we started on that stage was about reclaiming how we lead and live. It was about asking: What kind of workplaces are we building? What kind of world are we building?
If you're part of the Honey Hive, you already know this: your leadership matters. Whether you’re leading a team, a household, a community, or yourself—you have the power to create space for authenticity and transparency.
So I’ll leave you with this: How are you showing up right now? Are you making space for your full self—and for others to do the same? And if you’re not, what’s getting in the way?
The future of work is personal. And it’s already here. Let’s shape it—together.
