Business network relaunch

INSPIRING: Leading the Women in Business Network are (from left) Fiona Bryant, Nicola Patrick, Kiri Wilson, Carla Donson, Debbie MacPherson, Marianne Archibald and Christina Emery. PICTURE / PAUL BROOKS

It was a formidable group of smart, articulate women who met at Mischief on Guyton last week. Their mission is to re-establish a Whanganui Women in Business network, a concept reaching fruition and launch on July 26.

Around the table were Nicola Patrick, Kiri Wilson, Carla Donson, Debbie MacPherson, Marianne Archibald, Christina Emery and Fiona Bryant. Their roles in the community are varied, but all are respected and influential. They explained their vision.

"It's an idea a lot of us had simultaneously," says Nicola Patrick of Horizons Regional Council. "We recognise there are women in the community doing amazing things, and these women doing amazing things don't recognise that and maybe don't have the same confidence as some of us, and we want to support them.
"For me, I realise there were some really good women who stood in local government elections last year who didn't get elected. I wanted to create a network to support them and other women. My drive was mainly politics, and having a conversation with Marianne, she said the same is needed in business."

"It's not just about supporting women in business, it's about inspiring them," says Marianne, chief executive of Whanganui Chamber of Commerce. "Inspiring them and making them feel enthusiastic about what they're doing."
She says they also need to be recognised.

"There's a lot of information and research on how women in top positions in business make organisations perform better.
"We have a real dearth of women in business around the world. We can be leaders here in Whanganui."

It's also about connecting women with other women.
In saying that, the group insists that men are not excluded from this at all.
"A lot of women are running small businesses and family businesses where they depend on their male partner or relative. We just want to back them to feel confident in what they're doing," says Nicola.

"There are women who are home-based in business," says Fiona Bryant of Local and Loyal, "So they don't have that connection with other people. We've been to the Palmy Women in Business and found it really good, because it was a place where women were able to share, and wasn't always just about business. They are often the backbone of the family unit as well as trying to run a business."
"And then we met Debbie down at the market on a Saturday ..." Nicola began.

"I'd landed in Whanganui two days before. I've got my own business and where do I go to meet people, can I connect with anyone, and Nicola's like, 'Aha, there's something coming!'" says Debbie, who runs her own business.

Carla Donson, manager of Whanganui Women's Network says she sees evidence of a need for this group.
"When I was trying to woo the Chamber of Commerce to get involved in La Fiesta, I met with Marianne and Raewyn [Overton-Stuart], and one of things we talked about is that what I have noticed through work is an increasing number of career women coming to the Women's Network needing personal support. We can make lots of assumptions that because someone's a professional woman that she's confident, well-resourced ... but we were seeing the opposite of that. Sometimes being perceived as being a successful, professional woman, people think you don't need help, and people stop asking you, personally, how you are."

There is also a perception that the Chamber of Commerce is male dominated and, for that reason, intimidating to some women, says Fiona.

Christina Emery is manager of MediaWorks Wanganui.
"I'm fortunate in that in my company we have had female managers to lead the way, but I've also found over the years that other females have stopped you from being where you want to be, just because of their perception of a male-dominated world. "It's not just males bringing it down.
"So I wanted to get involved to make sure that anybody who wants to succeed gets the chance and gets the support."

Kiri Wilson is with Te Manu Atatu, Maori Business Network, which is holding its awards night on July 1.
Although her focus is on young Maori women, she wants to see a space where it doesn't matter how old you are. "It's for everybody," she says.

"We're grateful to have this group of people with their own networks and skills," says Nicola.

"We are looking for sponsorship, so we can bring amazing people here," says Marianne. The ANZ has already agreed to sponsor the launch event and other sponsors include Local and Loyal, The Grand Hotel and MediaWorks Wanganui. Potential sponsors can contact Marianne Archibald through the Chamber of Commerce.