Warren Buffett says he is excited about the state of the economy as we are just now beginning to tap into the other 50 percent of the talent pool—the female half. The full potential of women will finally be unleashed and the world has no idea what we’re in for!
Every conversation I have with women always revolves around their need to be a part of something greater than themselves. They are just looking for encouragement and support that will enable them to change the world. As Steve Jobs said, “The ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world are the ones who do.”
That’s where my story starts—with doing something I never thought I would do.
In 2009, as the recession hit and the economy slowed down, the state of California decided to cut funding for the California Women’s Conference. A program that had been going on for thirty years would stop abruptly. That’s when I started getting calls. I was one of two women in the state who was already producing large-scale charity events.
Taking on Governor George Deukmejian’s legacy was no easy task. With months of preparation, I signed up thousands of attendees, brought in more than 250 exhibitors, and secured more than 150 speakers. Things were off to a great start, but as the event grew closer, not all went according to the plan. Funding fell through on the project and, with only seventeen days until the event, I was $1.8 million in the hole. The event was in danger of being cancelled.
The event had to go on! Thousands of people were expecting to attend; thousands of women needed the resources this conference provides. Shutting down was not an option. So I did the only thing I knew how to do: I checked my ego in at the door and asked for help.
Together with the support of family, friends, and my advisors, I went from cancelling the event and filing for bankruptcy to reducing what was owed from $1.8 million to $150,000.
The event went on and it was a great success! That’s when I knew I wanted to take that moment and create a movement.
When I initially took on producing the California Women’s Conference, I had no idea what I was in for. The event offers its attendees inspiration, resources, and connections to take the next steps in their businesses, personal development, or philanthropic endeavors, but it taught me a powerful lesson: what happens when we come together and help each other instead of working independently.
With that in mind, I founded the Global Women Foundation, with our motto: “WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER.”
The Global Women Foundation is a natural extension of the historic California Women’s Conference. When the Conference began twenty-eight years ago, then-governor George Deukmejian’s primary objective was to address the failure rate of women in business in California. Today, our objective for the Global Women Foundation is to harness the passion and ambition the conference embodies and take it around the globe. It is our mission to build a global community of women, men, organizations, and governments that share our vision, and provide a forum for people who share our passion to address issues important to women.
When we sit down with women from all over the world, I realize that we are all the same inside. We are all looking for ways to connect and bring our organizations together because truly, we are better together.
Over the past year, I have traveled around the United States, handpicking those who I believe are world-changing women and inviting them to participate in this movement—to be a part of the California Women’s Conference and this book. From actresses, motivational speakers, and writers to businesswomen and other high-profile female professionals, this book focuses on women’s unique contributions to society. The overall goal is to highlight, through stories and experiences, women’s contributions to their own and others’ success, as well as to empower readers to go out and change the world themselves. Each one of these essays started as an interview, but as we got to know each other better, I realized this movement is even bigger than I initially thought.
Through this book and the California Women’s Conference, my vision is to create a community where women are told that they matter and that their contributions are important.
Learn from my experience and from the experiences of my friends, who also share their stories in this book. See how you can get involved and make a difference, too.