Were you ever fired from a job? Just the thought is chill-inducing. Fired, it means failure, finished, foolish, and a lot of words that are meant to be esteem-downers. That’s how it was for Tory Johnson when she was a twenty something and on the rise in corporate America. Within one hour she had fallen from grace and was out on the street.
Fast forward to today. Tory is a fireball of energy, helping women entrepreneurs stand on her shoulders. When I asked her what she learned from that dreadful time of being let go, she did not hesitate, “It was not to rely on someone else for a paycheck”.
That happened before her twins were born and she “never wanted the pain of a pink slip again.” Over the years that GUTSY Gal became for women entrepreneurs a lighthouse; her Spark & Hustle Conferences lighting the way for women to become bolder and more self-assured at work.
On October 25th, she is collaborating with the Pennsylvania Conference for Women (http://www.paconferenceforwomen.org/conference ) to inspire women to walk tall and be confident. Her belief is that women often hesitate and “over think” situations and she, along with a fabulous group of movers and shakers including Gloria Steinem and America Ferreira, are going to be the cheerleaders to give tools and tips on what to do right now rather than worry about a five year forecast.
We’re talking about 5,000 women gathering to grow and learn. And in all my research I do believe this is right time, right place for women entrepreneurs to make “it” happen. The “it”, as Tory suggests, “are women being successful on their own terms. It may be about money; however, it’s never just about money. It’s about whom you work with, where you choose to work, and how to balance the see-saw with work and home”.
An added bonus is the Small Business Boot Camp on October 24 with Tory as head counselor. (http://www.paconferenceforwomen.org/small-business-boot-camp ) Here will be “incredible information right from the women in the trenches who will share both roadblocks and breakthroughs, answer questions and provide food for thought.
I recently found a study from Stanford University that said when women join together to share and dialogue there is an increase in oxytocin, a hormone that acts as a neuromodulator in the brain. It evokes feelings of contentment, bonding, increases in trust, and decreases in fear. So, join the ever growing ranks of women in business at the Pennsylvania Conference for Women. You’ll have an opportunity to learn, develop, explore, integrate and feel great. What more could you want?
Sylvia Lafair
Sylvia Lafair, PhD, is President of CEO – Creative Energy Options, Inc., a global consulting company focused on optimizing workplace relationships through her exclusive PatternAware™ Leadership Model. Dr. Lafair is the author of Don’t Bring It to Work: Breaking the Family Patterns That Limit Success published by Jossey-Bass. As an executive coach and leadership educator, she has more than 30 years of experience with all levels of management from leading corporate officers of global companies to executives of non-profits and owners of leading family-owned businesses. She is now offering GUTSY Women Weekends, giving women the opportunity to dialogue and clarify next steps.
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