We Rise By Lifting Others

Writing is a passion project for me—a side hustle of meager pay—and that’s why I have my 9-to-5. I have a great job working for a great company that does so much good in the world. I’m surrounded by some of the greatest people I’ve ever been fortunate enough to know. Many of them are incredibly kind and supportive, in addition to being startlingly smart. I feel lucky to know them.

The culture at my company encourages us to be the best. This is 100% an admirable thing, but it unfortunately manifests itself in negative ways for certain people. There are people in the world who feel worthy only when they can deem someone else not worthy. I’ve witnessed this and been the victim of it.

That’s part of the reason I started this blog.

I wanted to work on something I felt totally in control of; I decide what to say, when to say it, and I can do so without worrying much about the approval of others. When I started this just over a year ago, I figured it was a solo project. I never anticipated that I would find a community of women right here in my own city who were building their own businesses and were willing to support other women entrepreneurs too.

I had been writing for only a few months when I got a message from Ashley at Girlboss Events. She had just created the group a few months prior. She took a chance on me and asked me to cover social media for the first Girlboss Events Summer Pop-Up. Despite being incredibly nervous to do so and feeling totally unqualified, I agreed. Thank goodness I did.

At that event…

I met and connected with so many local women who have started their own businesses, like Jennifer from Togather, who’s created a game that my family loves to play at dinner time and is all about bringing people together. I met Miranda who sells Arbonne and is just a sparkly person. (Do you know what I mean? Some people are just sparkly.) There’s Ashley who was running the whole thing and crushing it, and Kalyn of Sincerely, Sweetpea, who was also there to cover the event, and so many others. Since then, Girlboss Events has grown and expanded. There’s a team of four running the show now. GBE includes not just pop-ups now but also monthly mixers, educational events and more. We have another blogger/now a new friend covering events from her blog, Two Purple Couches (hi Emily!), and so many more Girlbosses getting involved.

What I love most about this is that while there are opportunities to network and possibly grow your business, there’s no element of competition baked into the manifesto of the group. It is truly all about supporting one another and recognizing that when one of us does well, we all can do well. GBE and its members value collaboration over competition, which is where my energy is usually focused anyway.

I’m really excited for the GBE Bridal Pop-Up on April 27 at Liberty Center, about 30 minutes north of Cincinnati. It’s sure to be a beautiful event, filled with vendors who are there to help each couple plan a spectacular wedding day. (Can’t lie; I’m also pumped to enjoy the complimentary Cavu Coffee and a few of Lulu’s Sweet Bites.)

I feel so blessed to have found the GBE community.

Not only are they caring and supportive, but they’ve also introduced me to so many creators and makers that otherwise I might not’ve found on my own. I love shopping local + handmade, and so many of these ladies give me that opportunity.

While I started my blog as something just for me, I’ve learned that I can do better when I have a group to lean on for support. Even if most of them aren’t focused on blogging, they understand the challenges of doing something outside the structure of an established company. There’s so much to be said for feeling seen and understood.

Want to support your local Girlbosses?

• Ask them how they’re doing! It always helps to know someone cares about your venture. I promise you; asking the question will make their day. Following their social media pages is nice too.
• For those in Cincinnati, Dayton, and nearby areas, plan to attend the Bridal Pop-Up on April 27! Details are available here.
• Shop local when you can. I get tons of compliments on a pair of earrings I bought from Megan at FENNOfashion. It’s so much more fun to tell people about her company (and FASHION TRUCK!) than it would be to say, “thanks, I grabbed them at Target when I was shopping for a new toilet brush.” 😉