How Ulrike C. Strasser is challenging – and changing – the system with #OneMillionWomen
She is an executive coach, strategy consultant, LinkedIn Top Voice – and the initiator of one of the most ambitious movements for female visibility in Europe: #ONEMILLIONWOMEN. Ulrike C. Strasser wants nothing less than to change the system. Her tool? Visibility. Her goal? To bring one million women into the spotlight.
But the journey is anything but a LinkedIn walk in the park.
From individual coaching to system change
For years, Ulrike worked as an executive coach in consulting, supporting small groups and individual clients. Empowering women, providing clarity, unlocking potential – all great. And yet, she eventually realized: “I’m helping women survive – but I’m not helping to change the system.” Because the patriarchal business system remains intact unless we explicitly challenge it.
So, on International Women’s Day 2024, she launched #ONEMILLIONWOMEN. Not a cozy little women’s network, not a list of 100 top women – but a vision of a million. One million women who become visible. Who speak up. Who show up.
Why visibility is key
“Visibility is key,” says Ulrike. Because visibility doesn’t just change external images – it reshapes mental structures. If we don’t see women in leadership roles, we don’t ask them. If we don’t hear them speak, we don’t invite them. If we don’t know diversity, we stick to the old ways – mostly male, mostly white, mostly powerful.
The so-called visibility gap shows it clearly: only 18% of all media coverage features women. 82%? About men. That impacts how we see the world – and ourselves.
To be visible means: saying what needs to be said
For Ulrike, visibility means: showing up, being heard, taking a stand. But she also knows: women are often shaped by two rules – “Be perfect” and “Fit in.” Two ideas that keep us invisible.
Many women believe they need a PhD, a coaching certificate, and 500+ LinkedIn connections before they’re allowed to speak. But what really matters is what’s already there: your own perspective. Your own story.
15,000 nominations – and countless goosebump moments
More than 15,000 women have already been nominated for #ONEMILLIONWOMEN. And each one sparks something. In others. And in Ulrike herself. “I never expected this much heart-work to be involved,” she says. One moment touched her deeply: a nominee printed out one of Ulrike’s quotes and pinned it to her fridge.
This isn’t coaching. This is culture work. And it’s urgently needed.
Female role models? Just regular women.
Ulrike talks about “everyday role models.” Not superheroes, but women who keep going despite resistance. Who survive in the system – or slowly change it. Women who inspire others not with perfection, but with authenticity.
The visibility of these role models is essential. Because: “If we never see anyone who looks like us, we stop believing it’s possible.”
And what can companies do?
A lot. Ulrike isn’t just calling for awareness or marketing campaigns. She’s calling for real change: “Companies must redefine their performance criteria. What does success actually mean – and for whom?”
Women often lead differently: more cooperatively, team-oriented, with a long-term perspective. Yet performance is still measured by short-term visibility, volume, and dominance. “We need new standards. Only then can we truly live diversity – and not just perform it.”
Looking ahead: Europe, here we come!
Ulrike’s vision is bold – and international. #ONEMILLIONWOMEN is no longer just a German project. Women from France, the UK, and Ukraine are part of it. Nominations are coming from across Europe. “We need to stand together as a continent,” she says. Especially now. Especially in times of backlash.
Her message to the next generation? Two simple words: “Be brave.” A sentence made famous by EMMA, Germany’s best-known feminist magazine.
And if you’re not feeling brave yet? Start small. Nominate a woman. Step out of your comfort zone. Say what you have to say.
🧠 Women work. Period.
Working women in Europe (ages 15–64, 2023):
- 🇩🇪 Germany:
20.0 million women are working – almost as many as men (21.2 million) - 🇫🇷 France:
14,6 Mio. women in jobs – men: 15,9 Mio. - 🇪🇺 EU total:
98,5 Mio. women vs. 111,4 Mio. men
What stands out:
Women have long been an equal part of the workforce – but are still far from equally visible.
What it means:
We don’t have a talent problem. Or an ambition problem. Or a qualification problem.
We have a visibility problem. And we’re here to fix it. Together.
How #ONEMILLIONWOMEN works:
1. Nominate female role models in your work environment:
Colleague, boss, team member, partner… ideally 10 women who inspire you.
Use this link to submit your nominations.
2. Gain visibility
You and your nominees will be featured in various formats – with photo and bio.
.
3. Use the “Power of 10”
Each nominated woman can nominate 10 more. That’s how the network grows – woman by woman.
4. Be part of the movement
#ONEMILLIONWOMEN is more than just a list. It’s a wake-up call — to media, businesses, politics — and to ourselves.
Goal: 1.000.000
visible women
Status: 15.000+
Nominations
Next goal: 100.000+
by International Women’s Day
