EVOLVER | CLAIRE WASSERMAN

Claire Wasserman

womens right’s activist,

author & founder of @ladiesgetpaid

West Hollywood

“i’m driven to help women expand what we think we’re capable of.”

what Claire Wasserman wants is simple: for women to get equal pay — and power — in the workplace. the realization of that goal: not so simple. which is exactly why she founded Ladies Get Paid, a career development and global community (and soon-to-be book). here’s how she’s doing it.

where do you live?

“i just moved from Brooklyn, where i lived for 11 years, to West Hollywood. i live with my partner and co-founder, Ashley.

after COVID hit, Ashley and i went through our finances and decided it was financially smarter to move somewhere that was less expensive and had more space. most of my family is in Los Angeles and San Francisco. we miss New York, but we made the right decision. plus, we go to the beach every weekend.”

what do you do — professionally, personally, passionately?

“i’m the founder of Ladies Get Paid, a career development and global community that helps women level up professionally and financially. i’m also an author; i have a book coming out on January 12th (available for pre-sale now!). work, for me, IS personal, especially because i do it with my partner.”

what path led you here?

“my background seems a bit scattered but all the skills, networks, and experiences have accumulated into what i do now. to summarize: film production, nonprofit fundraising, experiential marketing, and startup founder. my last job before starting Ladies Get Paid was as the director of marketing for Working Not Working, a professional network that connects creatives. i’m continually inspired by the women in our community, and i’m driven to help them expand what they think they’re capable of.”

something you’ve learned “on the job”?

“how resilient I am. we were sued for gender discrimination by a group of men’s rights activists (seriously), and we not only stayed in business, we actually thrived. to pay for our legal fees, we were able to crowdfund over $115,000 in three weeks from 2,000 people. we were absolutely blown away by how the community rallied behind us.”

we’re living in crazy — but important, for so many reasons — times. what’s life like right now for you?

“life is all about slowing down. with everything we have going on professionally (gearing up for a virtual book tour, ramping up our video courses), we are being very careful about protecting our mental health. it’s a tough time right now so it’s crucial to give ourselves permission to just be.”

this fall is a big one with Election Day. (obviously.) as an advocate for women’s rights, we’d love to ask: what do you see as a particular opportunity for the cause this fall?

“the most important thing you can do is vote and to encourage other people to vote as well.”

off duty, what are you watching?

“i’m rewatching The West Wing to remind me of a time when the government functioned.”

reading?

“i’m rotating between Can't Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation and Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close.”

wearing?

“i bought spandex biker shorts (Princess Di-style) at the beginning of the pandemic and i’m not sure i can ever wear real pants again. and the époque évolution All Day Mock Neck in stone. it makes my shoulders look really good on Zoom.”

life hack you swear by?

“taking naps is everything.”

not-so guilty pleasure?

“cuddling with my super cute cat, Phoebe. (follow me on Instagram and you’ll see what i mean!)”

mantra?

“when things don’t go the way i wanted or if i get critical feedback, i repeat this: “i did the best i could with the resources, experiences, and information i had at that time.” it’s hard to not be hard on yourself.”