When I was going to Baruch College for my Master’s degree in Public Administration, I was involved with a study group consisting of six amazing, accomplished women. All were full-time workers in high level positions throughout the city. Iris, Phyllis, Linda, Dale, Rosemary and I would arrange to meet at least one evening a week to work on a project or just talk about work, including issues with staff, organization and management.
I loved meeting with these women. I felt like I got so much out of it. As a result of these weekly sessions, we all became good friends. We laughed together, we cried together and we helped each other grow personally and professionally.
When I moved out of the city, I lost touch with most of the women. The group dwindled and I was left searching for something like it.
Rob Levin, Publisher of the New York Enterprise Report, told me about a group in New York City made up of entrepreneurs, called Entrepreneurs’ Organization or EO. I decided to join. It took a long time before I was placed in a forum group but so many people reached out to me during my initial phase, that I felt very comfortable with the group and started to attend many of their learning sessions, which I found useful for the business.
Then I met Arthur at a social media roundtable that I was invited to speak at. Arthur was on the panel and we immediately hit it off…. Someone in the audience asked what forum group I was in and I said, “I don’t have one….” That’s when Arthur said, you’re coming to our group…
I met with his forum group and was invited to join. At first it was a lot of battling over scheduling and personality conflicts but when everything ironed out, it became an amazing group.
Unlike my previous group from grad school, my forum group is made up of all men. Each one is very successful both personally and professionally. They really have an interesting perspective on things.
By learning about each of them, I’m learning about myself. It’s funny, we all come from totally different backgrounds, totally different experiences and yet we all click. Thanks EO for introducing me to the forum experience… I think I finally found my niche…
