Rise Up Roulette Experts at Women’s Media Group Event Photo Credit: Charlotte Abbott

The program was entitled Rise Up Roulette (scroll down the link to see the illustrious women who spoke that night) and offered a round robin of experts visiting group tables in lieu of a panel of experts sitting in front of an audience.

I loved the format! I was seated with three other literary women (each in her own highly meaningful entrepreneurial venture) who got to know each other better and better as the evening progressed. Program Committee members of the Women’s Media Group curated our seating arrangements. I felt very fortunate to be in my hand-picked group’s company and wisdom.

Each expert came with her content and tailored it to our table’s needs or responded to questions we put forward. Here are a few takeaways…

Kate White, coiner of the phrase “gutsy girls” gave us strategies for boldness including

• Fearless doesn’t wait for the perfect moment. You don’t have to be 100% ready.
• Ask for what you want even if you know you shouldn’t.
• Generate bold ideas by asking yourself “What if it were BIGGER, BETTER, BOLDER, more BAD-ASS?”

Amy Morin, author of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do shared her remarkable success story. Several years ago she created a list of helpful tips for enduring traumatic events and posted them hoping to offer support and motivation to a few readers. Fifty million people clicked onto her post which ultimately generated several bestsellers. Amy reminded us that as a writer, you have to SELL too. As her husband reminded her, “It’s called the Best Sellers List, not the Best Writers List.”

J. Kelly Hoey, author of “build your dream network” [no caps by design], helped us think of creative ways to gather our own personal communities. As a result of her captivating round at our table, I’ve reached out to 5 women I met that night and have scheduled (or will) coffee and lunch dates with each of them.

It’s taken me awhile to find a NYC network as reliable, rich and rewarding as the Women’s Media Group. Please share with me what networks you thrive in.