What Three Days in New York Taught Me About the Power of Community in Business

Last week something shifted for me as a business coach. 

I had the incredible opportunity to spend three days in New York with a small group of Avon Ambassadors who had been invited to participate in a confidential leadership gathering. There were fourteen of us in total. Thirteen Ambassadors from the United States, and I was the only one representing Canada. 

To say I felt grateful would be an understatement. I arrived curious, excited, and deeply honoured to be invited into that space. When you are asked to sit at a table like that, you know something meaningful is about to happen, even if you do not yet understand what it will look like. 

Over those three days, something unfolded that I had not fully expected. 

There was laughter, the kind of laughter that happens when people feel comfortable enough to simply be themselves. There were also tears as we faced some very real realizations within ourselves as leaders and as people. We shared honest conversations, moments of reflection, and insights that challenged us to grow in ways we may not have expected. 

What struck me most was the spirit in the room. 

Many women and men came together with the intention of lifting one another up. Ideas were shared openly, conversations flowed naturally, and people leaned in when someone spoke. Perhaps the most powerful thing of all was watching women feel truly heard. 

Not just listened to but heard. 

Their experiences mattered. Their perspectives mattered. Their voices mattered. 

There is something incredibly powerful that happens when people feel safe enough to speak openly and when others are present enough to receive what is being said. 

During one of those conversations, I found myself reflecting on my own journey as a leader. For many years I have been very focused on structure, numbers, and strategy. That approach has helped me build and grow my business, and I will always value that side of leadership. 

But sitting in that room and listening to the experiences being shared, I realized something that I had not fully allowed myself to embrace before. 

What women are truly craving right now is connection. 

Not just information. Not just strategy. Connection. 

Women want to feel heard. They want to know their voice matters. They want to feel like they belong to something where encouragement and support are genuine. 

In that moment, something became very clear to me. The work I am called to do is not just about helping women grow their businesses. It is about helping create spaces where women feel safe to show up as themselves, where they are encouraged to grow, and where community becomes part of the journey. 

For many years I approached business in a very structured way. I appreciate numbers, systems, planning, and strategy. Those things absolutely matter and they always will. They are an important part of building a sustainable business. 

But during those three days in New York, something else became very clear. 

The most powerful businesses are not built on numbers alone. They are built on people and on the connections between them. 

Community creates something that strategy alone cannot. When women feel supported, encouraged, and valued, they begin to show up differently in their businesses. They share more openly, think more creatively, and begin to believe in what is possible for themselves. 

As a business coach, helping to create spaces where connection and encouragement exist alongside strategy is something I care deeply about. Because growth in business rarely happens in isolation. 

Many women today are navigating incredibly full lives. They are working, building businesses, caring for families, supporting loved ones, and carrying responsibilities that leave very little time for themselves. By the time the house becomes quiet at the end of the day, some realize they have not had a meaningful conversation with another woman in days. 

That season of life can feel very lonely. 

This is why community matters so much. 

When women come together in spaces where they feel heard, supported, and encouraged, something shifts. Confidence begins to grow, ideas start to flow, and the journey no longer feels like something they have to carry on their own. 

Watching that dynamic unfold in New York reminded me why I am so passionate about building community within my own work. When women support one another, celebrate each other’s wins, and feel safe enough to share both successes and struggles, something truly powerful happens. 

I returned home from New York with a deep sense of gratitude for the opportunity to learn from such thoughtful leaders. More importantly, I came home with a renewed commitment to the kind of environment I want to continue creating. 

A space where women can connect, share openly, and encourage one another. A community where laughter is welcomed, honest conversations can happen, and women feel heard. 

Because business should never feel like something you have to build alone. 

And if you find yourself in a season where you are carrying many responsibilities and wondering where your community is, please know this. There are women who understand, there are spaces where you can belong, and I am always happy to listen, encourage, and walk alongside you. 

My Leadership Philosophy 

That experience in New York helped clarify something important for me as a leader and as a business coach. 

For many years I focused heavily on structure, strategy, and measurable growth. Those things still matter, and they always will. But what I have come to understand more deeply is that the strongest businesses are built through connection, encouragement, and community. 

I believe women thrive when they feel seen, heard, and supported. 

I believe businesses grow stronger when leaders create spaces where people feel safe to share ideas, ask questions, and celebrate one another’s success. 

And I believe leadership is not about standing above others. It is about walking alongside them, encouraging their growth, and helping them see what is possible for themselves. 

This is the foundation of how I coach, mentor, and build community. 

Whether I am supporting a new entrepreneur, guiding a leader who is growing her team, or simply creating spaces where women can connect, my goal is always the same. 

To help women build beautiful businesses rooted in connection, confidence, and community. 

If you are a woman who feels called to build something meaningful and be part of a supportive community of women growing together, I would love to connect with you. Within our team, we focus on encouragement, shared learning, and lifting one another up as we build our Avon businesses side by side. 

If this kind of environment speaks to you, I would be honoured to welcome you into our community.