My YPO membership has benefited me in numerous ways. Personally, I experienced a lot of self-growth as a YPO iLab speaker in Vancouver at GLC/EDGE 2017, especially as there were months of training and prep involved. I have also made a close network of friends and forum mates along the way.
Business-wise, my brands, Educate a Girl and 786 Investments, have gotten brand awareness through YPO exposure, but truly the most important business benefit I have is from the YPO Harvard Business School course which helps to propel my business to the next level.
You are very active in YPO and chair many events; what inspired you to do this?
I wanted to give back to this great organization and to help engage others.
Are the networks a valuable aspect of YPO, and to which networks do you belong?
YPO’s international reach has added value, and networks are one of the best aspects and I have not only connected me to like-minded individuals, but to some of my closest friends through Network forums. I belong to the Women’s YPO Network (WYN) and the Singles Network executive committees, and have just joined the Deal Network.
Can you give an example of how a network has offered you an opportunity or enabled you to offer others and opportunity?
The WYN invited me to champion WYN dinners across the globe. This year, we held events in Toronto, Canada; Dubai; and Melbourne and Sydney, Australia, in addition to the dinners hosted by other WYN members in U.S. cities. This experience has connected me to some amazing YPO women members and has also enabled me to facilitate connecting women in their chapters. It also provides a strong platform for promoting business with women and providing a strong support system for their peers. Through this process, I was able to invite my female peers to co-champion these dinners, and to encourage these stars to take on more leadership roles within the WYN.
Would you recommend to your YPO peers that they join networks and how should they go about selecting which ones?
I highly recommend that all YPO members join networks. There are 44 networks that focus on business as well as personal development. It really helps to review the list of available networks and to choose the ones that most resonate with them.
Does belonging to a YPO network expose you to other YPO chapters across the world, and is this beneficial, and why?
Absolutely. As networks are global, they underscore the global essence of the organization. My initial connections in YPO across chapters came through networks.
Do you think that it important for women leaders to support one another in forums such as the WYN, and why?
Without a doubt. Women supporting women is essential. In fact, both men and women need to support each other. The WYN is one of the strongest networks as well as a great resource for friendship, support and connections.
What in your view are the two most pressing global challenges?
Education and gender parity are top global challenges. A third key issue is future of the global financial system.
