The Source

There’s a disturbing statistic stating that during the course of an average business meeting, men do 75% of the talking. As much as we would like to attribute it to women simply being more thoughtful and deliberate and not speaking to just hear themselves talk, we have a suspicion there’s more to the problem. We have probably all been in meetings where we internally contemplate speaking up or proposing an idea. We overanalyze how it’s going to come across, and the opportunity passes us by.    

In the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Toula looks over at her brother Nick during her fiancé's baptism and says, "Any second now {Ian}'s gonna look at me and go, 'Ha. Yeah, right, you're so not worth this.'"    

Every member of our Advisory Panel has a unique story about how they achieved the success they maintain today. Most, if not all, faced some uphill battles and setbacks along the way. Amy Head, Owner of Amy Head Cosmetics, has an incredible way of taking everything life throws at her, embracing it, and moving forward. She’s not afraid to tell you her success today is because of many doors closing earlier in her career.    

As you sit behind your desk and work on your next project, make your early morning hospital rounds, or finish up your latest legal brief, you probably have your summer vacation plans somewhere in the recesses (or maybe even the forefront) of your mind. When things get tough at the office, we tell ourselves if we can just get through the next few weeks, we’ll be sitting on a beach somewhere enjoying the sunshine and not thinking about work.
   

You may have noticed The Source has been busier than usual over the past two weeks working hard to promote our network for women. Our program has grown and evolved over the first few months of 2018. We have launched a brand new podcast series, hosted some incredible speakers and panels, and expanded our network to Tupelo and Southaven. We don’t want anyone to miss out on the excitement to come throughout the rest of the year.    

We all have something to say. We want people to hear about our brand, to know our unique spin on a product, and recognize the value we add to the world. Yet, we all face the same problem: rising above the noise. And it’s insanely noisy out there.    

Maybe it’s because we’re Southern women. Maybe it’s because we’ve seen the impression a proper thank-you can leave. Whatever the reason, we’re huge proponents of a hand-written letter, a swanky invitation, or even some colorful, fun sticky notes to keep our offices organized. All of these things and more are curated by the creative, business-savvy Elizabeth Upchurch at her store, Fresh Ink. This impressive entrepreneur also happens to be a member of The Source Advisory Panel where she lends her time and knowledge to helping us connect and empower professional women.    

I was in a meeting recently, about 25 people, and everyone got to do their favorite thing (insert sarcasm here) – stand up, wave to the group (which wasn’t required), state your name, title, organization, and a little about your job responsibilities. After the exciting 15-minute introductions, I asked the group if anyone could recall more than two people’s titles. Several attempts later, with very little accuracy, it was clear the connection was lost early in the game.   

The phrase “boys’ club” typically evokes visuals of back-room decision making amongst whiskey-drinking gentlemen in smoked-filled offices. The premise makes for a great Netflix series, but does absolutely nothing positive for professional women. This visual probably takes you back to the 1970s. Unfortunately, what we think is a scene from Mad Men is actually still a 2018 reality in many industries.