The Relevance of a professional network: OWIT celebrated the success of four wonderful women

A social and professional network is the key to undertaking personal or business endeavors. During the 12th International Business Women of the Year awards granted by OWIT, we had the opportunity to listen to Angie Hicks, founder of Angie’s List and one of the four winners of 2013. All of them recognized for their social network as one of the keys to their success.

Angie, a charismatic and energetic woman told us how she never felt the call for entrepreneurship, adding that she was the typical introvert. It was one of her friends who convinced her to accept the entrepreneurship challenge. Her grandfather gave her the definitive argument when he asked her rhetorically what the difference was between looking for a job as a 23 year old or as a 24 year old. Angie accepted the challenge, the invitation to take on a job opportunity that she had never thought about before. That decision led her to becoming one of the most successful businesswomen in the US. With this story, Angie emphasized the importance of friends and family to recognize qualities and abilities in us that we ourselves might not always see.

In one way or another, the four award winners thanked and highlighted the key role that their social and family networks played in helping them reach their goals and get wider public acknowledgement. They recognized those networks as their main support to achieve new milestones and to make their dreams become a reality. 

Indeed, family and professional networks allow us to have the emotional career and in many cases the financial support required to move forward with our ideas and dreams. These networks are the places where we look for advice, as Angie found with her grandfather, the unconditional family support of Francis and Nehama. It is also inside these networks where we can make our dreams become a reality, as in the case of Paola. We can also find a path for our professional advancement as it happened to Louise when she was representing her country’s government in South Florida.

Organizations such as OWIT are places to share successes, to strengthen professional and personal networks. Their activities empower new businesses and provide an ideal learning environment. It is within these organizations where our dreams can come true.

Tip: To maintain an active network, talk to or write to an acquaintance every week. Catch up with their lives, professional advancements, and projects.