Women in Networking Comes to Leland

Are you a hard-working woman in business who has been searching for a friendly and professional alliance of like-minded women? Look no further than Women In Networking (WIN). This organization empowers women business owners and entrepreneurs to exchange information, share leads, refer customers and engage in professional development.

WIN meets on Mondays at 9:00 a.m. at the Leland Holiday Inn Express to discuss important topics, share knowledge, and facilitate projects. The meetings also provide seminars, meet-and-greets, and luncheons. As a network of businesswomen who share a “spirit-of-giving”, WIN encourages and unites professionals in their shared goals of business success—“one woman at a time.”

A few of their active leadership and members are local women Rena Giles, Christie Chadwick, Tinisha Green and Esther Sadowsky-Partlow. Rena Giles works over at LegalShield and is also the founder and president of the WIN Leland chapter. When Christie Chadwick is not busy as a Young Living Essential Oils Independent Distributor, she is the chapter’s referral coordinator. WIN member Tinisha Green is the General Manager of the Holiday Inn Express Leland. And Sadowsky-Partlow is an interior designer with over forty-years experience.

I recently chatted with these four inspirational women, and here is what they had to share:

How did you become involved with the Women In Networking organization?

Rena Giles: I had been brainstorming about an exclusive ladies network for about 18 months. A friend invited me to a meeting for the Wilmington Chapter, and afterward, I met with the president of that chapter. I then started a little research on my own and communicated with the CEO…and lo and behold…a sisterhood of amazing, wonderful entrepreneurs was born!

Christie Chadwick: I had been in a networking group “over the bridge” and while I did make some nice contacts, (Rena in particular!) most people who live in the heart of Wilmington don’t cross into Leland for much of anything. When Rena reached out to me about forming the WIN chapter in Leland, I was intrigued but a little skeptical. But once I saw how the chapter was forming I decided that it look promising and I’m so glad I joined!

Tinisha Green: I chose to join WIN because I was interested to see how a group of women would network and respond to each other in a more professional environment. I wanted to know if the same issues women face in our personal lives transferred into this type of setting.

Esther Sadowsky-Partlow:  I had always been a member of professional business and networking groups in NYC, so when I moved here, I was eager to get involved in what’s going on in Leland. I was approached by Rena Giles in a fabric store I was tempted to come to a WIN meeting and it felt right immediately. Women in business today need to stand out from the crowd, and what better way than a female-centric organization to shine a light on each other’s accomplishments and needs.

What is the most difficult part of your job? 

Chadwick: Being a wellness provider, the hardest part of my job is seeing people struggle through things and thinking that that’s all life has to offer them. They get depressed about pain, being overweight, being tired, not loving or even liking their job, etc. There are so many aspects of their life that they can change if only they opened their hearts to self-love and their minds to new ways of doing things.

Green: The most difficult part of my job as the General Manager of the Holiday Inn Express Leland- Wilmington Area is ensuring that both my staff and my guest are treated with the utmost respect and that their needs are being met above and beyond their expectations.

Giles: The only difficulty is getting my MailChimp to work properly!

Sadowsky-Partlow:  As an interior designer, gaining the faith and trust of my clients. With all the outside influencers the public has today such as the DIY shows, HGTV, the Internet & the proliferation of catalogs…clients need to feel that I am giving them something they cannot find on their own for a price they can afford. What I do is offer unique, quality, well-made home furnishings for my clients’ homes and create that one of a kind WOW factor.

Tell our readers something most would never guess about you. 

Chadwick: I used to be a police officer.

Giles: Most people don’t know I cannot ride a bike, and I am scared of frogs!

Green: At first glance, people would not guess that I have three children ages fifteen, almost ten, and almost three.

What should women expect if they join WIN?

Green: Most of us look forward to our meetings on Monday mornings as a great start to the week in order to be supported and uplifted to be the best we can be as business women. We choose to refer and build up the businesses that we are a part of and encourage others to come visit and see what the excitement is all about!

Chadwick: This group of ladies has inspired me, and they have believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. For them I am grateful…it truly is a sisterhood!