As modern women, somewhere in the middle of our chaotic yet still mostly badass lives, we often feel lonelier and more misunderstood than ever before. Whether a stay-at-home mom, executive or a hustling solopreneur; we crave being a part of a trusted, inspiring community of women that encourages us to thrive yet meets us exactly where we are.
There are constant demands on us, which makes finding time for physical community nearly impossible. Our generation is referred to as the "sandwich generation" because we are frequently responsible for the care of parents and children at the same time *often, while simultaneously building careers. And this leaves very little time for ourselves.
Traditional support spaces such as local churches, mom's groups, and even book clubs are one-dimensional in a time of intersectionality. Though these resources are still incredibly valuable, they support only one part of who we are at a point in our lives when we need community that understands & speaks to the full scope of our experiences.
In many of our communities, there is a lack of diversity in thought & culture. Even today, knowledge and inclusive dialogue are often location specific. And if you don’t live in a major city, you lack access to resources and conversations that promote inclusivity and encourage self-development.
Dear Grown Ass Women™ is a space for women 35 and older to be supported, connected & educated on our own terms in the company of women who share wisdom that comes from their own lived experiences.
Our members make informed choices about their lives based on the intersectionality of our community instead of solely on their individual experiences. The impact of this is far-reaching; a greater sense of belonging, more confidence, increased empathy, deeper meaning and a sense of true connectedness that extends out to our families & communities.
When we are respected, accepted & heard for who we are; we do the same for others.
Openhearted diverse discourse: We are grown ass women & don’t need social media to judge us or tell us how to feel about what impacts us most. Dear Grown Ass Women™ is a safe space where diverse voices and lived experiences are fully valued. And because of that, we facilitate meaningful conversations & discourse around topics that matter to us, everything from wellness, race & politics, to books, money and everything in between.
Real support and learning: As adults, we have different preferences on how we connect; some of us are more introverted, others more extroverted. So we design innovative ways for our members to engage from wherever they are: 1-on-1member dates, weekly & monthly group gatherings online & off, meet-ups around the country and Experience Swaps for co-learning from other women 35+. This allows us to continue to be lifelong learners regardless of physical location.
Modern connection, on your own time: The one thing we do not have enough of is time. Our growing community is both online and in-person; you choose how & when you can engage. But regardless, you have access to curated community, classes & discourse all in one place and at your fingertips. This saves the time of having to travel anywhere and allows you to be supported and connected, on your own schedule. Engage as little or as often as you’d like when it’s most convenient for you.
Most importantly, I'm a grown ass woman who believes deeply in the power of community & sisterhood. I'm also a speaker, author and the creator of Dear Grown Ass Women™.
As a biracial 42-year old who pivoted careers at 35, I understand firsthand the experience of disconnection, lack of inclusion and the innate yearning to be supported and surrounded by an empowered community of women my own age.
Since pivoting my career, I've published my first book, A Year of Positive Thinking; and also founded a successful business focused solely on supporting & amplifying women. Community is my both my passion and my calling.
Our community are women between the ages of 35-55; bridging older Millennials & Gen X. These are women who live throughout the United States, are culturally & experientially diverse, include parents, non-parents, and various career backgrounds. The common theme among our community is that they tend to be socially conscious, educated and highly curious women who crave diverse connection & conversation.
There are approximately 25 million of us waiting to connect with one another.
Our goal is to connect, elevate & celebrate 1000 Dear Grown Ass Women™ members by the end of 2020; we are raising funding to accelerate awareness of our incredible platform, which will allow us to grow our community and create additional support resources for our members. Our stretch goal is to raise enough funding to take our work on the road for a Summer 2020 tour connecting diverse women across America.
Thank you so much for investing in women 35+ and choosing to be part of our greater community. Whether it's through gifting or signing up for a membership, sponsoring others, or investing in incredible merchandise; your contribution makes a huge impact in allowing us to create a supportive & inclusive space for women 35 and over to truly thive.
Updates
The Campaign FAQs
When will I hear back about my funded order?
You'll hear back from us within 7 business days.
I want to gift my membership to someone else!
Feel free to leave a note in the comment section with your preference but if we don't hear from you we'll reach out to you within 7 days to confirm who the membership is for.
Why isn’t there an application?
As women, we already have enough odds stacked against us, so creating unnecessary anxiety to create the idea of curation isn’t our goal for the community we are building. In fact, it reminds us of waiting to be chosen for dodgeball in grade school. #WeAintDoingThatHere
Women joining a membership called Dear Grown Ass Women™ is all of the self selection we need. And if this methodology changes in the future, we will be fully transparent about that, too.
Why do I need this?
If you’re anything like most of us, you’ve spent your entire life among folks that look pretty similar to you, believing what you were taught about a lot of things but never really exploring WHY. And now you’re at an age that allows you to look back on your life with more perspective and forward with curiosity & enthusiasm. You want to expand your circle & become a part of a community with other women who are also on a journey to rediscover who they are and what matters to them today.
What are we going to be doing inside Dear Grown Ass Women™?
All the things. You can engage as much, or as little, as you’d like. You can take part in everything or some of the things.
Important Discourse & Conversations daily
Weekly Digital Community Gatherings facilitated by Cyndie Spiegel
In-person Themed Get Togethers and Local Meet-ups
Directory of Members and Businesses
Community Book Club & Specialty Smaller Group Gatherings
Exclusive Member Perks from our Fave Brands & Businesses
Members-Only Exclusive Content
Discounts on ALL Masterclasses
Access to swag & goodies from our highly curated sponsors
And more to come...
I'm not 35, can I still join this community?
This community was created based on the need for a safe & welcoming space for GenX & GenX(ish) women over 35. Though we will not check your identification (because we believe women), we ask that you await your 35th birthday to join our community.
I already have great friends, is this for me?
Yes. See below question.
Is this a group for women with no friends?
Sure. And also, no. This is a community that will expand your inner circle, engage your mindset and challenge your own limitations of what you believe sisterhood is.
We believe in the life-affirming power of diversity in community and know that most of us, often by default, surround ourselves with women who look exactly like us. We do not grow in the same way when we silo who we are.
Dear Grown Ass Women™ is going to be right for you because everything about who you are right now is the exact amount of enough for this community.
In fact, this group is NOT going to be a good fit for you if you’re:
A taker but not giver
Looking for this group to act as a licensed therapist
Negative and pessimistic
You have a constant need to be right rather than a willingness to truly listen
All about you and less about “us”
Not you? Great - we didn’t think so. Honest conversation. No bullshit. So come on in and welcome home.
Do I have to be in New York City to participate?
No, our founder is in NYC but we will be hosting in-person events and local meetups in different host cities. From writing prompts to book clubs to face-to-face and online meet-ups, we’ll help you find a way to connect that is natural and authentic to your unique you-ness.
I don’t own a business, is this for me? OR I DO own a business, is this for me?
Yes. Some members may be business owners (and if you are, we have a fancy ass business directory) but our members range from busy stay at home parents to C-level executives to academics and creatives. The only similarity is that we are all grown ass women.
Can I pay for a month to see if it’s a good fit? // Can I get a refund?
Because it takes time & commitment from each member to cultivate trust and grow our community, we currently only offer 6-month and annual memberships. However, if you find that Dear Grown Ass Women™ isn’t a good fit, email us within 7 days of your active membership at [email protected] and we will refund your money. (We do ask that you are an active participating member during that time to best understand what didn’t work for you; if you do not engage at all, a refund is at our discretion.)
Why discourse & conversations? I talk enough!
Here's the thing about the quality of discussions we often have: We're preaching to the choir because we surround ourselves with people who already think like we do. These discussions feel good (mostly) but they aren't creating change. Alternately, you want to take these conversations further. You want to act and surround yourself with inspired women who seek the same. You want to feel, do and become the very best version of YOU.
We’re ready to challenge the status quo and explore what we believe and why, and we’re ready for our voices to be heard. But that doesn’t mean we’re going to trample over each other to get there. Instead, Dear Grown Ass Women™ is about all rising TOGETHER and learning how to live as “us” instead of just “you” and “me.”
For the cost of 10 months, gift a full one-year Dear Grown Ass Women™ membership to yourself or a woman you love; including access to all perks and benefits. Boom!
***Membership Only: does not include Dear Grown Ass Women Merch Extravaganza but all members receive 10% off on all products.
We recognize that community and lifelong learning are still not available to everyone. $1000 will generously fund an annual membership for FOUR women in our community who otherwise would not have the funding to join us.
***Memberships Only: does not include Dear Grown Ass Women Merch Extravaganza but all members receive 10% off on all products.
You really do believe in us & the power of collective women! We recognize that community and lifelong learning are still not available to everyone. $5000 will generously fund an annual membership for TWENTY women in our community who otherwise would not have the funding to join us. This is a $6000 value but because of how much you believe in us, we also want to support even more women in joining Dear Grown Ass Women™.
***Memberships Only: does not include Dear Grown Ass Women Merch Extravaganza but all members receive 10% off on all products.
For the cost of 10 months, gift a full one-year Dear Grown Ass Women™ membership to yourself or a woman you love; including access to all perks and benefits. Boom!
***Membership Only: does not include Dear Grown Ass Women Merch Extravaganza but all members receive 10% off on all products.
We recognize that community and lifelong learning are still not available to everyone. $1000 will generously fund an annual membership for FOUR women in our community who otherwise would not have the funding to join us.
***Memberships Only: does not include Dear Grown Ass Women Merch Extravaganza but all members receive 10% off on all products.
You really do believe in us & the power of collective women! We recognize that community and lifelong learning are still not available to everyone. $5000 will generously fund an annual membership for TWENTY women in our community who otherwise would not have the funding to join us. This is a $6000 value but because of how much you believe in us, we also want to support even more women in joining Dear Grown Ass Women™.
***Memberships Only: does not include Dear Grown Ass Women Merch Extravaganza but all members receive 10% off on all products.
