A Woman's Place

What does a life coach, a professional therapist and an organizational development specialist have in common? Linda Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald, a self described, “teacher at heart and a visionary by design,” has founded a new networking group which targets women in the second half of their journey.

A Women’s Place

The group, A Women’s Place (AWP), provides connections to further business opportunities but the differentiating factors here are gender and, more specifically, age. The group is for women. Sorry guys. Nothing personal, but research has shown that the presence of men changes the group dynamics. Women feel more comfortable and more open without the men present.

Why women? When posed this question, Fitzgerald cheerfully replied, “It’s my calling to focus on women. I want to be a resource, a catalyst to empower women worldwide.” She also adds that they have just received the membership application of a woman in India, so the worldwide portion of her vision is coming to fruition much sooner than she had anticipated.

At first, AWP was for women over 50 years old. Soon women under 50 were advising that they had the extensive experience and maturation of many more chronological years, so the stated age requirement was lifted. The current target demographic is women 40+ years young.

Fitzgerald says that women face a transition in mid life that is not just hormonal...children leave home, marriages dissolve due to the death of a spouse or separating of interests. Something that she heard often as she was doing research, was, “Something happened when I turned 40..I see things differently and I want to do things differently.” Focusing on the second half of the journey rather than chronological age provides women of all ages, in any sort of transition, the opportunity to experience the extending of their sphere of influence and broadening their base of connections.

July 1, 2007

She remembers the date very clearly -- July 1, 2007. That is the date of the ah-ha moment AWP was born. AWP actually began as an idea for an on line counseling service but due to licensing issues, the initial concept for the global audience was abandoned and AWP came forth. AWP itself, is the web presence for the women’s community at large. The next step was face to face interaction. Thus, Affiliated Women Intl.

Affiliated Women Intl

Through what are called Neighborhood Networks in Dayton and Cincinnati, Ohio and now Indianapolis, Indiana, women are connecting and Connectworking face to face. These women are meeting, connecting, marketing goods and services and referring business to one another.

A Neighborhood Network begins with a group of five women and then grows, at maturity, to fifty-six women. Once a group has “matured” to fifty-six members, a group of eighteen splits off to form a new Neighborhood Network. It is a pretty cool concept. That way, no group completely starts up with totally new members, thus sustaining the organization and guaranteeing its growth and success rate.

Empower, Enrich and Encourage

So Linda, what is your mission? “The mission of AWP and AWI is to serve women worldwide by being a source of empowerment, enrichment of their lives and encouragement. We are equipping women with tools and resources they need by providing information, educational opportunities and connecting them with one another in the on line community and face to face in small neighborhood groups.” In short, women will broaden their sphere of influence....which is a very good thing.

Growth Plans?

When asked this question, Fitzgerald says confidently, “To take over the world, flat out, straight ahead.” Actually, I razzed her into that comment. She envisions slow, steady and controlled growth for her networking child. As previously mentioned, the newest member at the time of this interview was in India. “How she found AWP? I still don’t know,” states Fitzgerald. “But I am happy she did!”

She’ll take quality members over a vast quantity of members at this point. The current membership includes representation of eighteen states of the fifty states and India. AWI will help this grow. She sees the growth of both groups as slow and steady and then suddenly exponential.

Dreams Fulfilled

As many different women as there are in the world, there are as many dreams. Fitzgerald feels called to be part of helping women tap that unexplored dream. Women can have it all....their own business, be successful and have a great second half of their journey through life on this spinning globe.

AWP and AWI are safe places where women can come and share their hearts, connect and be a resource to one another. Both groups are places of encouragement so women can fulfill their destiny--whatever that destiny is, so they can be all they can be.

Women, through AWP, will have fertile ground to grow and develop. Fitzgerald advises, “It is okay to dream and have those dreams fulfilled. There are too many dream stealers out there.”

You can definitely see that Linda Fitzgerald has a heart for all women and truly wants nothing but the best for each and every one of them.

For more information on AWP and AWI, visit their web site....

www.awomensplace.org.