In Frisco’s ever-growing business sector, there are a variety of professional organizations for women to bring together diverse occupations and provide opportunities for personal and professional growth through unique leadership, mentoring and networking support. Supportive and innovative organizations can provide tools that encourage women business owners in growing their careers and helping them make a greater impact on their community. When women support each other, incredible things can happen.
The W Source is a national organization for women in business that now has a local Frisco chapter. It was founded in 2017 by Hannah Buschbom, a financial planner in Santa Barbara, Calif., who wondered why there were not more effective and impactful women’s networking groups in her area. She recognized that women network and collaborate differently … and that is something to celebrate! After some brainstorming, the invitation-only membership concept was born and organized into local chapters of professional women across the nation. It is now a distinctive network that strives to build practices and businesses efficiently and powerfully, with powerful working women behind the wheel of the operation.
Michelle Brennan Hall, CDFA, the founder of The W Source Frisco chapter, is a veteran wealth advisor who has been helping families navigate their financial futures for 27 years. Giving to others through community involvement and dedication to women’s financial independence is a passion for Ms. Brennan Hall. She says, “In February 2018, I was serving on a Women’s Advisory Board for Advisor Group when I learned about The W Source and met Hannah. I immediately knew I wanted to bring women in Collin County to this exclusive membership organization. There is an extensive collection of incredibly gifted professional women in our city who can benefit greatly by being with other dynamic women like themselves.”
The W Source provides a platform for consumers to find top local female professionals when they need them. Ms. Brennan Hall adds, “More and more women make decisions about the professionals she and her family use for financial services, real estate, law, executive coaching, insurance and more. Having a vetted group of female-centric businesses to trust professionally is of real value to all women, their families and their careers.” The W Source is not just for women, though. It helps all consumers, women and men, find the right service provider for the right need. And there is nothing more powerful than a group of women united behind a goal that helps their community. Empowered women empower other women!
As all successful leaders understand, running a business means encountering a few pitfalls along the way. The W Source can help professional women in our community navigate those sometimes paralyzing roadblocks. Being in the same room with like-minded women can be inspiring, as a bond is formed by understanding the challenges of connecting with clients to grow a business. This helps women identify their strengths while remaining true to their instincts. Knowledge is integrated with perspectives from various business specialties that nurture intelligence and raise competency.
The Frisco W Source chapter fosters an environment that helps members connect, collaborate and authentically engage with like-minded women from across Collin County. They also utilize a proven approach to help increase referrals. Jan Richey, an owner/broker at Keller Williams, shares, “Being part of such an elite group of powerful women is an opportunity like no other in the world of women! It has been a great venue for me to support, and be supported by, business women in my own community … some of whom I have never met before. I am able to ask for advice and share experiences without any judgment. It is fun and refreshing to meet with fellow members monthly, and a big bonus is giving and receiving referrals.”
Collin County is one of the fastest-growing counties not only in Texas, but in the nation. Due to the growth and increasing membership requests, Ms. Brennan Hall is considering adding a second Collin County chapter. With nearly 100 people moving here daily, these new residents need to know about local financial advisors, realtors, CPAs, attorneys, doctors, stylists and more! The W Source is the perfect place for consumers to find top professionals, when they need them, who are vetted by a trusted source. Members of The W Source have access to a vast national network and are able to serve clients locally and nationally … which is an extremely powerful benefit for everyone!
A careful vetting process of new members includes meeting certain qualifications. For example, the women must have a minimum of 10 years of experience in their career, must value growing professionally, be willing to refer business and cannot be a competitor with a current member. Making sure competitors do not become members allows for more open, honest discussion and candid sharing … a possible reason chapter members are so close and trust each other.
No matter how long you have been a boss in local business, networking is one of the most beneficial processes to take part in. Building your connections will provide an invaluable opportunity to best prepare your career goals and grow your existing brand. Attending monthly meetings of The W Source can expand your skills and resources and can prove to be beneficial to others in your network. Monthly meetings are designed to leverage the strength of women. Ms. Brennan Hall says, “I want members to have a compelling reason to attend monthly so agendas are built with intent. What I enjoy about each meeting is the candor and how much everyone is willing to provide feedback and advice.” A woman of high caliber collaborating with other women is powerful! In addition to the meeting, members meet for one-on-ones monthly for coffee or lunch to learn about each other’s businesses and how they can refer business.
The spirit of this chapter easily allows members to genuinely find synergies with each other professionally and personally. Ms. Brennan Hall concludes, “It has been rewarding to see true friendships grow. The women in this chapter represent the strength of female leadership in Collin County.”
Frisco’s expansion continues to attract top female talent that amplifies the brain trust in our community. Women who invest in themselves and others go further! One can only imagine upcoming possibilities for all area business leaders. New members are welcome to join this local chapter and can learn more about The W Source Frisco at www.thewsource.com.