Power Circles Archives - Emerging Women

Facebook Live Recap: Power Circles Change Lives

September 13, 2018 by Chantal Pierrat

In case you missed it …things got real this morning on Facebook Live.

I am fired up by the power of connection and ready to leverage our Emerging Women collective to bring about big change in the world.

As I watch the current tension between the old school, isolationist patriarchy and the increasingly powerful paradigm of inclusion and compassion I know beyond any doubt which model will win in the end.

Mother Earth understands interdependence. It is not a weakness, it is a strength. It is what keeps our world alive. And it is what inspires me to connect women all over the world so that we may work together for a future where all of life can thrive.

This morning, I shared my intimate and personal story of the creation of Emerging Women:

Of feeling the cosmic feminine emerging … and the knowing that followed that I was meant to be a strong voice for this potent energy.

During that time, there was a group of women who had my back … at every stage.

Watch my Facebook Live Video:

My Power Circle wasn’t just a women’s circle with wine and lipstick (though that’s great, too!) Or a mastermind to get ahead (also fab)… but a real deal power posse of badass women. Who saw me. Kept me on track. Reminded me of what I had said that I really wanted … as I created something bigger than myself.

Women are poised for a new leadership paradigm … but to go fast and to go farther, we must NOT do it alone.

To what end are we developing ourselves? Ladies, all this self-awareness is to prepare us to access the next stage of human development … which is to learn and grow through relationship. The WE-volution is coming! And people and companies who are savvy in the art of relationship will come out ON TOP. This is where Power Circles come in.

Your time is now … our incredible Power Circles are open again for a short time (just one more week!) Make the decision and say, “Yes!” to a future that burns brighter than what you can achieve by going it alone.

Power Circles are a unique opportunity to connect deeply with other women who are ready to make a leap in their lives or lean in to leadership more fully.

Together with a trained Emerging Women facilitator, you’ll meet regularly with a small group of women to be deeply supported as you explore new ideas, process challenges, and get real together about what it takes to be a woman leading in today’s world.

Apply today to get matched into the carefully curated Power Circle perfect for you. Registration closes on Sept. 19th, so don’t miss out!

Need to hear more about Power Circles before you apply?

Check out our video featuring women who know first hand how a Power Circle can catalyze transformation, open doors, and expand possibilities inside and out.

Again, be sure to apply by Sept 19th to be matched into your new network of unparalleled support, vision, and heart.

I am so excited to go on this journey with you!

Big love,

Chantal Pierrat | Founder, Emerging Women

How My Power Circle Changed My Life

September 10, 2018 by Chantal Pierrat

Ladies … Let’s gather for a personal and intimate discussion on Facebook Live on Wednesday, September 12 2018 at 10:00 a.m. MT.

I want to share with you why I created Emerging Women in the first place … and the reasons that our individual and collective emergence is key to building a new future.

I will be diving deep on a personal story about how a group of honest, powerful, collaborative, authentic and amazing women absolutely transformed my life. These are stories we NEED right now as a new feminine leadership paradigm emerges.

Please join me: 10:00 a.m. MT on Facebook, right before our Emerging Women Member’s Only Circle Up at 11:00 a.m. MT on Wednesday, Sept. 12.

See you there!

Are you owning your voice? Answer these 3 Power Circle questions to find out.

October 31, 2016 by Chantal Pierrat

A lot of us are experiencing the call to leadership in big ways. It’s exciting, thrilling even, but it can also feel uncomfortable and risky. Getting in touch with the power of your own voice is a great way to create some solid ground to stand on.

On Saturday morning at Emerging Women Live, we did a Power Circle exercise to facilitate just that. Women got in small groups to answer the questions below. What seemed like simple answers led to some deep discoveries around old patterns and beliefs.

There’s an energy that gets sparked when women come together to explore their leadership stories. The Harvard Business Review has cited this connection as an integral step to increasing the number of women in positions of power today.

“Companies should encourage [women] to build communities in which similarly positioned women can discuss their feedback, compare notes, and emotionally support one another’s learning. Identifying common experiences increases women’s willingness to talk openly, take risks, and be vulnerable without fearing that others will misunderstand or judge them.”

Intentional conversation facilitates deeper authenticity and a lot more poetry in the way we speak to one another about our own lives. That’s why Power Circles are one the of the most powerful tools we have at Emerging Women. The quality of how we share our experience is commensurate to the quality of how we are able to show up in the world.

Take a moment to investigate your relationship with personal expression by answering the following questions. Remember, this is not a test – self-discovery is best served with tenderness and sweet curiosity. Let yourself free associate, and jot down or voice memo anything these prompts bring up for you.

We’d love to hear any insights you have. Why not start a mini Power Circle in the comments section? Sharing your voice is the first step to owning it, and there’s nothing quite like hearing a kindred spirit say, “I see you.”

And if you’re interested in the full-strength version, join a facilitated group of 7 women for Emerging Women Power Circles. Applications are being accepted now. You can email Carole Lundeen at carole@emergingwomen.com with any questions, or click the link below to check out more Power Circle themes.

Top Six Benefits to Joining a Power Circle: The Inside Scoop from Past Participants

October 22, 2015 by Chantal Pierrat

To date, more than 100 women—from CEOs and executives to small business owners and transitioning mothers—have participated in our Power Circles program. In true Emerging Women form, they have generously shared their amazing success stories to further inspire and ignite the community.

1. Thinking bigger.

We all know what it’s like to get stuck in old ways of thinking. What once worked wonders can quickly become the reason for a rut. Are you due for an upgrade in perspective? The group dynamic of a Power Circle helps us uncover new modes of viewing a situation, leading to more expansive thinking and creative problem solving.

As Rachelle Reichley, Founder of YAY! LIFE!, puts it, “The exposure here in the power of the circle—where everyone is going in their work, in their relationships, in their career—it’s helped me think a lot bigger, and that has a huge value.”

2. Gaining clarity.

Sometimes we know we’ve got “it” in us, but we’re not exactly sure what “it” is. We know or have an inkling of what’s inside or a spark of an idea, but may not have total clarity. As the NYC 2014/15 Power Circle participants told us, that doesn’t have to be a problem.

“These powerful women will reflect back what is burning inside of you, what wants to shine, what wants to come out, the gifts that we bring to the world.” And for others, like Rachel Allen, Travel Production Tour Coordinator, the circle helped her get clarity for her next steps: “It really helped me define and set the structure for where I want to go and put me on a different path.”

3. Speaking truth.

“The circle helped me find my voice. It helped me figure out my values, my definition of success in my terms, and how I wanted to move forward with my life,” shares a Power Circle participant.

It can be hard to locate our true voice if we’re not exercising it regularly. Power Circles are designed with reflections and practices to help bring out your truth, so you can lead with your most authentic self, loud and proud.

4. Holding vision and space.

Event planner, fundraiser and mentor Susie Mordoh says, “These women have become my sisters. They don’t need to get into my day to day (like family and friends do), they hold space for me, accept me and support me as a person overall. We do that for each other and our visions have been amplified, our frustrations have been protected and our successes have been celebrated.”

What she said!

5. Sharing wisdom.

The beauty of circle lies in the diversity—from life experiences to career levels—of people who participate. In this collective setting, you can leverage the strength and experience of others to help you grow and facilitate your own learning.

The flip side? We all have something to share in this world. Power Circles are an meaningful and impactful place to do that.

6. Pushing boundaries.

One of beautiful qualities of a Power Circle lies in the safe space created. When we feel safe, we have the foundation for deep intimacy and growth.

In the words of Liz Sinnot, Director of Stores for Evereve, “There was an intimacy created that was really critical to this group being successful. It allowed everybody to go beyond boundaries that you wouldn’t normally go beyond.”

Now it’s time to dive in….

“Joining Emerging Women’s NYC Power Circle was the best decision I made!” says Susie Mordoh. Are you ready to invest in YOU? Don’t miss this chance to take your seat in a circle built for elevation and transformation beyond your wildest imagination! Register NOW.

Registration closes on October 31st.

Why you can’t afford to miss Emerging Women Live 2015

June 26, 2015 by Chantal Pierrat

“How can we go to this? Women just like us! This needs to happen!!!”

That was the commentary I sent, along with the link to register for Emerging Women Live 2014, to my buddy Nat on April 5th last year.

Little did I know, this was the start of a journey that would change everything…

(This is a picture taken on my iPhone, when Nat and I accosted Danielle LaPorte in the lobby at EWLive14 to tell her that we came all the way from Vancouver – where she also lives – to see her in New York City.)

And I almost didn’t buy my ticket.

In the months leading up to the Early Bird registration deadline, I went through a huge personal shift.

That July, I walked away from a toxic business partnership that was supposed to have been my solid plan after leaving my 6-figure corporate job in December 2013. I had no income and only a seedling idea for a business called “Secondhand Therapy.”

Paying for my ticket to Emerging Women Live was terrifying. I had to take money out of my retirement savings to pay for it. I kept worrying that I couldn’t afford the conference and the trip.

Thankfully, I listened to that tiny whisper inside of me that said I should just go.

My weekend MBA in NYC.

It is almost impossible to capture the lightening bolt that hit my soul during the four days I immersed myself in the Emerging Women Live experience. I have since joked that I learned enough to qualify for an MBA during that long weekend.

I sat on the edge of my seat as Brené Brown said the world needed more “badassery” and challenged us to discover what we needed to give ourselves permission to do and be.

Right then and there, I gave myself permission to be “little kid” excited, make new friends and play Show & Tell with other entrepreneurs. I still write myself new permission slips when I am scared.

Over the next few days, I was overwhelmed by the wisdom from women who had learned from their battle scars.

I learned how to “snatch back my dignity” (Wokie Nwabueze), to create my own “I have to’s” list (Arianna Huffington), to play bigger and “share what I already know” (Tara Mohr), to “know the season I am in” (Kris Carr), and to trust that the NO’s I say will be the key to my success (the inimitable Danielle LaPorte).

In the midst of all this was this woman, Chantal Pierrat. As Chantal introduced various speakers, she shared parts of her own story. I was in awe of how she created this Emerging Women Live experience through her passion, determination and her belief that we must surround ourselves with incredible women.

The new friends.

Although I came to NYC with my dear friend Nat, I was excited about the opportunity to meet new women who were on similar journeys.

During the Power Circles that kicked off the conference, I met Katy, who just two weeks ago told me that it was time to enjoy a new phase in my business because of what I had accomplished. She insisted that I pitch this blog idea to the Emerging Women team – and it worked!

I also met Chelsea, who was also on the verge of “going live” with her business. We had regular check-in calls after the conference to encourage each other to take brave steps.

During dinner on Friday, I met Dawn. I ended up having to take my glasses off because I was sobbing as Dawn shared how her husband had passed away a month prior, and her brave next step was to head to this conference. For the record, I don’t cry in public, but this weekend changed that permanently.

Dawn is a kindred spirit who has brought me light and encouragement and joy in the most unexpected ways. I feel as if we have known each other for decades.

And there were so many other smaller interactions with like-minded women who left their fingerprints on my life…

The after-math.

Simply put: I became a woman who stepped fully into her calling.

Within weeks of the conference, I was published in both The Huffington Post and Tiny Buddha, a self-improvement blog with 1.5 million followers.

I used my new status as “Huffington Post contributor” to start a series of interviews with inspiring authors such as Gail Larsen (speaking coach for Danielle LaPorte and Kris Carr) and Shasta Nelson.

I went on to secure several speaking engagements, appear on a couple of podcasts, become an official blogger for my local TEDx event, contribute to the Tiny Buddha book being published by Harper Collins in Spring 2016, and write bi-weekly for Vancouver’s largest blog, Vancity Buzz.

I built and launched my own website, and hustled to complete an 8 module “Introducing You” eCourse. I developed a workshop called “The Seduction of Stress,” which I presented to 200 women this past May, and was recently booked to transform the presentation into a full day workshop this coming October.

My email list had 60 people on it when I showed up at Emerging Women Live 2014. It now has over 1600 subscribers on it, without having to spend any money on advertising.

None of this was due to extraordinary talent or connections or luck. It was a direct result of putting into action everything I learned at the Emerging Women Live conference.

I decided to be brave and hustle and pitch and trust and relax, and most importantly be the woman I want to be.

Reflecting back.

“What if we had not gone to EWLive14? It scares me to think of how small our lives would be,” I recently observed during happy hour with my buddy Nat.

It is frightening to think how close I came to deciding I couldn’t afford to attend.

I would be a shadow of myself if it weren’t for those four days.

I wouldn’t have known what I was capable of. I wouldn’t have connected with the women who are now my biggest cheerleaders.

Am I going to Emerging Women Live 2015? You bet!

I couldn’t risk missing out on another life-changing weekend.

How about you? What impact did EWLive have on your life? Please share with us in the comments below…

Unleashing, Unhooking and Understanding – EWLive14 Souvenirs

January 28, 2015 by Chantal Pierrat

As we transition into the second month of a new year, it feels like time to start reaching back and pulling those soulful souvenirs from EWLive14 into the forefront of our consciousness again.

In this ongoing series, we’ll share some of our favorite moments and memories from the weekend, and we invite you to do the same. You never know who needs to hear the words that resonated so strongly with you. As all of the Emerging Women Live speakers would agree, it’s crucial to your emergence to share your voice and have an impact on the tribe.

“Women are natural connectors. This our time. The bridges have been built. Now it’s time to connect. ~ Chantal Pierrat”

Sera Beak

In All Fears and Trembling Boldness

Sera Beak shared her personal journey of not only living her truth, but speaking it in her own voice. “We ache to be self-expressed, to be authentic, to totally let ‘er rip,” she says, “and yet we are terrified of being that vulnerable, that raw, that real. So we edit, shape or even shut up our unique soul’s voice in order to be accepted, successful, and loved. But deep down in our bellies, where our power burns the brightest, we know we cannot be of service, we cannot be free, we cannot truly come alive if we aren’t sharing the truth of who we are.”

As the Harvard-trained scholar found herself on the fast-track to fame, she struggled with squaring the messages she was receiving from her publicists with the messages she was receiving from her deepest self. As marketers tried to groom her speaking voice (which she self-describes as sounding like a chipmunk on speed) to be more “powerful,” she could feel the authenticity and impact of her talks losing potency.

“The most important part of my message IS my shaky, struggling voice,” she says in her trembling, yes, but 100% Sera voice.

“Your voice is a treasure. Don’t bury it, share it.”

And these words, beautifully unadulterated by public speaking shoulds and shouldn’ts, stamped an unforgettable image in our hearts that we can call on when sharing our unique expression with the world:

“Every time you speak your truth, a goddess tattoos your name across her belly.”

To feel the power of Sera’s soul voice for yourself, tune in to her EWLive14 talk “In All Fears and Trembling Boldness.”

Tara Mohr

Playing Big: Find Your Voice, Your Mission, Your Message

Women’s leadership expert Tara Mohr has seen a pattern among her brilliant peers.

“Women are sitting on their big ideas rather than sharing them, holding back their most provocative questions instead of asking them,” she says. “They are having a collective hallucination that they aren’t ‘ready’ for that bigger role or next step.”

Based on her recent book, Playing Big, Tara helps us learn to trust our instincts, “unhook” from praise and criticism and begin taking bold and wise action. Because when women play big, we change the world.

The bump in the road is often created by paying too much attention to what other people think. Does that sound familiar to you?

“We strangely learn to see women’s stories as how they’re perceived by others,” she says. The solution is to unhook from both praise and criticism as motivating factors while we carve out our space in the world.

If that sounds like something you could benefit from, do yourself a favor and watch the entire insightful presentation here:

Karen May

Reflections on Leadership

It’s no surprise that Karen May is the Vice President of People Development at Google. Her bouncy energy and enthusiasm is infectious, and her ability to really listen to those going through an emerging process is obvious.

What’s not so immediately apparent are her battles with failure and disappointment. If you can relate, you’ve got to hear about the “Disappointment-A-Day Diet” she started with her brother, where they trained themselves to be okay with disappointing people by promising to disappoint at least one person a day, no matter what.

“You have to be willing to disappoint.”

“I failed! Victory!” became Karen’s new cheer for herself as she learned to accept failure as a natural and helpful part of a fulfilling life. “You gotta find a way to make failure something you just step through,” she says.

“You gotta find a way to make failure something you just step through.”

“To emerge requires looking in the mirror and confronting the awful truth that you’re flawed,” Karen says, “and then digging really really deep to find the grace to go back out and say ‘tell me more,’ trusting that you’ll have the strength and support to hear it and to grow with it.”

Get ready to grin with Karen May here:

Agapi Stassinopoulos

Integration is one way that Emerging Women Live sets itself apart from other conferences. The feminine is all about the body, and so we take time to consciously connect with our bodies through dance, yoga and meditation.

We invite you to take a moment for yourself right now and let Agapi Stassinopoulos, sister of Arianna Huffington and author of Unbinding the Heart, lead you in a soothing and nourishing guided meditation.

“Give yourself permission to not wear Spanx on your heart.”

Just press play and let Agapi do the rest:

Keele Burgin & Power Circles

“You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.” – Mary Oliver

In this moving Emerging Short, writer, poet and memoirist Keele Burgin shares her revelation that she did not have to be her father’s definition of good, and how her Power Circle helped her harness that exuberant empowerment. What a testament to the beauty of women’s groups.

“We can fit in anywhere, but to belong is our soul’s request.”

Want to be there in person this year? Save big when you register now for Emerging Women Live 2015 in San Francisco.

How Big is your BIG? – #emergingnow

January 13, 2015 by Chantal Pierrat

Dear Emerging Women,

I love January because it is such an internal time of year. This is a time of curling inward to reach that deepest part of our selves that knows just what we need in order to feel that we are giving fully to the world. This is the source of all creative visioning, this place deep under the surface. And it is from this place that we are able to articulate our deepest desires.

All year, we have been gathering nuggets of insight, perspectives, goals and ideas for change, and we have buried them deep for the time when the hustle and bustle stops enough for us to sort them all out. This is a time to stay in the dream state a little longer, to enjoy the dive into the unknown, unfettered and without limit. It is a time for expanding our vision, without the hinderance of implementation and execution.

And for women, right here, right now – this is the year to dream BIG. As I have been collaborating with sponsors, investors, media and other strategic partners, I am always asked: “What is the long-term vision for Emerging Women?” And each time I come up with the most audacious goal I can imagine for Emerging Women, I ask myself….is that right? Could it have more impact? Could it help more people? Make more money? Could it be bigger? And then my sense of what’s possible stretches even further.

If you can imagine something, you can make it happen. So don’t hold back. Let the vastness of your inner landscape show you what is possible. And remember, not everything has to be big, big, BIG! all the time in terms of business. Sometimes “big” simply means “in alignment with our desires.” Sometimes just asking for what we want is big in and of itself.

No matter what big looks like for you, remember that you don’t have to do it alone. When the day-to-day reality of a bold new life path starts to set in, I can find myself shrinking under the weight of my lofty aspirations. I start to convince myself that my vision is too far-reaching, that I need to scale it back a bit, play it safe. And those are the moments I thank Goddess for my circle of power women.

Women have a special gift for reminding each other just how badass and capable they are. We help each other stay connected and inspired in the face of life’s challenges. We see each other, we listen to each other, and we inspire each other. As a new path begins to unfold in this time of reflection, tap into the wisdom of the feminine by circling with the women in your life, and ask each other: How big can we be in 2015?

Big love,

Chantal Pierrat

Founder, Emerging Women

PS – Registration for March Power Circles is now OPEN! If you’re looking for a facilitated circle that can help you create and execute your vision for 2015, join a Power Circle today. Register HERE to be matched into a group of women specially tailored to accent and compliment your process (spaces are limited).

Super Early Bird Tickets are On Sale for EW Live 2015 in San Francisco!

We’d love to hear what you’re getting into in 2015. Let us know in the comments:

Transformation + Courage – #EmergingNow

October 28, 2014 by Chantal Pierrat

Dear Friends,

One of the articles in this week’s Juicy Bites round-up of EWlive14 blog posts quotes me as saying, “Committing to authenticity takes immense courage, and I don’t believe it can be achieved alone.” This pretty much sums up not only the reason I founded EW, but also the reason I was able to found EW.

Transformation and transition can be upsetting if we don’t have anchors to help us stay true to and in alignment with our selves. When things seem to be moving too fast, I need the support of my community – specifically my women’s circles. I love to see that a lot of you already know this: we see circles forming of EW participants all across the US, and we’ve had requests to start them in the UK, Australia, and other exciting locations.

As you know we’re rolling out our Power Circle program starting next month, and registration ends this Saturday. If you’ve been carrying dreams in your heart but haven’t had the support to realize them, keeping your ideas, passions and goals in flow with a circle and trained facilitator will work wonders. I hope you jump on this opportunity with us!

Big love,

Chantal Pierrat

Founder, Emerging Women

Power Circle Registration Ends Nov. 1st!

Juicy Bites: Your Voices ~ Sharing Experiences

We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a line in the comments:

The Power of Circles – #EmergingNow

October 21, 2014 by Chantal Pierrat

Dear Friends,

Emerging Women Live 2014 ROCKED THE HOUSE! I’m still processing all the magic and mojo that was flowing like crazy. Did you feel it? We have some beautiful images of the event that we can’t wait to share with you… and you can share yours with us, too (just upload them onto the EW App).

Some of you are already wondering how to keep this amazing momentum going, which is why I am so excited to announce that Power Circles are now open! Keep riding the wave of badassery by joining a monthly facilitated group of like-minded women taking the leap to create lives of deep meaning and impact.

I truly believe that there is no better place to create and manifest your vision than in an intimate circle of authentic and vulnerable women. Emerging Women exists because of the work that I’ve done in my personal Power Circle. I sincerely hope you join us – I can’t wait to see what we can all create when we give ourselves permission slips to do the work it takes to transform ourselves and our world!

Big love,

Chantal Pierrat

Founder, Emerging Women