This week: Real talk from 4 Women in Leader(sip) when things shift, stakes rise, and the Legally Blonde playbook is ready for a refresh.

MAU wasn't only a magnet for the industry's best and brightest; it was a compass for the record number of women who attended the Women in Leader(sip) activations to find the direction, mentorship and friendship they need to stay on their path.

The partnership with MAU cements the event as one that steps up and gives back (in this case, by making a charitable donation to Girls, Inc. to provide mentorship, supportive spaces and programming to address the challenges girls face and help them succeed).

That's pivotal because WiL and MAU Vegas aren't just producing an event. Together, we have created an engine for impact. Huge thanks to Angela Harar and Bianca Dux from MAU Vegas.

That same spirit carried into the conversations I had at the Podcast Corner, sponsored by Xsolla , with Sarah Chafer 🔜 Chinajoy from Xsolla , Angela Humphrey from YouAppi, Jess Jackson from CRAFTSMAN+ , and Abby Patton from Fetch .

How do these women lead and learn? What are the hard-earned truths they're bursting to share? And how do we channel our inner Elle Woods to be unapologetically ourselves and still own the room?

These are just some of the questions we explored during rapid-fire, fun segments that will drop in July as part of a special series on my MobileGroove podcast.

But these episodes are just the start. Now, I'm stepping up to spotlight the standout women in the Women in Leader(sip) community through ongoing and curated content across the community and in our Slack channel.

And those who know me know I don't just produce authentic and actionable stories. I amplify them through projects, articles and efforts that elevate people and their personal brands.

Help women up another rung on the leadership ladder? What, like it's hard?

Hell no!

I'm ready to have fun getting to know the amazing women in our Slack channel and growing it with Nancy Roberts — a leader who combines heart and hustle to drive results and conversations that matter.

And speaking of conversations... here's a run-down of four interviews with four perspectives you can use to lead through change, speak with clarity and build the career you want.

Sarah Chafer 🔜 Chinajoy : How to lead (and stay sane) through seismic change

13 years. Four companies. ( Tapjoy (Acquired by ironSource) , ironSource , Unity , and now Xsolla .) Three acquisitions. One core truth: You can't control the chaos, but you can lead through it.

Sarah breaks down how to show up in a room where the power dynamics just shifted—and why every woman should understand what her equity is really worth. Her advice: "Understand what your equity means. Not just the number of shares—the real value if things change tomorrow."

She also emphasized that most people, especially women early in their careers, often don't know how to ask these questions. And this lack of awareness puts them at a disadvantage post-acquisition.

Beyond a crash course in knowing when to speak up, when to pivot, and when your stock options are just handcuffs with a bonus, we explored how women can avoid being seen as "the outsider" (or worse) when joining a team post-acquisition.

Sarah's take: "People need to know why you're in the chair you're in."

My take: In M&A, strategy is survival—but understanding your worth is power. Ask better questions. Show up like you belong. And make sure the comp matches the contribution.

Angela Humphrey : Climbing, pivoting and leading with Elle Woods energy

Ten years. One company. And a career built on smart pivots, bold moves and showing up without fitting in.

Angela started at YouAppi as a junior account manager. Now, she's head of growth, client success and sales. Along the way, she's moved across roles, picked up new skills, and learned to lead in her own way.

A big part of her success is her "tribe"—a network of mentors, peers and friends who helped her recognize her strengths and step into new challenges. Not all of them were senior. Not all of them were women. But like Elle Woods, Angela took what others underestimated and turned it into her edge.

We also talked about the power of giving back and how impact is about showing up for someone else's moment—even when you're still finding your own.

Angela's take: "You don't have to lead like anyone else. Do it your way, and make space for someone coming up behind you."

My take: Influence isn't always loud. Sometimes, the most powerful move is giving someone the confidence to take the next step—because you did it first.

Jess Jackson : People first, ego last. And no, that's not "soft skills."

Everyone's more than a title. But Jess' title is a story in itself. As VP of People Operations at CRAFTSMAN+ , she's rewriting what leadership looks like from the inside, taking on the roles of culture architect, coach, and "sidekick." She's the person holding space so the rest of the team can actually do the work.

Her approach is built on empathy, honesty and accountability. But don't mistake that for soft. Jess says being kind doesn't mean avoiding hard conversations. In fact, not telling someone the truth is unkind (and unfair) to everyone.

We discussed the moments that shaped her, including poor leadership, missed opportunities and the realization that how you deliver feedback matters.

Jess' take: "You’re not helping someone by holding back. If the world’s going to hit them hard, you owe them honesty.”

My take: The real work of leadership is knowing when to listen, when to step in and when to step back and let someone talk it through.

Abby Patton : Leading UA with purpose (and a secret stash of strategy)

Abby leads UA at Fetch, and she does it as part of a lean, two-person team. But don’t let the headcount fool you. Abby has discovered a shortcut to building out smarter, more sustainable approaches to UA, one insight at a time.

We talked about value and how Fetch delivers it by rewarding users for what they’re already doing. That same mindset shapes how Abby leads. She doesn’t push harder. She finds what’s already working and builds on it. Whether it’s her team or a tough conversation, she meets people where they are and brings them forward.

We also discussed how UA has shifted from an acquisition-at-all-costs model to a more nuanced, LTV-driven approach. Cheap users who churn vs. higher-quality users who stick.

Abby’s take: “We used to go after the cheapest users, but then we’d never see them again. Now I’m looking at who actually sticks even if they cost more.”

My take: Stop doing more and start asking what’s working. It's time to identify the signals to trust and have the confidence to let go of the rest.

Peggy’s Pick

Yes, it’s a shameless plug. But only because it’s the real deal.

Live Webinar: The 2025 App Publisher Halftime Show

I’m hosting the 2025 App Publisher Halftime Show. It’s a Verve -powered breakdown built on fresh data from a publisher poll, plus a lineup that’s ready to skip the safe takes and go straight to the good stuff.

Expect unfiltered insights, sharp trend breakdowns and the kind of clarity you need to make smart moves in the second half of the year.

We’re not handing out playbooks. We’re ripping them up.

You’ll hear bold opinions from experts in the trenches, not afraid to call out what’s overhyped, what’s underrated and what’s working right now:

• Aviran Edery SVP and GM of Marketplace, Verve

• Alexander Yip Director of Product Discovery, AppsFlyer

• Gabrielle M. Senior Business Development Manager, Partnerships, Liftoff Mobile

• Alex Merutka Founder and CEO, CRAFTSMAN+

• Josh Chandley Chief Operating Officer, WildCard Games

And yes, it’ll be fun because growth doesn’t have to be boring.

When you register, you’ll get a preview copy of The App Publisher Halftime Report so you can show up ready to rumble with us.

The 2025 App Publisher Halftime Show

Thursday, June 26

1:00 p.m. Eastern | 7:00 p.m. Central European

Register HERE

On the road: Where I’ll be—and where we might meet

Summer’s here, and so is a full slate of projects I’m excited to dive into. From building community to building brands—for MobileGroove and the clients I collaborate with—this is the kind of work that fuels me. 🔥

I’m still unpacking standout moments and final nuggets of pure-gold insights from recent events:

• The MAU Podcast Suite powered by Bigabid , featuring conversations with Misha Syrotiuk from Playvalve , Faith Price from DoubleDown Interactive and Sam McLellan 👾 from BigBrain Games

• In-depth interviews with Aarki , including Wangxin Li on shaping human-AI collaboration and Aman Sareen on how owning your stack unlocks 3x ROI and true performance control

• The POSSIBLE 2025 Podcast Studio, with an eclectic mix of marketing minds

• App Promotion Summit highlights, including a glimpse into why agentic AI isn’t just the next big thing (it’s a turning point🎯) from 🚀Asaf Yanai , CEO of Alison.ai and the OG of AI who knows it first-hand.

It’s going to be a packed season, but I’ll be on the ground (and behind the mic) at:

• DMEXCO – September 17 & 18

• GAMESCOM – August 20-24

• Gamesforum London - September 16 - 17 – where I’ll be moderating the Unfiltered panel, I wouldn’t miss for the world

• UA Society Summit #10 – coming up fast and yes, I’ve attended every single one 💎

Planning to be at any of these? Let’s connect and make it count—beyond the badge.

Out of time, never out of insights. See you in the inbox next time!

Peggy