She Runs It Goes Global – Virtually

Six months. How time flies. Six months ago – give or take – we were making the sad decision to postpone our flagship Fearless Voices event in San Francisco because health officials were beginning to advise against large gatherings. Within days, most US companies would be sending employees home to work remotely. Unimaginable.

After a few moments of shock, the She Runs It staff found its footing and recognized a need to respond to our community. People were isolated. Scared. Looking for hope, inspiration, and community. Within two weeks we started to host twice-weekly sessions that focused on coping with remote working, new leadership strategies, and how to stay strong, current and connected in what became famously dubbed “the new normal”.

She Runs It didn’t go home. We went broad.

We temporarily took the price tag off of our weekly events and encouraged our members to invite friends and family to participate in the conversations. We connected with speakers who were kind and generous with their time and insights, sharing words of wisdom and encouragement with our membership. We mastered virtual platforms like Teams and Zoom to give our community an easy gathering space. As furloughs and layoffs became a harsh bi-product of the pandemic, we created a Coaches Corner where members could receive practical advice on navigating the job market.

Ultimately, we saw so many new faces and heard so much positive feedback, we created an eMembership offering so that women and men from every geography could take advantage of the She Runs It benefits: job search advice, mentoring, women’s advocacy, networking, inspiration, and connectivity. As our eMembership grew, we watched our community expand, not just in size but in geographic reach.

Today, She Runs It has members in 37 states, Canada, and at least one eMember in London and Barcelona. The pandemic has helped us realize that borders and boundaries don’t exist in a virtual world. We’ve been enriched by the infusion of allies and collaborators, and there’s plenty of room for more. If you have friends or colleagues who want to be part of an optimistic, energized community that is paving the way for more women to lead in marketing, media, and tech, please encourage them to visit sherunsit.org (click Become a Member), or click here for details and application.