Boss Ladies of CLE

Maggie Sullivan set out to prove that ambitious women do not have to leave Cleveland to build meaningful careers, and Boss Ladies of CLE makes that case through 20 portraits spanning CEOs, chefs, engineers, musicians, and more. The phone photography is intentional — Sullivan wanted to strip away professional gloss and show these women in their actual workplaces — though readers expecting polished production should adjust expectations. What it lacks in visual sophistication it makes up for in authentic local pride; the book sold out at Loganberry Books and sparked a regional media series. Coverage is primarily local, so national critical perspective is thin. For Cleveland readers, aspiring professionals, or anyone who wants to hand a teenage girl a book that says your city is enough — this fills a genuine gap.