The Magic of Collision: Celebrating International Women’s Day with Women Connect Networking
22 women. One room. Total magic.
Last week, we celebrated International Women’s Day in the best way I know how: with a room full of electric energy, honest conversations, and some seriously good wine at Must & Lees in London.
If you’ve been following my journey with EJF Coaching, you know that I talk a lot about the "messy middle"—that space where ambition meets reality, and where we’re all just trying to navigate our big goals without losing ourselves in the process.
Events like this are the antidote to the isolation that so often comes with that journey.
Finding the "Why" in the Room
I’ve been reflecting a lot on my ‘WHY’ for co-founding Women Connect Networking alongside Noelle Hartnett (Clever Tortoise) and Jen Read (Sunflower VA). When we first started talking about this, my motivation was actually quite simple:
I believe in the magic of connecting wonderful women. I wanted to create a space where those worlds could collide and stories could be shared, because I know that when you put the right women in a room together, the support and the ideas that spark are literally game-changing.
Last Wednesday was that magic in action. It wasn’t just about exchanging business cards or "pitching" our services. It was about seeing 22 phenomenal founders and professionals take their "business masks" off and get real about what it’s like to build something while juggling... well, everything.
The Founders' Fireside Chat
We kicked things off with an informal (and intentionally "un-stuffy") Fireside Chat. Noelle, Jen, and I sat down to dig into the themes of collaboration over competition and what it actually means to "Give To Gain."
We talked about:
The Power of Connection: Why a "business bestie" is a non-negotiable for mental health.
The Mental Load: How to stop trying to be "Superwoman" and start asking for the support we actually need.
The First Day of School Feeling: Acknowledging that walking into a networking event can be intimidating, and why showing up as your authentic, slightly nervous self is actually the best way to make a real friend.
A Safe Harbour for Ambition
Watching this community grow into a safe harbour for both ambition and vulnerability is exactly what I envisioned for EJF Coaching. I love combining my coaching philosophy with the energy of Women Connect Networking.
It’s proof that you don't have to choose between being a high-achiever and being a human being. You can be both. And you definitely don't have to do it alone.
What’s Next?
To the 22 women who showed up: Thank you. You made the night what it was. Your brilliance, your openness, and your willingness to support one another is exactly why the future of women in business is looking so incredibly bright.
