Member Chat - Women of Influence
This month, Workplace One Press chats with Stephania Varalli, Co-CEO and Head of Media for King West members, Women of Influence. She tells us about the company's goals, challenges and accomplishments, and how Workplace One has helped them to grow.
Learn more and check out all of their social pages via their website.
Tell us about Women of Influence, what is your elevator pitch?
Through our events and content, we provide access to female role models, enabling women to see not only what is possible, but also learn first-hand how they can achieve their own success, and become “women of influence.” Who do we consider a woman of influence? Someone who is actively striving to have a positive influence – on their personal career, on their teams and organizations, on equality issues at large, or on the professional lives of other women.
What was the inspiration/catalyst for the creation of the company?
We purchased Women of Influence one year ago, but the company has been around for over 20 years, always with the same goal: to positively impact women's professional advancement. It was created for the same reason it still exists today, because there's work to be done to achieve gender equality in the workplace.
What are you most proud of?
Hearing stories from women about how we have impacted their life is always the most rewarding. We've had groups of women come together to form charitable events, we've had individuals make connections that led to a positive career switch, and many more women come to us to get the inspiration they need to keep striving to do more and better.
What are some key challenges you've faced as the company has grown?
Taking over an existing business was certainly a unique challenge. It was amazing to have such an established and respected brand to work with, but that also means change needed to be handled delicately, or we would risk alienating an established community and sponsor base. We've learned how to evolve the brand strategically.
Why Workplace One?
Workplace One is ideal for us because it adapts to our needs and budget. For our first few months, we took advantage of the Flex Space. We were aiming to keep costs low, and it suited our team's schedule, which included significant work-from-home time. Now that our team (and budget) has grown a little, and spends a bit more time at Workplace One, we have our own office space. And even as a small group, it's great to feel like we're part of a larger community. We've already established a new business relationship by walking down the hall.