2021: Bigger, Stronger, mBoldened

She Runs It will enter the new year twice as big and strong as we are now. That’s because beginning in January, our community will welcome 5,000 members of mBolden into our fold through a merger of the two organizations under the She Runs It name.

Formerly known as Women in Wireless, mBolden is a global professional network that supports women across digital industries. The merger of our two organizations will create the marketing industry’s largest member organization dedicated to supporting and advancing women leaders.

Several things make this merger serendipitous.

One, our fit with mBolden is perfect. They exist to lift women up in digitally focused industries, and the marketing, media and tech industries we serve through She Runs It are entirely digital. Our combined membership has minimal overlap but highly complementary objectives.

Two, the merger was inspired by the unexpected realities of 2020. As corporate and individual philanthropic investments were streamlined during the pandemic, She Runs It evaluated opportunities to scale at the same time that mBolden was seeking to align with a more structured operation.

Three, the expansion and fortification of She Runs It could not happen at a more critical moment in time for women. The pandemic and recession of 2020 have forced many working women to make painful choices that threaten gender equity. According to a recent McKinsey report, one in four women are considering downshifting their careers or leaving the workforce due to the impossible pressures of balancing work, childcare and household responsibilities. She Runs It’s commitment to keep our community strong, current and connected is more vital than ever.

In January, She Runs It will welcome the 5,000 new members from mBolden into a free, three-month trial membership, with the option of full membership starting in April. The president of mBolden, Lara Mehanna, will be joining our Operating Board, and the mBolden chapter presidents will get free membership for a year, with access to all benefits including committee participation.

She Runs It is ending an incredibly challenging year stronger than ever, thanks to the commitment of our community, the support of our partners and sponsors, and the promise of the mBolden expansion. Great things are in store for 2021, and I thank each and every one of you for helping us achieve our mission to pave the way for more women to lead at every level of marketing, media, tech and digital.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!