The Story Of On Purpose Networking for Women
By Ginny Robertson
In the spring of 1999 I threw a party. I knew a lot of fabulous women and wanted to give them the opportunity to know each other. I called my event a Girlfriend Party and invited my friends to invite their friends to show up at my house for a Saturday afternoon of mingling and food. Forty-five women attended that first event.
I thought this was something I would do annually but at the end of that first gathering many of the women asked me not to wait a year to do it because they had enjoyed it so much. So I decided I would hold one every quarter.
During those four events I observed two very important things. One is that women were connecting in a way that I had not experienced before. The word networking was not in my vocabulary and, in my mind, certainly didn’t apply to these events. My experience of networking had been to show up at an event, armed with business cards, give them out to anyone breathing and take their card in return. I did not find this financially, spiritually, emotionally or mentally rewarding. However, the women in my family room were doing it differently. They were talking about things that really mattered. They were connecting on a deeper, more authentic level than I had ever witnessed at an event of this sort. They were creating relationships that would help them not just in business but in life. And, the most amazing part for me is that it seemed to flow gracefully and easily.
The second thing I observed was not so exciting. During the gathering everyone would have an opportunity to introduce themselves to the other women in the room. Many of the women had real difficulty standing up and doing that introduction. They didn’t know what to say or, if they did know what to say, were uncomfortable saying it. Some of the women were doing remarkable things but they didn’t seem to know it. Many of these women had been taught to play small and not toot their own horn. And, just as the connections that were being made had excited me, this observation saddened me.
So after that fourth gathering I took the leap and founded an organization that would incorporate all of the wonderful things I saw happening in my home…women connecting on a deep level and supporting one another through generosity and acceptance. This organization would also give women the opportunity to practice those things that might be uncomfortable…introducing themselves to a roomful of people, knowing what to say in their introduction, being proud of who they are and what they do, being seen and heard and projecting an attitude of confidence.
And…the most important thing of all is that they could come to these meetings and be exactly who they are. No masks needed.
The result is On Purpose Networking for Women (OPN). Founded in March, 2000 and with over 300 members, OPN hosts evening meetings monthly in Columbia, Ruxton & Severna Park MD and Arlington VA. There are also Connections Over Coffee morning meetings in Bel Air, Columbia, Derwood and White Marsh MD and Arlington VA. Plans are underway to start Connections Over Coffee meetings in the counties of Cecil, Frederick and Prince Georges, as well as West Palm Beach FL and Wilmington NC.
The big vision is to have OPN groups across the country…maybe even the world. Because when women come together, magic happens and transformation occurs.
Won’t you join us?
