Working in corporate America, Gail Watson was impressed with the courageous women who were ambitious enough to start their own businesses. She not only wanted to find a means of helping them get their products noticed, but also help them gain the confidence to build a successful business.
“I found there was a lot of struggle and I could see these entrepreneurs needed help in building a sustainable process. Women start their own business because they have a passion and want to make an impact. It’s difficult for the average woman business owner to ask for money for what she does.”
Gail believed she could help these women find their voice and be heard.
The solution: The Women Speakers Association (WSA).
Gail and co-founder, Liora Mendeloff, established Women Speakers Association in 2011 with an original goal to reach 500 women in six months. They surpassed that number in the first three weeks, plus that initial membership was spread over 80 countries!
Women Speakers Association is the place for innovative leaders and women with a message to connect, collaborate and grow their visibility worldwide in order to fulfill their mission.
“We quickly realized that we had a global message and continued to receive daily emails from women seeking to become members and join the conversation.”
This global community now reaches over 120 countries and provides a platform for women to support and mentor one another to empower 21st Century Women.
Women Speakers Association serves women in non-profit, education, healthcare, entertainment, and many other industries. They are dedicated to support and encourage women leaders to step outside their comfort zone, to create and deliver a valuable message, make a difference, and help make their passion profitable.
Don’t be confused by the name of this important organization, you don’t need to be a speaker to join.
“This is a visibility platform, with you, the entrepreneur, spreading your message. Whether the purpose of your message is to grow your business, or to impact lives, Women Speakers Association wants to help get it heard.”
This community of women speakers, authors and experts is a member-driven organization, that provides a platform to grow business or increase visibility.
“We launched in 2011 and have a wide variety of means to leverage a women’s message into something that can reach thousands even millions of listeners.”
They train speakers through their monthly Speaker Success Training series. Guest experts are invited to discuss such topics as growing a business by gaining more visibility, and what can be done to drive more business to your website, or front door.
Many women entrepreneurs struggle with the confidence that their products or services have merit and lack the trust that they can build a profitable business from their passion. Being a member of Women Speakers Association allows them to evolve and learn with other successful businesswomen to gain the knowledge and confidence to grow their own pursuits.
Women Speakers Association also has a publishing division and publishes a book annually from member contributions. Being a contributor to a book adds credibility to their business and a global platform for their message. Women Speakers Association offers an annual opportunity to add a chapter to their latest book, which allows those that choose to participate to express their message in a completely different format.
“Voices of the 21st Century is now accepting applications for the next book, Voices of the 21st Century: Conscious, Caring Women Who Make a Difference, that will be published in February 2022.”
The 2022 book will feature stories from women that faced difficult business decisions and roadblocks during the pandemic year in 2021.
In addition, the Speaker Success podcast, introduces women to a new audience through their speaker chats.
“Women Speakers Association serves women whether she has just launched her business and are working to find and own their voice, or they are ready to market and monetize their message. Many other members have well-established businesses and are simply wanting to give back and leave their legacy. It is wonderful working with those different groups; it’s easy and there is something for everyone.”
Gail has found that the members want to communicate with each other, to serve and help others reach their goals and see a business flourish. A private Facebook group provides an excellent venue for connection and discussion. The WSA Facebook Group has become a gathering place, similar to the water cooler, where WSA members can connect, collaborate, share resources and information.
The job is not over. Gail has a vision to continue to reach more women globally.
“One of our big initiatives is to create more experiences within WSA. We are designing new programs for launch that will offer even more help, support and visibility for women business owners.”
Gail resides in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. During the 2020 COVID quarantine Gail learned about boating, joined a boating club, and now spends a great deal of time on the water. She also enjoys gardening and trips to nearby Whistler to get back to nature.
Gail realized early on that women speakers, authors and experts want and need to communicate with others and to share experiences, knowledge, success and failures. They need more visibility and platform to get their message out to reach more people. Women Speakers Association vision is to help women build a thriving, prosperous business and to feel a part of something greater. A world in which women take ownership of and step into being the leaders that they are, using their voice to powerfully inspire others. Thus, causing transformation in the lives of their clients, their companies, communities and the world.
“We honor extraordinary women speakers and leading-edge thought leaders from a variety of industries around the globe who share our vision, commitment and passion, who have inspired each one of us to step up and serve one another and our global community as advisors and mentors as we navigate towards a future we are creating together.”
Your life’s journey, your story and the work you do is your greatest gift. Whether you are looking to clarify, market or monetize your message through speaking, publishing, or sharing your expertise, Women Speakers Association is the right place for you.
We enjoyed our opportunity to spend some time with Gail. You can listen to our podcast on iTunes or watch the recording of our podcast on YouTube.
To learn more about Women Speakers Association and receive a free speaker success plan guide, visit https://www.womenspeakersassociation.com/speaker-success-plan/.
