By Rosalynn Vasquez
I met Margery Miller near the end of 2016 as I was getting close to completing my MBA degree. During this time, I was in career transition and looking for new opportunities, including possibly moving to another city. After all, I had lived and worked in Dallas for close to 15 years, and thought it was time to seek a new adventure and spread my wings elsewhere. I began interviewing with companies in D.C., San Diego and Austin, but nothing felt right, so I decided to slow down, take a step back and reassess what I wanted to really do.
During that time, I had received information about The Great Girls Network and was intrigued by the idea and the story of how two businesswomen founded the organization in 2014. Therefore, I decided to reach out to Margery, one of the founders, in hopes of meeting her and networking. She didn’t have to respond to my request or even agree to meet me for coffee, as I was a complete stranger to her, but she did. And that simple, yet generous, act opened a new chapter in my life and put me on a new and exciting trajectory of changes.
In my first meeting with Margery, I learned that she had a gift as a life entrepreneur and enjoyed helping others find their life purpose and to live it boldly. For more than two hours, Margery was open to giving me career advice and encouragement when I most needed it and in the process, I was able to reassess my skills, gifts and priorities.
It was at that moment that I realized the true potential and power of The Great Girls Network. If more women could come together in an authentic and encouraging way to lift up one another, inspire one another and create a network of “women helping women succeed,” then surely others can also benefit and thrive!
Whether you are running a business, working as an employee, going to graduate school, running for office, building a non-profit, growing a family, or involved in homemaking activities, having a strong network of women is the key to your success. There is comfort in knowing that the next big opportunity, idea or support system is just an email or phone call away within this network. Without knowing Margery personally, I felt comfortable reaching out to her and asking for help. Without knowing me, Margery was comfortable to meet me and help pay it forward. This is the vision for The Great Girls Network.
Today I am proud to be part of the leadership team that is helping to share the future of The Great Girls Network across Dallas-Fort Worth. In time and with continued engagement from others, my hope is to see more women feel empowered, break old patterns of competition, create and nurture supportive and collaborative relationships, and share their gifts and contributions with the world.