We are collecting stories about events and parties that people are hosting for the Take The Lead Challenge Launch Event on Feb. 19th. Are you involved in planning one? We want to hear from you! Contact ConnieWatts@TakeTheLeadWomen.com.

Take the Lead and its mission, parity in women’s leadership by 2025, is of keen interest to me. As an advocate of women’s issues, I look to support such efforts wholeheartedly, regionally, nationally, and around the globe.

I am a personal executive coach to successful professional women who are ready to play a bigger game, and focus on empowering them to ask for what they want and to become confident and at ease in negotiating. When Take the Lead first announced its launch, it occurred to me that this was a perfect kickoff for a key initiative for which I am a founding member and am volunteering – the California Women’s Conference in May, produced by Global Women Foundation.

Feb. 19 Evening Plans:
I anticipate around 8-10 guests that evening, and they are now receiving their invitations “It’s Our Time!” In the invitation, it asks that the guest bring with her 10 business cards for networking, and a gift valued between $15-20 for a gift exchange to take place during our time together. The gift must reflect the theme of women’s parity.

Guests are invited to knock off work early and come over at 4:30pm. We will have time to go around for introductions, and each woman will share what she does, who her ideal client is, and what she needs more of in her business right now.

I’ll be serving casual Southern California winter fare and drinks. Besides the individual gift I will be contributing to the exchange, I’ll be giving each guest a copy of Gloria Feldt’s book No Excuses: 9 Ways Women Can Change How We Think About Power. Wish she lived closer – I would get them autographed!

Call to action for the evening:
An invitation to attend the California Women’s Conference in May produced by the Global Women’s Foundation.

Patti Cotton is a personal executive coach and the author of the upcoming book, Break Through and Break Out: Design Your Life From the Inside Out