Barrie Zucal is a powerlifter in more ways than one. Besides breaking records in the deadlift and bench press, she is a fierce advocate for women’s voices and rights, a global feminist, a former marriage and family therapist, and an executive coach to women in 75 countries.
Now, she’s making a daring entrance into the self-help space with BOLD: How Women Play BIG by Leading Instead of Pleasing — a rallying cry against what she calls “debilitating goodness,” the quiet force that keeps many women from realizing their ambitions.
“Women worldwide are constrained by their conditioned conviction that they should serve others even at their own expense; as a result, they end up pleasing, performing, and perfecting instead of leading, living, and developing,” Zucal said.
A lifeline for women everywhere, BOLD blends inspirational stories, self-reflective exercises, and practical steps to help readers tap into their passion, trust their instincts, act on their behalf, and lead with courage and clarity. BOLD isn’t a diatribe; it’s a solution-driven antidote to the deeply rooted beliefs that have kept women playing small for generations.
“It’s time for women to claim their right to develop themselves and use their talents to create a rich future for themselves, their families, and their world,” Barrie Zucal.
“I want this book to inspire women everywhere,” Zucal said. “We were born for this moment. It’s time for women to claim their right to develop themselves and use their talents to create a rich future for themselves, their families, and their world.
More than a book, BOLD is a wakeup call — motivating women to explore who they exist for, why they exist, and how they will exist.
“The world needs more women leading unapologetically,” writes author and CEO of Few & Far, Sarah Dusek, in the book’s introduction. “Step into this book with courage, and I promise you will emerge with a stronger, bolder, more empowered version of yourself.”
Releasing in October 2026, BOLD arrives at a moment when women’s leadership is urgently needed — in boardrooms, classrooms, and communities worldwide.
For more information, visit www.barriezucal.com or connect with her on Instagram.
About Barrie Zucal: Barrie Zucal is a writer, speaker, global entrepreneur, executive coach, and social justice advocate who has spent decades helping women lead with power and purpose instead of playing small. A lifelong learner and fierce advocate for women’s rights worldwide, she founded and led a global executive coaching firm with 300 coaches operating in 75 countries. She served as a marriage and family therapist, a healer with a master’s in Family Studies from the University of Maryland, a guidance counselor in war-torn Beirut, and even a nanny to the Jordanian Royal Family in her late 20s.
At 70, Zucal walked into a gym, picked up a barbell, and went on to break Maryland State Records in both the deadlift and bench press. Today, she teaches Intersectional Feminism with Conscious Revolution and serves as Chair of the Cultural Committee at the Arts Club of Washington.
