Creating connections and communing with contacts is essential for any working professional, regardless of their occupation, and there are thousands of networking opportunities across Palm Beach County
But the South Florida Women of Influence Circle is a little different and offers a refreshing departure from the traditional networking group.
For one, visionary co-founder Marcelle Burke doesn’t even like to refer to it as a networking group. To her, it is a circle of empowered women empowering women where everyone gets their cup filled.
“I have a love/hate relationship with technology,” she said. “And now, it seems we express our feelings through a series of emojis. Just like plants need water and sunlight, women are nurturers by nature and need to be together in person.”
The genesis of the group was when Marcelle looked inward at her own circle and realized just how inspirational the women in her own life were.
“I know a lot of fabulous, fantastic women who wear many different hats and I would get together in groups of threes or fours and think, ‘Why don’t you know this person?'” she said.
The South Florida Women of Influence Circle was a chance to get these women in the same room to connect, collaborate, laugh together, cry together and be their authentic selves. Unlike other networking organizations, there is no membership fee nor a membership roster.
“It’s a Mary Poppins bag,” Marcelle said with a laugh. “You never know who will be there but it’s humbling because it has struck a nerve. Women drive after work from all over Palm Beach County and come out to Wellington to meet other women and open up on a level I never expected – they share personal needs, grievances, health concerns and brainstorm concepts for their own businesses and the non-profits they serve.”
The group’s strength lies in the fact that it is a safe haven for women and is committed to supporting and celebrating its members.
“I really value female relationships,” Marcelle said. “Don’t understate the words stronger together or female power. In the circle, we give ourselves roses and encourage each other. We acknowledge each other’s accomplishments and we give each other time to be still.”
By fostering trust, compassion and solidarity, the South Florida Women of Influence Circle empowers women in Palm Beach County and allows them to emerge from an increasingly isolated world into a vibrant community where women thrive together.
