An online community for women, Mogul, has its sights set on San Francisco. The tech-centric city will serve as a second front from which the website will seek to raise consciousness for its movement of female empowerment. Mogul, which was founded by media veteran and author Tiffany Pham in 2014, is dedicated to enabling women to share ideas, seek advice, and access stories on relevant subjects based on their personal passions. With this latest California expansion, coupled with the complete redesign of the website, Pham hopes to tap into the Golden State’s leading ladies to further her mission to give women an online forum to express themselves and connect with each other. Here, Pham discusses her mission for encouraging and promoting female success and why she’s looking to the Bay Area to further her vision.

What drew you to San Francisco as a place to expand Mogul? We’re well-known in New York, where the site is headquartered, but we wanted to establish a greater presence on the West Coast and build our reputation from San Francisco. Mogul supports a number of initiatives based in the Bay Area, such as the city’s chapter of the National Committee for UN Women. We are also dedicated to donating to San Francisco organizations working on groundbreaking technology, both of which fall completely in line with Mogul’s mission.

How do you think the city fits into your vision for Mogul? With the expansion, I’m in San Francisco frequently and I really enjoy every neighborhood—I love exploring and trying to immerse myself in its culture and history. Understanding voices and insights of particular neighborhoods is part of Mogul’s vision to provide local perspectives from across both the country and the world.

What part of the site resonates most with Californian women? Given the entrepreneurial nature of California, and the number of small business owners in San Francisco, I think the Mogul Courses with lessons in engineering, finance, and entrepreneurship are the most beneficial for our West Coast members.

For you, what defines being a mogul? For me, a mogul is someone who strives for greatness and works with others as opposed to against them—all while trying to be true, and authentic. In our #IAmAMogul campaign, we featured all types of women, from actresses and athletes to non-profit leaders and anti-bullying activists, to show that a mogul isn’t just a C-level executive with a fancy office and high paying salary. A mogul is someone who’s creating real change and making a difference in the world.

Who are the moguls that inspire you most? I’m fortunate enough to work with many women who inspire me and whom I consider my friends and advisors. I especially admire Shiza Shahid, co-founder of the Malala Fund, and Cathie Black, former Chairman and President of Hearst Magazines, for their dedication to amplifying women’s voices worldwide. Apart from them, my grandmother is my greatest inspiration. She worked tirelessly to provide information access in Asia, and I founded Mogul to carry out her legacy.

By Phoebe Neuman

Pictured: Tiffany Pham, founder of online women’s community site, Mogul.
Photo by Zhi Wei