The Bench

A COMMUNITY FOR WOMEN WHO LOVE THEIR WORK & WANT IT TO COME AT LESS OF A COST

The future of work doesn’t have one path. As someone who’s in her second (or third) act, you know this. But when there’s no defined next step or built-in industry support group, who’s listening to your ideas and holding you to them?

Rather than separate ourselves by skill, stage of career, and job title, what if there was a room full of smart women with strong points of view? Entrepreneurs, employees, freelancers, and execs who were united by creative energy and the desire to make an impact, while also admitting that there’s more to life than work. That, my friend, is what I’m out to build.

Applications will open again in late August - September 2025.

One unexpected gift my non-linear career path has given me is an incredible collection of friends and colleagues, spanning academia, nonprofits, consulting, and entrepreneurship. We do our best to keep in touch and I’m shameless about voice texting, but I often wonder what it would be like to have them all in the same room. If we could gather purposefully and support each other beyond one-off you should know her emails.

I’VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR THIS TYPE OF GROUP FOR YEARS.

One that would facilitate introductions and moderate high-level conversations I’m not having elsewhere. A regular touch point to absorb brilliant perspectives and learn the unwritten rules of business. Along the way, I signed up for a $15,000 group program and attended ladies who lunch country club events. I’ve hosted my own retreats and joined Facebook groups. But there’s nothing like moving 215 miles away from home to realize how hard it is to find your people.

Networking For People Who Hate To Network But Crave New Connections

When was the last time you walked into a networking event feeling at ease? When you didn’t have to awkwardly break into a conversation or wait for your turn to “tell us about yourself”? After spending dozens of hours looking for places to drop in, I’m left feeling less than inspired. It seems there are only three options available:

Traditional networking events that feel like they haven’t evolved since the 90s. There’s a sponsored talk, terrible wine, and awkward introductions. You leave with a few business cards but no motivation to follow up.

Transactional groups with forced referrals. Works great if your business runs on volume, but what about those of us whose work is more nuanced? And what if you actually want to vet someone before recommending them? 

Masterminds with HUGE price tags. The caliber of women is great but the unwritten rule is that you’re there to emulate the leader herself, leaving little room for originality or difference of opinion.

No one is doing it alone. But where are we doing it together? Where asks are expected and also reciprocated. Examples of going for it are all around. And there’s no “in crowd” because our definitions of success are as varied as our backgrounds.

To me, this is the definition of a deep bench. Other women who can cheer us on, see us better than we can see ourselves, and have our backs when we’re exhausted.

You don’t need them to be in the same industry as you. Actually, it’s better they’re not. You want to see what you can’t see in your day-to-day.

You don’t need them to identify as business owners. Not when the employee-entrepreneur gap is shrinking, making the transition from employed to self-employment and back again more fluid.

You definitely don’t need any more learning modules. Few of us have the time or desire to wade through any more content. When you’re facing a big time decision or making a transition, connection and community is what you need.

We Need Each Other

The founding members of this community are:

  • Smart, savvy women gathering at a regular cadence to greenlight each others’ big ideas;

  • Keeping each other accountable that personal priorities move forward alongside their work;

  • Talking openly and honestly about money, navigating tricky situations, and enforcing boundaries;

  • Having conversations about leadership, personal branding, and how to recharge;

  • Meeting in person and virtually through facilitated events;

  • Increasing their confidence in pitching, public speaking, and asking for more; and (obviously)

  • Expanding their network to connect, refer to, and collaborate with.

SOUND LIKE SOMETHING YOU’RE CRAVING TOO?

Get on the Waitlist

By joining the waitlist you’ll be notified when the doors open again in fall early 2025. There’s no commitment—financial or otherwise—to adding your name. You’re simply raising your hand to say, I’m curious about what might come out of this!