FIRST THOUGHT: Staying in Touch With Your Tribe
Have you watched the movie or read the book The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants? The premise is magical. Four teenage besties spend their first summer apart, but first, they go shopping and come across a pair of jeans that somehow fits all of them. Each girl stays connected to the others by wearing and then shipping the pants off to the next girl. While the idea of finding a pair of jeans that fit perfectly is a dream in and of itself, the true value of the story comes from their sisterhood. It’s a great reminder that no matter where you are or what you’re going through, take time to stay connected to your best friends, your kindred spirits, your tribe.
WOMEN IN NUMBERS: 4
While support from our friends and family contributes to our overall happiness, female entrepreneurs often need additional bolstering to ensure their success. As the National Association of Women Business Owners puts it, female entrepreneurs can benefit from the four Cs: capital and increased access to funding; community, both online and in person, to help network and discuss how to overcome similar business challenges; confidence to take on the often rigorous journey of entrepreneurship; and capitols, meaning access to elected officials who make decisions that affect women’s businesses.
WOMAN TO WATCH: Adrienne Herbert, Co-founder of Get to Know
While a few of those four Cs may seem like the most daunting, like getting access to funding, there’s one C that often gets ignored: community. Let’s face it: Many of us are often just too dang busy to stay connected, and finding your lady tribe isn’t always as easy as it may seem. Luckily, today’s Woman to Watch, Adrienne Herbert, can help. She’s the co-founder of Get to Know, a supportive community with lots of helpful resources for creative women the world over.
Based in the U.K., Adrienne has always been on the go—literally. She’s got a passion for fitness and has worked as an instructor and personal trainer, and later as an influencer and fitness blogger. She even founded a tough-as-nails fitness boot camp. Whether taking on her first marathon or exploring new places on a jog, Adrienne’s got energy for days.
Just how the heck did this fitness goddess become the co-creator of a fantastic networking community for women like Get to Know? Well, it all started after Adrienne realized that while working out can be accomplished solo, when it comes to succeeding in business, women often have a better chance of success when they have the support of other women.
So, Adrienne, along with her enterprising co-founders, combined forces to launch a global community for female freelancers, founders, “solopreneurs” and creatives. Through Get to Know podcasts, panel discussions, workshops with industry leaders, peer-to-peer networking opportunities and fun events, members can gain knowledge and new skills while also acquiring a few new lifelong friends.
For instance, this spring, Get to Know hosted an event in London called Get to Know Your Money, at which a panel of successful business ladies spoke in detail about the trials and tribulations of funding your dream job and managing your capital, and participants were encouraged to ask even the most basic of questions to help get their own businesses off the ground. Of course, the event ended with lots of excited networking.
As Adrienne can attest, there’s no perfect time to launch an enterprise, but with the power of sisterhood backing you up, ladies, anything’s possible. It all starts by taking that first step.
Get out from behind your desk and click here or go to www.OnTheDotWoman.com to check out these tips for getting beach-ready.
QUITE THE QUOTE
Today’s quote goes out to all the women out there putting in the work to make their dreams come true every day, and comes from speaker and author Steve Maraboli, who said:
“The empowered woman is powerful beyond measure and beautiful beyond description.”
This is Melinda Garvey signing off until next time. Remember, ladies, empowered women empower other women. Share On the Dot so more women can have a voice. Thanks for getting ready with us.
To learn more about our conversation, check us out at OnTheDotWoman.com and talk to us @OnTheDotWoman on Twitter and Instagram. We’d love to hear your voice.