The Power of the Ask

Building Confidence to Ask: Strategies for Women to Own Their Worth With Zoe Bogan

• Season 2 • Episode 7

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Tune in as Lisa Zeiderman and Precious Williams welcome Zoe Bogan, founder of ZB Agency and the visionary behind the Revenue Catalyst Program, which empowers women in traditionally male-dominated industries to excel in revenue-generating roles. Drawing on her experience as a former mergers and acquisitions leader at KPMG, Zoe shares her expertise helping women cultivate the confidence to overcome traditional barriers and boldly ask for opportunity, ownership, and the compensation they deserve. Learn how to move past fear and step into your power by: 

  • Laying the Foundation: Explore Zoe's personal journey and the "breadcrumbs" that led to empowering women's confidence. 
  • Cultivating Self-Belief: Learn strategies for shifting your mindset to build deeper belief in your worth and potential. 
  • Speaking Up: Get practical tips for asking powerfully and with confidence, even when navigating fear in male-dominated environments. 
  • Embracing an Empowered Mindset: Understand the importance of transitioning from a passive "employee" stance to an active, confident "entrepreneurial" mindset. 
  • Demanding Your Due: Learn why confidently demanding what you inherently deserve is crucial for achieving true financial empowerment. 

About Zoe Bogan

Zoe Bogan is the founder of ZB Agency and a catalyst for women stepping into revenue-generating leadership roles across accounting, law, consulting, and beyond. Through her flagship program, Revenue Catalyst, now in its third cohort, she equips women to lead with confidence, close deals, and shift how they’re seen and valued in high-stakes rooms.

She is the visionary behind the ZB Agency Conference: Women Leading in Revenue Generation and Dealmaking and the ZB Golf Series, which has introduced nearly 70 women to golf as a powerful tool for business growth.

Zoe also leads the Capital Power-Up Initiative and upcoming Capital Power Summit, helping diverse and women-owned businesses prepare for funding and connect with aligned investors.

A former Corporate Development leader at KPMG, Zoe brings deep experience in M&A, integration strategy, and culture alignment. She’s a SUNY Fredonia alum, a passionate advocate for women in business—and most likely to be found on the golf course with her dog, Angel, when not building what’s next.

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Lisa Zeiderman (00:07.315)
Hey y'all, welcome to the Power of the Ask podcast, which helps you get what you need financially and personally. We are so glad you're here today. My name is Lisa Ziderman. I am managing partner at Miller Ziderman, and I am one of the co-hosts with my dear friend, Precious Williams. Hi, Precious.

Precious LaTonia Williams (00:25.015)
Hey Queen Lisa. And as our Queen just said, I'm Precious Williams. I'm known as a killer pitch master and proud founder and CEO of the Perfect Pitch Group. Welcome back. And you know, each week we bring you the most dynamic guests. And so today we're bringing you Zoe Bogan. Now you know how we like to give a little tea, a little something to sink your teeth into with each guest before they introduce themselves. So let me share with you about Zoe. Zoe Bogan is the founder of the Zate.

Zoe Bogan is the founder of ZB Agency and the visionary behind the Revenue Catalyst Program, which equips women in law, accounting, consulting, and beyond to lead in revenue generating roles. Through both programs like the ZB Agency Conference, ZB Golf Series, and the Capital Power Up Initiative, Zoe empowers women to speak up, drive results, and access next level leadership. A former Mergers and Acquisition...

A former mergers and acquisitions leader at KPMG, clop that. She brings deep corporate strategy to her mission. When she's not building pathways for women to win, she's on the golf course or with her dog, Angel, always dreaming up what's next. Welcome Zoe. We're so excited to have you with us today. So to kick things off, why don't you share something with our audience about you? Something that they would not know from reading your bio or LinkedIn profile.

Zoe Bogan (01:36.673)
you

Zoe Bogan (01:50.845)
thank you so much. Listen, the energy here is electric. I am so excited for you two to allow me to come and be in your presence. So I think that you can read my bio, but what's missing is my energy. What's missing is the undercurrent of always wanting women to win.

I feel it's interesting at this stage where you have your corporate experience and then you're like, I'm living in my purpose. So what people can't see, they can't feel my heartbeat in terms of my purpose and how much I really want women to win. So I'm excited to be here to talk about it and to share this time with you all.

Lisa Zeiderman (02:31.955)
So Zoe, you work with women across traditionally male-dominated industries. What is it that actually made you so passionate about helping women lead in these revenue-generating roles?

Zoe Bogan (02:36.821)
Yes.

Zoe Bogan (02:44.597)
You know what's interesting about life? I think if we look back, there's always breadcrumbs to what you should be doing. So I said that I spent my time at KPMG and I was there for about 15 years. And I was a part of our women's network. And by the time I left, I created about 20 professional development programs for women. And I would say that the last five to 10 focused on revenue because I saw, and I said to them, you know, if we teach our women how to sell,

we can create more female partners. So that is what really sparked it. And then I decided to launch my own and then build on it a little bit more. But I will tell you, and people always want to know like, what's my purpose? What should I be doing? And I think life presents breadcrumbs. So what you're doing now will highlight maybe what you should be doing or can do in five or 10 years. So that's what really like sparked it. And then it just kind of took off from there because

Like you all, I see a lot of talented women who can really get it. And I'm like, don't bow out. It's gonna be a little bit uncomfortable, but you can plow through.

Lisa Zeiderman (03:55.445)
you

Precious LaTonia Williams (03:55.855)
Queen Zoe, I love what you're saying, especially about selling and revenue generating activities and being a revenue generating leader. So your program, Revenue Catalyst, helps women shift how they show up and speak up in high stakes rooms. So a lot of women will not be in high stakes rooms, but you want women in these high stakes rooms. What mindset changes do you see is the most essential to unlocking revenue power?

Zoe Bogan (04:22.325)
I love that you started with mindset. And so in my revenue catalyst program, we have a six week framework. The first part before we do anything is mindset. You believing that you deserve to achieve and be in the space that you want constantly.

You repeating to yourself, is December 31st and I have achieved XX because the universe hears what you want. And so we always start with mindset because it is a constant belief in yourself, what you can accomplish and that you deserve to sit at the table. So everything for me is about mindset with the Revenue Catalyst Program. And then we go into other.

dimensions. I know I'm sure we'll get to it a little bit later as well, but I think that women even with each other need to start having more intentional, bolder language. I want, I need, I can go after because that'll really help us as well.

Lisa Zeiderman (05:20.403)
So at KPMG, you helped shape mergers and acquisitions. What did the experience that you lived at KPMG, that whole corporate experience, teach you about asking powerfully? And when I mean powerfully, how did you learn to ask in these high stakes, male-dominated environments what you wanted to achieve? How did you go to the table and use that power of the ask?

Zoe Bogan (05:47.487)
No, I love that question. And what I'll say is, and I'm going to be a little bit honest, and this is why when women come into my space, I can say, you can be vulnerable here. I know you're afraid, because I was afraid. So even in those situations, I can't say that 90 % of the time I ask, maybe about like 55%, but I know the importance of asking. So I know what it is to sit in there and say, I'm afraid. I want you to feel that fear. I don't want you to say, you know what, I feel confident.

You're gonna feel that fear because we're gonna plow through it anyway, and that is okay. But at the same time too, even in that fear at KPMG, I still created 20 professional development programs. Cause I believed in myself. I still created a program where we went to Kenya. You know, I still said, here's how I'm going to galvanize women. And so what I say to women in those male dominated spaces, do it afraid. Do it when nobody looks like you. There's may not always be a woman. There may not always be a person.

person of color, but really like do it afraid because you owe it to you to speak up.

Precious LaTonia Williams (06:52.845)
I mean, you better say that. Queen Zoey, you and I met years ago. And what I love about our conversations is we can go from business, but we go right into talking about deals, what are we doing, how we posturing ourselves, how are we getting into this power of the ask and putting on each other's big girl panties and.

Zoe Bogan (06:59.648)
Yes.

Precious LaTonia Williams (07:15.737)
go out there and do it and yeah, I'll be waiting to hear what you say later. I'll be hearing, I'll be waiting on bated breath to know what you're going to come back with the deal or the next step or something like that. And I want you all to know this is real life friendship. The ZB agency conference is changing the game for women in deal making. Deal making. What specifically inspired you to launch this and what power shifts have you seen come out of it with these women and them going into

Zoe Bogan (07:34.209)
Mm-hmm.

Precious LaTonia Williams (07:45.283)
bigger and bigger deals based on what happens at the ZB agency company.

Zoe Bogan (07:49.673)
I love that, thank you. So what inspired me to do it? I wanted to own that space. And here's the other thing. Many people can say that there are women's networks out there, which there are. Many people can say that there are women's conferences out there, which they are, and I love that. But the leadership numbers are not changing, and we're not in competition.

So if the leadership numbers are not changing, there's more to be done. So how my conference is changing the game and it's for all women, it's women leaving in revenue generation and deal making. And so I am bringing speakers and energies to women to say, here is how you close a deal. Here is how you feel comfortable asking. And I'll give you an example. So at my conference, I said during the lunch time and the cocktail reception, all right, women, I want you to do deals together.

And somebody really asked me, and I love that she did, she said, tell me what that means. And I was like, wow. And you're talking about an associate at a law firm, right? So who is speaking to our women where they're not even comfortable saying, here is what I want? We know you can kind of do the work, but you both know, when you were talking about leadership, at a period something has to click where you see the whole chessboard and you say, I actually need to start thinking through how I'm communicating about myself, how I'm going after clients. So I want women.

to feel that energy and I want them to be unapologetic about stepping into who they are and going after it and not feel bad about coming across as salesy. mean, we need to cut that out now.

Lisa Zeiderman (09:24.243)
I love that about the chessboard. I think that life is, and almost all negotiations and frankly achieving that power of the ask is about that chessboard, making that move. How does confidence intersect with the strategy of moving around the chessboard when it...

Zoe Bogan (09:26.613)
Mm-hmm.

Lisa Zeiderman (09:44.927)
comes to asking for more, whether it's capital or a client or that seat at that table that you want to be at. How do you make them work together?

Zoe Bogan (09:55.423)
No, that's a great question. And so it starts with really belief and being clear about what you want and feeling that you deserve it. And here's what I also see too. And I think when I started my program before, I had a hard time really assessing the women, but I can see it. I'm talking about, and you look at accounting, maybe at the manager and senior manager level where the confidence is lacking and you just need to really like,

into them and say, actually have the technical expertise. The confidence is not there. And here's the messed up thing. The leadership is not going to come to you and say, are you feeling bad? here, let me give you a talk. And that's the problem. Because in that stage, what they start to do is say, well, you don't have it. You don't want it. And I'm going to counsel you out. And so I want to get that nugget of women to say, no, no, no, not yet. What you're feeling is fear.

When you're feeling is fear, it's not technical. If you got this far already, you can get it. It is the fear. And to your point, Lisa, which I love, the strategy, where do you want to go and how am I going about it? Where do I need to be? Who do I need to speak to? And it's a constant drum beat. And Precious knows this. It's doing it again. It's doing it again and feeling more comfortable. And in the midst of it saying, I'm a little bit afraid. I do not want people to go away from fear. Keep at it.

Precious LaTonia Williams (11:22.837)
I agree and I want to tell a personal story between Queen Lisa and I. So I'm a former attorney. I have not practiced in almost 10 years. And three years ago, three years ago, it was placed in my heart to write a book on rain making. Mind you, have not practiced in a long time, but

My heavenly father told me, you're to write a book on rain making. And I've been in law school. I have been an associate at, you know, top firms, clerk for federal judge in the Southern district. And it wasn't until I started to understand entrepreneurship for what it really is and not was on social media that I understand that I am gifted in sales. am selling other people's things wasn't my thing. However, rain making

Zoe Bogan (12:10.657)
Mm-hmm.

Precious LaTonia Williams (12:20.981)
is such an important skill for those who are entrepreneurs, those who we always hear about men doing deals on golf courses and they're in there all they spend all this time together. Well, being on the board of savvy ladies with Queen Lisa, I went to her and told her about this idea and I was scared because I hold Lisa in such great steam and she's doing it like at the top level. Not only does she not poo poo me,

Zoe Bogan (12:28.619)
Right?

Precious LaTonia Williams (12:48.309)
She embraced me. And as I started writing the book, I would send it to her and she went through it with a fine tooth comb and she gave me more confidence. And so when it came out, she was showing it to other people. She purchased it for other people. And I felt so loved that I had the right women around me, like a queen, Lisa, like savvy ladies, like you, Queen Zoe, because left to my own devices, I wouldn't have done it.

but because she believed in me and put on my big girl plate is it told me that what I'm writing about is necessary for the next generation of associates, for those who are transitioning, for those who need the type of book that is so, that is practical. It's not war and peace. So with you, Queen Zoe, you've coached women in law, accounting and consulting industries. And that can be very traditional. Well, what unique challenges

Zoe Bogan (13:28.886)
Mm-hmm.

Precious LaTonia Williams (13:41.167)
Do these women face when it comes to asking for opportunity, ownership and compensation? And I brought up that story for a reason, because as you still climb in this letter, you can still have fear, worry and doubt. Who do you go to? How do you, what are these challenges and how can they get better at asking for these things?

Zoe Bogan (14:02.441)
I love that story. And here's the interesting thing nobody tells us. And I realize it now being out of corporate. When you are actually rising to leadership, you actually subconsciously have to kill the employee and birth the entrepreneur to be fearless. That's actually what has to happen. And an entrepreneur told that to me. What you're talking about in terms of rain making, it's absolutely true.

What I see in terms of a lot of women, they're not even really asking. They're not asking at all. And so what I tell women is, when you were talking about Rainmaker and you were talking about, want to make partner or I want to lead, I want you to act like they're not giving you anything. So I'm not talking about you being on an engagement, and you know what this is, Precious, and them keeping you on an engagement to give you to be partner. I'm talking about you being bolder and saying, if nobody's giving me anything.

and I actually have to go out there and bring in 100,000. What does that look like? I want you to feel all of those muscles, the fear, the conversation, the client dialogue, everything. And I'll tell you, a lot of the times, one of the main issues women have when they come to me is making a decision. So I have a revenue calculator and I said, I want you to put in a number. And they said, well, what if I don't meet the number? You don't meet the number, but what's gonna happen? You're not gonna die? And honestly,

Even if you don't reach 100,000 and you bring in 50 or 10,000, at least you know how to do that. Now do it again. And so when it comes to the opportunity, they're not even women really asking. They're tiptoeing around it. They're not firmly going to their partner and saying, I want to make partner. I'm going to do this and this and this. What can we do together? It's not that type of language.

Lisa Zeiderman (15:55.381)
This is a question and it's an interesting question because I had seen an Instagram actually either this morning or last night and it was from a very highly highly paid actress and the question was when women actually feel hesitant to ask and then they ask whether it's for a raise, a client, a deal, an investment

What is the one power move that you believe needs to be made to achieve success? And I'm going to insert something here. Is the power move actually the ability to walk out the door? Is that the power move to get what you need? The thought that, know what, if you're not going to give it to me, then I'm going to get up and walk.

Precious LaTonia Williams (16:30.2)
Certainly.

Zoe Bogan (16:50.229)
That can be a power move. And I think that there can be a few. There's no right answer. And here's the thing, know, precious in eye, you know, we're, we're entrepreneurs here and Lisa, you have your own firm. Sometimes it doesn't happen this year and that's okay. You have to determine it's, it's a long play. So sometimes the power move is walking away. Sometimes the power move is

coming back and asking again, because there may be some things that you can tweak. But here's the other thing and the most powerful, I think, thing I say to women. And Precious, I think you can concur on this. If you have a pipeline that can close, nobody's telling you no. You are now in a different type of conversation. You know what mean? You're not asking. The conversation is different. And so you started with the question of mindset and confidence. And we'll speak on that. But.

It is about having the type of confidence to say, no, no, no, no, I actually have a pipeline that can close. I'm not asking you for anything. I'm saying is the negotiation in six months or a year and what does that look like? So the power move to your point, Lisa, if you're not getting what you want, you've been at a company five or 10 years, you think you're doing a power move can be leaving and that's great.

If you know that you kind of want to insert some things and get a promotion, the power move can say, all right, maybe next year if that works for you. But the main power move is speaking up. And so many women don't do that.

Lisa Zeiderman (18:17.621)
It's great.

Precious LaTonia Williams (18:19.727)
I'm so blown right now because between what both of you have said is true. Just, I've never had a job less longer than a year in my life. I'm 46. The longest thing I've done is being an entrepreneur, which I'm very, proud of. And there've been some ups and downs at Queens. I know what it's been for me. And yet being able to walk away or you said no now.

Zoe Bogan (18:34.788)
Okay.

Zoe Bogan (18:38.209)
Literally.

Precious LaTonia Williams (18:47.875)
There's no grass that grows under my feet. So when you see me again, yesterday's price is not today's price. My network has gotten bigger, better stress faster and stronger. I know you want me now because back then you didn't, you didn't really see what was happening, but behind the scenes I was making power moves and everything doesn't need to be said out loud. So now when you look me up, now when you see things, this isn't going to be a no. And if it is a no, I'll walk out before you even get to that step. So,

Zoe Bogan (18:54.699)
That's right too.

Lisa Zeiderman (19:16.937)
You were setting your chessboard, precious.

Zoe Bogan (19:19.499)
That's right.

Precious LaTonia Williams (19:19.535)
Right. Who am I learning from? My savvy ladies Queen, Queen Zoe. And so we asked this question of every esteemed guest on our show, Power of the Ask podcast, Power of My Savvy Ladies. Queen Zoe, why is the power of the ask crucial to women, especially financially?

Zoe Bogan (19:22.428)
my god.

Zoe Bogan (19:44.701)
I love that you ended with this question and I wanna challenge all women to do something differently in 2025. We as women build community and I'm tired of it because community is a warm and fuzzy place but it still leaves us yearning. I want to your question for everybody who comes in a room to be vested in precious. What do you need? What speaking engagements you need? And the same with Lisa.

If we come together in coalition differently and do not feel that it's taboo to ask for certain things, which is your key of the podcast, and feel that we deserve it, we can go much farther. I have been in corporate for a number of years, and I like all the energy of women, but the leadership numbers are not changing. That really needs to change. We have to really get to a space where the ass comes off of us and we feel that we deserve it.

And you know, honestly too, I'm speaking to a college, a group of college female students and what was so hurtful as I speak to speaking to them, they were like, well, how can I lead an engagement without having the men feel intimidated? And I'm like, man, this is the same thing that corporate women go through. When does it end?

When does it end? What are we teaching ourself? And at that young age, if they don't feel confident enough to do it now, and then I have these women in their 20s, 30s, and 40s in corporate America still not asking, when does it end? I want us to stop being in community, and I want us to start being in coalition, feeling that we can deserve it, we ask for it, and we go after it. And that will help us financially.

Precious LaTonia Williams (21:31.841)
When I tell you what an amazing answer, I felt like all of your thoughts and everything you said is really resonating. And you actually know how to say the things that cut through the clutter and the noise and the BS of today. So Queen Zoe, it is an honor to have you as a guest on the Power of the Ask podcast. I am sure to those, to y'all who are listening, I told you,

Every guest, get better and better. The content is better and better. And you're seeing women who have the power, who have the power of the ask, who are asking and making a way for other women. And I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed. Queen Lisa and I have enjoyed this conversation. So what we're saying to you, our esteemed audience, tell a friend to tell a friend of what, tell a friend, subscribe, listen, share this, the Power of the Ask podcast powered by Savvy Ladies.

Zoe Bogan (22:20.993)
You

Precious LaTonia Williams (22:30.511)
This is for you economically, financially and getting past fear. Do it afraid and still do it because the women who are coming behind us, younger, the princesses, the, the, and the younger women, they need to know it can be done. It's not easy, but when you ask, you're going to get an answer instead of living in the, well, what are they going to say? Ask, ask and keep pressing and keep pressing. Consistence,

Zoe Bogan (22:48.64)
Thank you.

Zoe Bogan (22:56.353)
Absolutely.

Precious LaTonia Williams (22:59.353)
Can be inconsistent and persistence always speaks resistance. Trust that. So thank you all for coming to the Powerful Day As Podcast. Subscribe, tell a friend to tell what friend to tell what friend, subscribe and share this with your network and keep watching and listening.

Zoe Bogan (23:02.923)
Absolutely.

Zoe Bogan (23:14.133)
Yes. Yes. Thank you so much for having me. The both of you inspire me and this has been a pleasure and I'm honored to be here with you today.

Lisa Zeiderman (23:16.501)
Thanks so much, Zoe.

Lisa Zeiderman (23:25.397)
Thank We're honored to have