Dear ,
Let me level with you.
It’s been just over a year since I took up my post with FW. At the time, Sydney was emerging from a four-month lockdown and everyone was excitedly making plans for the ‘summer of opening up’.
It didn’t work out the way we planned. Summer was wet and gloomy - trips to the beach were few and far between, and several more outbreaks kept us mostly inside for the festive season.
I took for granted how hard starting a job in a remote setting could be. Suddenly my spare room was an office, and I dived headlong into learning everything I could about the business of FW.
The days zipped by, and whenever I got stuck - files missing, paperwork to fill out, logins being reset over and over again - I relied on the support of the FW team.
Before I knew it, summer had come, and gone. It was March, and on International Women’s Day I turned up at the Four Season Hotel bleary-eyed, coffee-in-hand for the Future Women Leadership Summit.
And there they were. All the incredible women who had my back without ever having met me.
I had already taken the challenge of starting something new from a lockdown bubble for granted, and it turns out - I had also failed to realise how special being in the same room would be.
The vibe was IMMACULATE.
It wasn’t just the comfort of sitting side-by-side with my colleagues from interstate that filled me with hope and energy. Over two days I met countless members of the FW community - the same dedicated and passionate people who had sent community posts, tuned in to live interviews and sent emails about navigating work and showing up for gender equality.
There’s something so wonderfully warm and human about shaking someone’s hand and looking them in the eye. In just a few months, we had helped each other, without ever having ‘met’. Such is the power of the Future Women community.
No matter what happens - the need for connection is still there. It always will be, even if we take it for granted.
That’s why, in 2023, we’re doing things a little differently.
Next year’s Leadership Summit is all about the work we’ve achieved together so far - and the need to accelerate towards equality.
It’s a huge task, and one that requires input from us all.
So whether you’re joining us live in Sydney, at our viewing event in Melbourne, or from the comfort of your home via our dedicated livestream - you can rest assured that your passion and drive for gender equality in the workplace is shared, and with this group in your corner… well, what can’t we achieve?
Early bird tickets are now on sale. Don't forget to use the code MEMBERS10 for 10% off. As a bonus, Gold members are invited to upgrade their membership to Platinum for a complimentary virtual ticket and full access to Future Women’s small group mentoring program. Truly the best way to make the most of the expertise and knowledge of our nimble and hardworking community.
Can’t wait to see you there! Until then -
Keep fighting the good fight,
Bojana Kos
Senior Content Producer, Future Women
|
