Molly Dowdy on Worthy Connections

In this episode of Worthy Connections, Laura Lasher talks with Molly Dowdy, founder of Athena’s Council, about her mission to elevate women executives in financial services. Molly explains how she left a demanding fintech marketing career after realizing that the most meaningful part of her work was supporting, connecting and promoting other women in the industry.

That realization ultimately led to Athena’s Council, an independent community created by women for women and deliberately free from corporate sponsors. Molly describes how members help one another navigate career transitions, develop new businesses and ideas, make valuable introductions, and celebrate each other’s accomplishments. She also discusses programs such as The Forge, where members can bring ideas and projects before a room of experienced industry professionals for candid feedback and support. Throughout the conversation, Molly and Laura explore what becomes possible when accomplished professionals actively “open doors and throw down ladders” for the women coming behind them.

Transcript Highlights

Worthy Connections with Molly Dowdy

Laura Lasher: Welcome to Worthy Connections, the podcast where we sit down with people who are building something real—entrepreneurs, brand builders and leaders who’ve earned their authority the hard way.

I’m Laura Lasher with Worthy Performance Group. In every episode, we go looking for one thing: a story worth learning from.

Today we’re joined by Molly Dowdy, a leader in the mortgage and financial services industry who has developed a tremendous community of women who promote and support each other in a unique way. She’s somebody you’ll want to get to know.

Molly, thank you for joining us. Tell us a little bit about yourself—and, more importantly, why you decided to do this.

Molly Dowdy: I was working in fintech marketing and had two little girls at home. I was working 60- and 70-hour weeks and not seeing them very much.

I started thinking about how I could pivot away from constantly working while still doing something I really cared about and found meaningful.

I thought about what I loved most about my job, because I really did love working. It became clear that what I enjoyed most was talking with our clients, particularly women executives who were using our software and tools.

I became friends with them. I loved spending time with them, supporting them and helping elevate their positions in the industry.

That was more than 10 years ago. Since then, almost everything I’ve done has served that mission. I try to create communities and businesses whose mission is to elevate women executives in financial services.

Laura: You’re doing a fabulous job of it. You’re also very active on social media, highlighting some of the rock stars in the industry.

Tell us about Athena’s Council.

Molly: I started Athena’s Council about two and a half years ago. It was born out of something I felt was missing in the industry.

There were already women’s organizations, networking organizations and employee resource groups at large lenders. But those communities were often dependent upon your employer.

Even with trade associations and major industry conferences, your ability to participate might depend on your employer being a member and choosing to send you.

We saw a need for an organization that had nothing to do with your employer—an organization created by women for women, without corporate donors or sponsors.

That allows us to have authentic, genuine conversations guided by the members themselves: what they care about and what is important to them.

In previous roles, I organized conferences for women executives. But when you depend on sponsors, the agenda can be influenced by the sponsoring companies.

Athena’s Council is completely different. The quality of the conversation is different because we’re talking about the things that genuinely matter to the members.

Laura: I’ve been part of Athena’s Council for almost the entire time, and one of the things I find so valuable is how honestly people contribute.

You’ve also created smaller communities within the larger community that help everyone. How do you get members so engaged and willing to contribute?

Molly: I think it comes from the members themselves.

Laura, you’re a great example. You’ve received so much during your career from being part of this industry. There are many women like you who have built amazing careers and now want to give back.

They want to open doors, throw down ladders and bring other women along.

That’s really where the engagement comes from. It comes from members who are eager to open doors for other people.

Laura: You’ve also brought in outside speakers and offered technology demonstrations. And you give people who are just starting something an opportunity to bring it into a private setting and receive feedback they probably couldn’t get anywhere else.

Could they get that kind of input elsewhere without paying for it?

Molly: Absolutely not.

Even when you pay for something like a focus group, those people aren’t necessarily invested in your success. They aren’t your friends. You may never have met them before.

What we have in Athena’s Council is different.

We have something called The Forge. If a member is building something—a platform, a tool, a consulting offering or even something like a resume—we schedule a Zoom session and she brings it to the group.

The room is filled with experts: experienced women from throughout financial services, including senior executives. And they’re rooting for you. They’re invested in you and want to see you succeed.

So when you show them what you’ve built, the response isn’t simply, “Great job.”

It’s, “You need to consider this.” Or, “Look at it this way.” Or, “I need you to meet this person.”

The chat fills with recommendations and introductions.

It’s a completely different kind of room. You’re bringing something you’re building in front of your friends who also happen to be industry experts.

That’s a really special thing.

Laura: What is the biggest reward you get from doing this? What really energizes you?

Molly: There are so many, but three things immediately come to mind.

First, because layoffs and job transitions have been so common in our industry over the past couple of years, we have a standing Wednesday Zoom called Between Roles Together.

It’s a place where we gather to support people who are looking for their next position or thinking about making a move. That can be a tough journey to go through alone, so we go through it together.

When someone has been looking and we’ve been helping, making introductions and opening doors—and then she lands her dream job—that gives me an adrenaline rush that lasts for two days.

The second thing is seeing members who didn’t know one another before Athena’s Council meet through the community and then go build something together. Maybe they co-found a company, or perhaps they give a presentation together at an industry event.

Seeing collaborations that were born because two people met through Athena’s Council is incredibly gratifying.

The third thing happens every Friday.

I go live on LinkedIn with friends to talk about industry intelligence—the trends our industry should be talking and thinking about but perhaps isn’t.

Our objective is to give women information that can help them guide their careers or companies more successfully.

But my favorite part is how we begin. We go through the big moves, achievements and awards earned by women in financial services during the previous week.

We scour LinkedIn, and we also have AI agents helping us with the research. Then every Friday we get to recognize and celebrate these women.

That’s one of the best parts of my week.

Laura: Molly, it’s been great visiting with you. We’ll probably bring you back for another episode where we can go a little deeper and let people ask some questions. Today, we really wanted to spotlight you.

If people want to connect with you or learn more about what you’re doing, what’s the best way?

Molly: They can find me easily on LinkedIn. And yes, please reach out. I would love to come back for questions.

Laura: We would love that.

And if you know someone who you believe is a Worthy Connection—someone we should be spotlighting and perhaps bringing back for a deeper conversation—let us know.

Molly is already helping us connect with several members of Athena’s Council. We want to help people extend their reach and introduce our audience to more people worth knowing.

Molly: Thank you so much, Laura, for everything you’ve done in this industry—the mentorship, the support and the doors you’ve opened.

This podcast is exhibit A. You’ve been supportive and gracious since the first time I met you, and I’m very grateful.

Laura: Thank you, Molly. It goes right back to you.

Thanks for joining us, and we’ll look forward to connecting again soon.