A Women’s Place (AWP) came about as the result of a series of events from 2000 through mid 2006. 

Over the years, I had gravitated towards working with women who were basically healthy, but whose life experiences had left them emotionally scarred.  As we worked together to set them free of the harmful memories and wounded emotions, I saw beautiful women with so much to give - emerge, much as we see a butterfly emerge from its cocoon. 

It was exhilarating and exciting to be a part of the transformation that took place. 

I knew that I wanted to be a mentor, teacher, coach, guide or whatever one calls the person who is the catalyst for such amazing change - and more importantly, I knew I was meant to do that.

I also knew that the emerging technologies born from the birth of the computer age were a vehicle that those of us who shared a similar desire or passion; could use to reach greater numbers of women.  I was in awe of how rapidly the ‘information age’ came upon us and how much potential it held for women from all walks of life.

But I didn’t know what to do with it.  And I wasn’t very technologically literate (still not, but getting there).

Then I literally stumbled upon two articles in Networking Times May/June 2006 edition that birthed the framework of the vision and mission that would become A Women’s Place. 

Scott Allen, co-authored the e-book, The Virtual Handshake that gave credibility and authenticity to virtual social and professional networking.  The other article, an interview with John David Mann, co-founder of Ecademy, convinced me that what I pondered in my mind as possible REALLY is possible. 

That was May, 2006, and the vision took shape and form. The mission was no longer a distant dream.

I’ve gotten a little ahead of myself. 

In those intervening years between 2000 and 2006, I joined a wonderful company as an independent consultant.  The company model was direct sales or more commonly known as network marketing (I believe it was Scott Allen who referred to it as relationship marketing).  It’s a business model that absolutely fascinates me and over the years, it became not only a legal organizational model, but a widely accepted business model in the marketplace (I’ll say more later about why the model fascinates me).  I loved the products and felt secure that the company was everything it said it was.  I set out to build a successful business representing a company I believed in with products I knew were “top of the line”.

The early months were very successful, so I began to join women’s networking groups in two major metro areas about 55 miles either way of my home base.  Several of them were not cheap to join.  I also decided to use a vacation in Florida to launch a leg of the business there. 

All of this cost money, but so what, I said!  It’s fun and I’m meeting wonderful, dynamic women who will want what I have to offer.

It wasn’t until after a rather expensive trip to Florida for a trade show and an additional trip there the following month to work with a new “recruit”, that I began to “count the cost” to see if my approach to building a business was cost effective!

It wasn’t!  I was spending more than I was making and I wasn’t getting value for the dollars I had invested.  So I sat down and calculated the cost of face to face networking and business-building the ‘old-fashioned way’.

Let me share just one example:  I joined a group online and paid nearly $300 initiation fee plus a monthly fee just less than $20 for access to a website. 

But the real opportunities, I was told when visiting with one of the reps in Florida, was in the monthly face-to-face networking meetings.  So I began to attend those meetings (in one of the metro areas 1.5 hours from my base).  The meal cost me $45 - $55 per meeting (the higher number represented if I was late registering); plus gas.  Then if I wanted even more exposure, there was the option of having a display at the meeting for an additional $65 - $95.  And of course, a gift for the door prize was always a great way to build rapport and relationship - all with the intent of building my business.  

After a year of ‘belonging’, I was wearied and that’s when I sat down with the calculator and said, “What am I really getting for all this expenditure of time, energy, effort and money?”

My one year’s cost was over $1200.00.  My gross sales amounted to just slightly over onehalf that amount - meaning that I reaped somewhere in the neighborhood of $200 - $300 profit!

What an eye-opener that was!

About the same time as this epiphany, I took a rare moment to sit on my front porch and read.  That was the day I stumbled across the two articles I mentioned above.

With this, I begin a series of posts that will give our community members and site visitors a huge view into the heart of the AWP vision; its mission and what we want to accomplish - why we want to accomplish it - what’s important to us - our commitment to integrity of purpose;  what community really is and why it CAN BE accomplished via a virtual network.  In cold-stone market place language - the “what’s in it for you and what’s in it for us!”

I hope you’ll visit this series of posts OFTEN and that you’ll comment here or in the forum when you have a question - need clarification or for whatever reason you feel a desire to connect and communicate.

Until later today, have an AWESOME end to another work week!

   Linda