Opening Move: The Power of Expansion

Every movement must evolve - and this is ours.

Over the past few years, we’ve proven that chess can do more than entertain. It can teach, unite, and transform. It’s a tool for leadership, reflection, and resilience and a framework that helps us navigate not just the board, but life itself.

As I look at where we’re headed next, one truth keeps surfacing: transformation happens when we bring strategy to new spaces. Queenside has always been about using chess to empower people to think differently, and now, we’re taking that message even further.

What started as a movement is now also becoming a media company - one that uses storytelling to explore what it means to think, lead, and live with strategy. Over the past few months, that vision has started to take shape through Moves That Matter, this reimagined Queenside Dispatch, and new podcasts launching soon. Together, they form a storytelling ecosystem that highlights chess as a tool for growth - in leadership, creativity, and community.

This expansion isn’t about being louder. It’s about going deeper. It’s about weaving strategy into culture - connecting ideas, people, and possibilities through stories that remind us that how we think determines how we lead.

Every post, every conversation, every move we make is part of that larger story. And as we step into this next chapter, I hope you’ll stay close. Because the real work - the creative, transformative, and deeply strategic work - is only just beginning. 

From the Board: The Sicilian Defense - Owning the Initiative

In chess, few openings command more respect than the Sicilian Defense.

Black willingly breaks symmetry on the very first move (1.e4 c5), rejecting passivity and taking control of the board’s rhythm. It’s a declaration: I may go second, but I will not follow.

In leadership and life, the Sicilian is a reminder that power isn’t granted - it’s created. Sometimes, playing defense means seizing initiative when others expect conformity. Whether in business meetings, creative projects, or moments of personal reinvention, the ability to rewrite the tempo of play is what separates those who react from those who redefine.

Ask yourself this week: Where am I reacting when I could be creating?

Dispatch Drop: The Queens Are Talking

Season 4 of Queen Me continues to spotlight changemakers who lead with courage, creativity, and conviction.

Kate Grant, founding CEO of the Fistula Foundation and author of No Woman Left Behind, reveals how purpose can reshape power. After leaving Madison Avenue for the frontlines of maternal health, Kate built a global movement grounded in equity and empathy. 

Erica Reid - Senior Director of Chapter Success at Friends of the Children - reminds us that mentorship is more than guidance; it’s a lifelong act of service. 

Denali Sai Nalamalapu, author of Holler, shares how storytelling can become both resistance and restoration. Through art, activism, and community, Denali explores what it means to protect each other - and the planet - with truth and compassion.

If you want to explore how women are rewriting the rules of leadership, strategy, and change - start with these episodes. Each one holds a blueprint for bold thinking.

Listen to Season 4 of Queen Me wherever you get your podcasts.

Five Moves Ahead: Building Intergenerational Boards that Work

Great boards, like great teams, thrive on intergenerational diversity. Yet too often, organizations unintentionally silo generations instead of leveraging their collective power.

Here’s how to change that dynamic:

1. Move beyond tokenism.

Adding one “young” seat or one “veteran” advisor isn’t enough. Structure committees and decision-making processes so voices across generations actually shape outcomes.

2. Reframe mentorship as partnership.

Younger leaders bring digital fluency, creativity, and speed. Seasoned leaders bring wisdom, networks, and institutional memory. True intergenerational boards create space for exchange - not hierarchy.

3. Build systems that reward shared growth.

Introduce co-chair models or succession pathways that intentionally pair generations. When transition becomes embedded in culture, leadership renewal feels organic rather than forced.

4. Redefine expertise.

Traditional board recruitment often prioritizes resumes over relevance. But lived experience - especially from emerging generations - is a form of expertise that can reshape the future of governance.

5. Make curiosity your throughline.

The most effective intergenerational teams don’t just debate - they inquire. They ask, “What can I learn from how you think?” before they ask, “How can I convince you?”

When we approach governance like chess, every move becomes about positioning - not power. Each generation has a role. The goal is to build a board that plays the long game.

Queen’s Corner: The Case for Investing in Women’s Chess

Across the world, women in sports continue to face deep disparities in pay, visibility, and opportunity - and chess is no exception. Though recognized by the International Olympic Committee as a sport, chess remains an overlooked frontier in the women’s sports movement.

Our latest report, “The Case for Investing in Women’s Chess,” uncovers why this matters - and why now is the moment to act.

Women in chess face barriers nearly identical to those in traditional athletics: unequal sponsorships, limited media coverage, and deeply rooted gender bias. Despite extraordinary talent, female players often lack the structural support to compete and thrive. The report traces this inequity from early exclusion in chess clubs to the modern challenges of representation, funding, and safety in the sport.

But this isn’t just about fairness - it’s about potential.

When we invest in women in chess, we invest in a generation of thinkers who embody strategy, endurance, and resilience. We elevate women who lead with intellect and intuition - qualities essential on every playing field.

At Queenside Ventures, we’re building partnerships that connect chess and athletics - bringing the strategic power of the game to women’s sports. Together, we can close the gap, amplify opportunity, and redefine what it means to compete, think, and win.

We’re building something bigger than content — we’re building community. Follow our journey, share your perspective, and keep making strategic moves toward the life you want to lead.

Like what we read? Want to join our movement? Let's connect! ♟️