Monday, March 02, 2015

Who is in Your Tribe of Successful Women?

By Gina F. Rubel

I am very fortunate to have met some really amazing women along my life’s journey. Last week, a client sent me an email (in response to me saying thank you for a referral) which said, "Behind every successful woman should be a tribe of women who have her back! I'm in your tribe."

I am grateful!

This got me thinking about the women who are in my proverbial tribe and what makes up a successful women’s tribe. It’s like the old adage, “It takes a village.” Yes, it does. And I certainly would not be successful without the women (and men) who have had my back along the way.

Here is my attempt to say thank you, in a small way, to just some of the successful women who have helped the village that I live in to prosper and grow.

Family: First and foremost are family and roots. If it wasn't for my mother who is there to look out for me every day, there to help my husband and me to do everything that it takes to keep a household running smoothly, I would not be a successful woman. End of story. Thanks, Ma.

Friends: Then there are my friends, both near and far, who I can talk to about anything and everything. I can let my hair down, be the personal me, shed the suit for sweats, shut off the electronics, walk along the beach for hours on end, eat, drink and be merry, in our own special way. To my friends from Pennsylvania to the Jersey Shore, Annapolis to the Bahamas, and L.A. to Leicestershire (you know who you are), I say thank you!

Colleagues: It is true that you spend more time with your office mates than you do most anyone. And I am blessed to be surrounded by amazing and successful women, each in her own right! The ladies of Furia Rubel, Laura Powers, Sarah Larson, Kim Tarasiewicz, Rose Strong and Megan Quinn, and the consultants who support us, are the eyes, ears, backbones and brains that contribute greatly to our success. And to the other ladies who have passed through our doors, whether it was for a three-month internship or for a several-year stay, I am grateful to each of you.

Clients: Behind every successful woman are other women. Yes indeed. And the women that I have the opportunity to work with are absolutely amazing; the best in their respective fields. Thank you, ladies. I am in your tribe! A special shout out to a few of those ladies, clients both past and present, who have made a special difference in my life professionally and personally.


Women’s Network: There are also those professional women you meet along the way, perhaps at a networking function, professional association or board meeting. You know instantly that you are attracted to their energy and enthusiasm for life and success (however they define it). You also know that you want to see them succeed because of their brilliance, attention to detail, expertise, and sheer love of life and love for what they do. There are just too many amazing women for me to name them individually, so here is a list of some of the organizations within which I have met women who have made a major difference in my life:

  • Bucks County Women’s Fund (Now the United Way of Bucks County Women’s Initiative)
  • Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce
  • Legal Marketing Association 
  • Network Now
  • Philadelphia Bar Association
  • Women’s Business Forum of Bucks County

Women Trailblazers: Sacrifice of self and service of others: these are two traits that I have consistently found in women trailblazers. One such gamechanger is Nikki Johnson Huston, Esq., a tax attorney and antipoverty advocate who was once homeless. Nikki speaks to and writes for communities all over the world, sharing her story of survival and her message of hope. Most recently, Nikki launched DONAFY, a location-based micro-philanthropy iPhone app that will allow people to easily locate, notify and donate to nearby nonprofit organizations that service those in need of housing, food, medical care, mental health or job assistance.

In celebration of Women’s History Month (March), reach out to and say thank you to all of the women in your tribe. Let’s make history by honoring one another and remembering that none of us can survive alone. Use the hashtags: #WomensHistoryMonth #Women #LeanIn #ChangeTheRatio

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