Despite being an award-winning writer and communications strategist, I still felt overlooked and undervalued at work.

I spent more than 30 years climbing the corporate ladder, doing everything I thought I “should” do to make it to the next rung. I took on the extra assignments, enrolled in the online courses, attended the professional conferences, got the certifications and even earned the Master’s degree – only to be passed over. Yet again. After spending decades on the job, the writing on the wall was clear and frankly, I was exhausted.

 

So, I decided to put myself first. Instead of waiting to be given an opportunity, I created one of my own using a decade’s worth of knowledge and experience to propel me forward. I used all the training I’d taken to level up as a writer, communications strategist, social media manager and content producer to start something new outside of my 9-to-5.

My own experiences coupled with the fact that a global pandemic had created a ‘SHE-cession’ that forced millions of American women out of the workforce taught me that an all-my-eggs-in-one-basket approach could no longer apply. That’s when I started to diversify my skills as a communicator and create a space for other women who had come to the realization that traditional workplaces weren’t the only option for achieving professional success.

I launched SisterLadyGirl in response to feeling ‘left on the shelf,’ a sentiment that half the women aged 45 and over in the study I read shared. My goal was to create a space for these women. Those who are at a crossroads – either personally or professionally – and need access to proven tools and resources to help them pivot into something new and find fulfillment without having to compromise their finances. This calling was the spark that led to The Second Act Summit™, the annual conference I created to change the narrative about what’s possible for women in midlife. Today, I manage what I like to call the Second Act ecosystem. In addition to the women’s conference, there’s the Second Act Summit Society Facebook group and the Encore Academy, where hundreds of working women over 40 go to get inspiration, information and training designed to help them make the next phase of their lives the best phase of their lives.