Through Hot Mommas Project, one woman sets out to boost the confidence of all women Similar parties in at least 20 other countries - the biggest and most elegant held in Kuwait - watching as Frey announced the project's 2012-13 winners in a webcast. Frey calls them "holistic leaders" at work and home. In other words, "Hot Mommas." And she hopes learning about the winners will inspire other women. "Our view is, if you can't see it, you can't be it," Frey said. "Seeing real role models sends women and girls the signal, "Oh, I could do this," rather than getting discouraged by the usual wall of 6-foot-2 men in blue suits." Reams of research studies and surveys in recent years have shown how, as early as elementary school, girls are less confident than boys in their skills and abilities. That gap only grows as girls and boys become adults. And, Frey argues, that confidence gap is a big reason why statistics show that women tend to earn less money at every level, lag in promotions in every field, and, while female-owned businesses are among the fastest-growing sectors of the economy, they tend to be smaller and attract far less venture capital than male-owned firms. So Frey has turned her academic research and the Hot Mommas Project into a mission aimed at reversing what she calls that "self-efficacy" gap through the power of storytelling. She shares stories like that of Eman Al-Awadhi, one of this year's global case-study winners. Al-Awadhi dreamed of going out on reporting assignments for the Kuwait News Agency. Instead, she was told she belonged, as did all women, behind a desk, in the office, as an editor. "One day, you'll get married and have children," her boss told her, even though she was and is single. This is better for you. Instead, Al-Awadhi reported in her free time and routinely worked double shifts to show she could do it. In a few years, that same boss called her and asked her to race out to cover a story about the NATO secretary-general. "I wanted to share my story to tell other women that we need to find out what we're good at, what we really want to do, and then fight to do that," she said. Even when it's difficult. Other winners - from the United States, Nigeria, India, Croatia, Lithuania, Egypt and other countries - told of their battles to overcome alcoholism, their juggle of work and home demands. Francisca Alonso, this year's winner in the science, engineering, math and technology category, shared her story of starting her architecture and construction company in 2001, when her four children were all younger than 5.