Barrie Zucal Releases BOLD: HOW WOMEN PLAY BIG BY LEADING INSTEAD OF PLEASING

As debates about representation and leadership intensify across workplaces and communities worldwide, Barrie Zucal is calling out what she sees as a subtle but powerful barrier to women's progress: 'debilitating goodness.'

In her new book, BOLD: How Women Play BIG by Leading Instead of Pleasing, the global entrepreneur, feminist, former therapist, and record-breaking powerlifter speaks to a cultural moment when women's leadership is urgently needed, delivering an empowering blend of psychological insight, global leadership experience, and practical tools.

'Women worldwide are constrained by their conditioned conviction that they should meet the expectations of their patriarchal cultures and serve others even at their own expense; as a result, they end up pleasing, performing, and perfecting instead of leading, living, and developing,' Zucal said.

A lifeline for women everywhere, BOLD blends inspirational stories, self-reflective exercises, and practical steps to help readers tap into their passion, trust their instincts, act on their behalf, and lead with courage and clarity. BOLD isn't a diatribe; it's a solution-driven antidote to the deeply rooted beliefs that have kept women playing small for generations.

'I want this book to inspire women everywhere,' Zucal said. 'We were born for this moment. It's time for women to claim their right to develop themselves and use their talents to create a rich future for themselves, their families, and their world.

More than a book, BOLD is a wakeup call — motivating women to explore who they exist for, why they exist, and how they will exist.

'The world needs more women leading unapologetically,' writes author and CEO of Few & Far, Sarah Dusek, in the book's introduction. 'Step into this book with courage, and I promise you will emerge with a stronger, bolder, more empowered version of yourself.'

Releasing in October 2026, BOLD arrives at a moment when women's leadership is urgently needed — in boardrooms, classrooms, and communities worldwide.

About the Author

Barrie Zucal is a writer, speaker, global entrepreneur, executive coach, social justice advocate, and powerlifter who has spent decades helping women lead with power and purpose instead of playing small. A lifelong learner and fierce advocate for women's rights worldwide, she founded and led a global executive coaching firm with 300 coaches operating in 75 countries. She served as a marriage and family therapist, a healer with a master's in Family Studies from the University of Maryland, a guidance counselor in war-torn Beirut, and even a nanny to the Jordanian Royal Family in her late 20s.

At 70, Zucal walked into a gym, picked up a barbell, and went on to break Maryland State Records in both the deadlift and bench press. Today, she teaches Intersectional Feminism with Conscious Revolution and serves as Chair of the Cultural Committee at the Arts Club of Washington.

For more information, visit www.barriezucal.com or connect with her on Instagram (@barriezucal).