Many of you don’t know that the Women’s Business Club started by accident, I didn’t really plan to set up another business as I failed miserably at my first attempt and wrote myself off as a businesswoman. The Women’s Business Club started because I just absolutely love to help people in any way that I can and since I did have a little bit of business experience I ended up helping people in their businesses too. It was only when my husband mentioned that I was silly to keep helping people without charging. I laughed at him and said, “How can I charge I have nothing to offer?”
“How can I charge I have nothing to offer?”
To which he replied,
“They wouldn’t be coming to you if you weren’t helping them!”
It was an eye-opener but I wasn’t convinced for quite some time that I really did have something to offer the business community. I did help people in other areas of life such as parenting, relationships, spiritual life, etc but never took the help I was offering business women seriously.
To cut a long story short, the Women’s Business Club was born based on my passion to connect, support and empower people. I did start charging as you know, and invested all that I could into helping each and every person that needed me. I made no profit for the first three years and invested my heart and soul into building the club as best I could. The club has grown and grown and I have continued to try and help everyone. Sadly, with just under 100 members I have let a lot of people down because I simply can’t help everyone. As soon as I let someone down they leave the club which absolutely breaks my heart, especially since I put so much into each and every relationship.
So, I have had to make some major decisions for 2017 and this is how the club will be growing from this year onward. Some of you won’t like it but I am sorry, if you can’t understand why this is necessary then I probably won’t be able to help you anyway.
Women’s Business Club Success Story System members can expect:
- To enjoy all of the benefits mentioned on our home page at www.womensbusiness.club
- To be a part of a vibrant community of businesswomen who genuinely support each other – each member should expect to give and receive so we can learn from each other and grow together. The club only works when each person invests in it, shares it, contributes to it and then and only then takes from it when needed. If everyone comes along just to take and not give anything back then it won’t work.
- To feel very welcome when arriving at each event and to leave feeling empowered. We hope this will happen through the lovely women that you meet at the club and by our fantastic speakers.
- To feel supported by the women in the room and in a practical way through the Wonderbra session.
- To be a part of a large, vibrant, healthy national network of businesswomen no matter what size or stage of business you have.
Women’s Business Club Success Story System members should not expect:
- My (Angela De Souza) personal support in growing your business for free for as many hours as you need. Yes, I am passionate about supporting you all in your businesses and am extremely fond of our members but I simply cannot personally be there for all of you all of the time. We need to support each other.
- Other members to do freebies and favours for you just because you have become friends in the club. Yes, we should support each other and that might mean doing some business swaps from time to time but the swap must be of equal value. We should value each other’s time and expertise and pay for products or services rendered. We are not building businesses if we are all expecting favours and freebies from each other.
I don’t want to go on and on but I do also want to set some boundaries for us all this year. I simply cannot support each and every member personally as I would absolutely love to do but I promise that I will still do my best for you all. Of course you can get in touch, I would love to hear from you and will reply to every email that you send me.
I would love to hear your views and suggestions too as it’s YOUR club and needs to work for you. So please get in touch or leave a comment below and let me know what we are getting right and what we can do better. I know some clubs have been going for longer than others and are a bit more established but I promise you, when women truly connect, support and empower each other then it really does work and great things happen. I have so many testimonials that say just that, in fact let me share a few with you now.
“The Women’s Business Club has transformed my business, my confidence and taken me through some hard times and out the other side to success. The support is second to none, every member of the club adds so much value and collectively we are a set of masterminds who help and support each other to improve and grow our businesses. The club makes every effort to promote me and become advocates of all that I offer. So proud to be a part of it.” – Jennifer Hall, The Life Buddy, Cardiff
“Being part of such a elite group of driven, determined business women is one of my goals in my business. Being being able to grow a community that is based on support and collaboration is a fantastic feeling because together we can grow and learn from each other.” – Sofia Pacifico Reis, Increase Your Social Reach, Southampton
“I’ve been to a various networking meetings recently I’ve got to say that yesterday’s Women’s Business Club was the most fun and relaxed I’ve attended, as well as being professionally interesting. ” Julia Ingram, Isbourne College, Cheltenham
“What a fabulous meeting! I really enjoyed meeting you all and loved the friendly supportive atmosphere, I will definitely be returning. See you next month!” Debi Rolls, Plan B Computers, Evesham
We have dedicated an entire chapter of our Success Story System to networking, get involved and tap into all of our valuable resources to support you in your business.