I love my job and I’m not afraid to say it. Many of my women friends are also executives, and some are support people—but all have a passion in their lives, whether it is work, their relationship, their children, or—for many of my friends—their horses (I ride competitively when I’m not working, and have friends who do the same). Some friends stay home with their children. Some are single, some married, some are divorced (as am I) and some are engaged (as am I!). I find the fact of passion in one’s life has always been a binding tie for friendships in my life.
 
I have loved what I do for quite some time (received my undergraduate degree in 1985—so I’ve been in the work world for more than 20 years). I firmly believe you must love what you do if you spend much time doing it, and I have always spent a great deal of time working, whether it was as editor of a consumer magazine, running communications and investor relations for a publishing company, or marketing for technology companies—which is what I do today.
 
I think for a long while I must have worn blinkers to work. That is, I have never felt that being a woman held me back at all, and when I joined my current company, SelectMinds, I was surprised to find an extremely strong need for corporate social networks for women (SelectMinds, and this is not a plug but an explanation, provides private corporate social networks for affinity groups such as women, retirees, interns, corporate alumni or even workgroups, within large companies. Sort of like an internal, Damsels in Success). But indeed there is a tremendous need for such connections. Perhaps this type of technology will finally allow us all to connect and help each other—within the workplace, as Damsels helps us network with other women outside of the workplace.

I have also been surprised to learn that women off-ramp as often as they do, but I can certainly understand the reasons behind it. There are still very few role models for women at the senior executive level. (Though I am happy to report that the CEO of SelectMinds is a woman, and the CEO of my previous company was a woman—before that company was acquired.) Women are pulled by family issues, societal issues, work-life balance issues. If we don’t feel the support we require from the organization where we work, if we don’t see many people like us at the senior levels of our companies, it is easy to be pulled away. Online social networks may help us connect with role models, mentors and other women who share the challenges we face every day.
 
There are 140 women earning undergraduate degrees for every 100 men. There is a shortage of talented workers that will extend, conservatively, through 2015. Baby boomers are reaching retirement age and will be the largest retiree group in the history of commerce. Companies no longer have the choice to not focus on providing women with the types of support and flexibility they require in their work-lives—they simply won’t have the workers necessary to do the work in our knowledge and services economy.
 
It is a joy to contribute to Damsels in Success and connect with other women who are passionate about what they do.