It brings a smile to my lips now, but I still remember the look of horror on my mentor's face as he said, "You don't know what a glass ceiling is?" I was in my early twenties and by some miracle, had managed to never hear the term until this moment when my male boss was trying to explain what he saw women up against.

What he did next changed my career trajectory. He not only explained what it was but then equipped me with the tools to combat the bias. He had been doing so since I had joined his leadership. The fact that I was his first hire until a brand new team was a signal to many. The fact I was a woman never came up to me until this conversation as I found myself being blocked for no good reason.

I had followed everything to the letter and then some. I had over-delivered on my objectives, taken on extra projects, and still, I was being "shut out." My boss was mad and had actually called the meeting with me to explain his observations. He didn't want me to think it was "me" or that I had failed in any way, and during his explanation, he had dropped that he felt it was a typical "glass ceiling" moment. Then, to his surprise and my dismay, we both learned I didn't know what that meant.

"So, what do I do?" I countered. "How do I break through?"

"Here's what you're going to do," he leaned in. "I know you get calls from headhunters. Take the call, go for the interview, then take the job that levels you way up. Then, you don't come back here one level higher, when or if you ever come back, you return as their boss."

To be clear, this would be a heart-wrenching decision. I loved my boss, my work, and my team. Yet, I wanted to do different projects that stimulated me and to do THAT, I needed to have more senior experience. Back then, the only way to work on the most challenging projects was to be in certain positions. So, after a week of sleepless nights, I did exactly what he recommended, and I never looked back.

Today, I am now the Founder and President of a tech company that is in three countries and being used by customers all over the world. As a female executive, I have tasted the glass ceilings and then years later, learned about glass cliffs.

Both are situations that should not be. Yet, along the way, I learned that the most educated and competitive men were also equally frustrated with their existence. These men crave success and to WIN more than they care about "who" is delivering their success. To them, glass ceilings and cliffs are not only offensive but reserved for those with less intelligence and fragile egos.

When I was introduced to CBWN, I immediately wanted to understand the makeup of the organization. The uncomfortable reality is that in many countries, if you don't have a male ally who is punching open the door and helping swing a hammer, then the voice of the women will never even have a chance to be heard.

That's why male allyship is so essential in achieving a breakthrough. It not only affirms to the woman that her experiences are not okay, but it also helps that male glass breaker to educate his peers on the commercial and economic impacts of failing to diversify their companies and boards.

That's why I had so much pleasure in my initial meetings with Arif at CBWN and why the work of this organization is critical.

What I know from my own story is that one great male ally can change the course of your future. Fortunately for the women at CBWN, we have many.