Ashleigh Vogstad
Founder & CEO, Transcends
📍Whistler, Canada
Pledge 1% is celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year. What can companies do (or do more of) to have a positive social impact in the next 10 years?
At Transcends, social impact is not an afterthought, it is a strategic driver of business profitability. We view positive social impact not as a cost-center, but as a profit opportunity that provides competitive advantage in a tumultuous economic environment. As a small business, we are able to attract and retain the best people in the technology industry during a skills shortage, in large part due to our social impact strategy. We urge companies to maintain their sustainability mandates, to offer flexible work conditions including remote-work to employees, and to not be swayed by the political landscape to end diversity programs.
What’s the legacy you hope to leave for future generations?
The legacy that my organization, Transcends, stands for is that success and kindness don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Having an authentic and kind way of being, even in the most competitive business landscapes, is a superpower that ignites a flywheel of success.
If you could choose one word to define your leadership style, what would it be and why?
Empowering.
Belief in oneself and in your uncapped potential is the aim of my leadership at Transcends. We have values of ‘conscious connection’ and ‘courage in competition’ that combine to produce an empowered workforce who lean in, take risks, and lead with kindness.
If you could give one piece of advice to the next generation of women leaders, what would it be?
Never underestimate the power of voice. Speak up respectfully, share your ideas with courage and advocate for your beliefs. Your contributions can change the world and your impact can be profound. As you rise, lift others with you, empowering them to be the best versions of themselves.
As you rise, lift others with you, empowering them to be the best versions of themselves.
Looking ahead, what are you most excited about—whether in your professional journey or personal life?
I am most excited about scaling the global impact of Transcends, while building an organizational culture that is a best-in-class example of remote-first lifestyles and how they can enable deeper connections in local communities and the natural world around us.
Operating in the technology industry, the rate of change is exponential, especially with the most recent advances in agentic AI. I see this as a tremendous opportunity for leaders to rethink the role of work in our lives.
On a personal note, after getting engaged on a hiking and biking trip along the Northern tip of the Coromandel peninsula in New Zealand last December, I’m excited to be planning a wedding in Whistler, British Columbia.
