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Date: December 6, 2023
Time: 6:00pm PH/SG time
Where: Online or in-person

What to expect:
Fun, informal networking
Meet like-minded women
Listen to inspiring stories
Learn the latest trends
Be part of the community

Select a city to register for a meetup:

Philippines:

Alabang – connectedwomen.co/Alabang
Bacoor – connectedwomen.co/Bacoor
Baguio – connectedwomen.co/Baguio
Balanga – connectedwomen.co/Bataan
Cainta – connectedwomen.co/Cainta

Imus – connectedwomen.co/Imus
Las Piñas – connectedwomen.co/LasPinas

Lucena – connectedwomen.co/Lucena
Marikina – connectedwomen.co/Marikina
Parañaque – connectedwomen.co/Paranaque
San Jose Del Monte – connectedwomen.co/SJDM
Subic  – connectedwomen.co/Subic

Global:

Peshawar – connectedwomen.co/Peshawar
Singapore – connectedwomen.co/Singapore

Stay tuned for updates on additional cities!

For the updated list, visit www.connectedwomen.co/CityMeetup

Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to meet new friends, network, and learn from inspiring women.

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Connected Women Meetups are warm and welcoming community-led gatherings for women entrepreneurs, freelancers and professionals to share, connect, work and learn.
For more information about Connected Women, please contact us at community@connectedwomen.com

 

The post #ConnectedWomen Community-led City Meetup – Dec 6, 2023 appeared first on Connected Women - Entrepreneurs, Freelancers and Professionals..

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Date: October 25, 2023
Time: 6:00pm PH/SG time
Where: Online or in-person

What to expect:
Fun, informal networking
Meet like-minded women
Listen to inspiring stories
Learn the latest trends
Be part of the community

Select a city to register for a meetup:

Baguio – connectedwomen.co/Baguio
Cainta – connectedwomen.co/Cainta
Davao – connectedwomen.co/Davao
Imus – connectedwomen.co/Imus
Las Piñas – connectedwomen.co/LasPinas

Lucena – connectedwomen.co/Lucena
Olongapo – connectedwomen.co/Olongapo

SJDM – connectedwomen.co/SJDM
Tagaytay – connectedwomen.co/Tagaytay
Taguig – connectedwomen.co/Taguig
Tanza – connectedwomen.co/Tanza

Stay tuned for updates on additional cities!

For the updated list, visit www.connectedwomen.co/CityMeetup

Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to meet new friends, network, and learn from inspiring women.

————————————————————————

Connected Women Meetups are warm and welcoming community-led gatherings for women entrepreneurs, freelancers and professionals to share, connect, work and learn.
For more information about Connected Women, please contact us at community@connectedwomen.com

 

The post #ConnectedWomen Community-led City Meetup – Oct 25, 2023 appeared first on Connected Women - Entrepreneurs, Freelancers and Professionals..

Are you ready to Elevate your Career with Generative AI?

We are excited to announce the launch of Connected Women’s Elevate GAIL (Generative AI Learning) Program!

Join us for our program launch and discover how to stay relevant, gain a competitive advantage, and future-proof your career through Generative AI. In this FREE online webinar, you will learn more about the Elevate GAIL program and opportunities to leverage AI in your business or career.

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The women of Basilan are proving that turbulent geopolitics and the lack of technology are not enough to prevent them from seeking opportunities.

Isabela City Mayor Sitti Djalia A. Turabin-Hataman partnered with Connected Women to enhance the economic life of her female constituents. Connected Women, a social-impact tech start-up that promotes online skills development and remote work opportunities to women, launched ELEVATE at the height of the pandemic in 2020. ELEVATE is a blended-learning course that eases women from low-income and COVID-19-displaced groups into remote work. ELEVATE AIDA or Artificial Intelligence Data Annotation is its flagship program. 

Since ELEVATE AIDA’s launch, over 487 scholars have participated in the course. 

“We in Isabela City, Basilan, are proud to partner with Connected Women’s ELEVATE AIDA, which not only provides our women with online skills but more importantly, opens us to the world of the digital economy,” said Turabin-Hataman. “This is an economic platform which, without the opportunity given by ELEVATE AIDA, could have been another missed opportunity for us here.” 

Sustainable Women

Turabin-Hataman believes that people on the outside dismiss Basilan residents as marginalized. “Laging na pag-iiwanan (always left behind), but at the same time, we also want the world to know that we have so much to offer.”

Programs like ELEVATE AIDA, she added, transform them from beneficiaries to contributors. 

“We want to be not just recipients of any economic developments but contributors lalo na yung mga kababaihan (especially the women),” she said. “We are really investing in our women kasi alam naming kapag nag invest tayo sa kababaihan, buong pamilya ang makikinabang, buong komunidad ang makikinabang (when we invest in women, the entire family and community benefit.”

According to former participant Mechell Santos’ testimonial, the opportunity has tremendous rewards. A single mom, it has allowed her to fulfil her homebound responsibilities while earning herself. 

Reymarie Lopez, who’s currently working on a data annotation project in Connected women said, ” Bilang isang Elevate AIDA Graduate, nagkaroon po ako ng chance na maging parte ng Data Annotation Pool ng  isang Project. Kahit papano, na experience ko po yung remote work. Malaki po Ang naitutulong nito sa mga kababaihan na di makapag trabaho.”

Connected Women has trained fifteen Elevate AIDA batches to date.

The Turn of the Tide

In 2011, Amina Rasul, president of the Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy, detailed in an article how women in Mindanao were stuck between a rock and a hard place. She wrote:

“It is important to note the emerging activism of women in Muslim communities in the Philippines, which is a direct response to the double burden that women bear. First, they are primarily responsible for the welfare of their families but lack access to programs and support. Second, while Muslim women are not responsible for conflicts in their communities, a great responsibility is laid on the shoulders of Muslim women and yet they are not heard but only seen.”

Rasul advised that women must own their vital roles in serious social, political and economic issues. A decade later, Connected Women, Turabin-Hataman, and their other partners have responded to that call, providing not just a gratuity but sustainable opportunity. 

With the onset of COVID-19, the threat of women being re-relegated to caretaker roles became imminent. However, programs like ELEVATE AIDA help them stand on their own and get the best of both worlds.

The post No Longer Left Behind: The Women of Isabela, Basilan, Find Opportunity in ELEVATE AIDA appeared first on Connected Women - Entrepreneurs, Freelancers and Professionals..

Event Photos

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Are you ready for more learning? We are going LIVE on Wednesday, Aug 26, 3:30 pm for the online session – DIGITAL TAYO: Challenges and Opportunities in the Digital Economy.

Philippine readers and supporters, want to know more about digital identity and how to navigate the online world?

Join us on Wednesday, Aug 26, 3:30 pm for a learning session with AHA Behavioral Design and a chat with the owners of Witty Will Save the World Inc, a local business with a strong online following, that creates fun products catering to the humor of the fun-loving Pinoy.

This live event is part of the #WomenRiseAboveCovid webinar series in partnership with UN Women, WeEmpower Asia Programme.

#DigitalTayo – In line with Faceboook’s We Think Digital global programme, Digital Tayo is a localized version that aims to teach Filipinos about how to stay safe and secure online.

Date: August 26, 2020 (Wednesday)
Time: 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm

Watch live and learn from our speakers about
– digital identity
– how to effectively navigate the online world
– building business presence online

No need to register! Join Connected Women Philippines group on Facebook and stay tuned on Wednesday, August 30 at 3:30 PM

I am not yet a member, can I join?

JOIN CW PHILIPPINES FACEBOOK GROUP

The post Join Us For #ConnectedWomen #DigitalTayo Philippines Online! August 26 appeared first on Connected Women - Entrepreneurs, Freelancers and Professionals..

Titled “Meet the Connected Women Team,” this series gives the readers a peek into what goes on in the days of the people behind Connected Women. From the everyday to inspirational, the series aims to highlight the team and their various backgrounds and talents, and share a bit of the diversity we experience every day. 

Edeeson Opina or simply Ed, is the tech-savvy, sometimes quiet, software developer of Connected Women. His main objective in life is to help especially those who are in need by finding a solution using his knowledge in technology then applying it to solve the problem. With the different problems he encountered, he is also learning, and keeps improving every time he encounters the same problem again.

Ed is also a volunteer in many communities. He entered the development field at 18 years old, and has used his problems in real life development to help solve problems in the field. During his free time, he participates in hackathons (a design sprint-like event where programmers and others involved in software development collaborate intensively on projects). He gives free consultation and even teaches for free. Ed also volunteers by helping disabled people create a website to raise funds for their community.

He enjoys giving everything that he has to serve others. He believes that helping others will also inspire them to help those who are in need. For Ed, his three main values are creativity, passion, and love for his work.

Below is how a day goes for this developer:

6 AM: Wake up. Usually I wake up at 5am but just take another one hour nap to have enough rest for today’s to do list.

6 AM-8 AM: Once my morning routine is done after getting out of bed, I browse the internet for new techniques that could help me on solving some problems.

8 AM-9 AM: Once the clock hits 8 AM, I always do a warm up coding for one hour. Usually I start warming up by creating some basic modules then go to a challenging variety as time passes by, just to get my rhythm in programming.

9 AM-10 AM: I immediately check myself in our workplace, Connected Women. Then I start to review the progress of my assigned project. After I review everything, I research on some things that might be a great help to the project.

10 AM-12 NN: I have a great team here. We are always open to each other. We greet each other “Good morning,” upon checking in. Then I discuss things with the team and plan out carefully what we should do before we start coding.

12 NN–1 PM: This is my usual eating time but sometimes it changes depending on the situation of the project. Even while eating I am still thinking of how to solve a problem so that when I start coding again I can address the problem immediately.

1 PM-6 PM: Here is where the real battle begins. I code with no break after lunch, making sure that I solve as many problems as possible. This is the normal life of a developer—you program like there’s no tomorrow as if your fingers are dancing on your keyboard. When I encounter some things that are quite hard to solve, there is always Google to help me on the development. It’s quite exciting to experience some problems that you haven’t experienced yet because it will serve as a new lesson in your life. If everything is done I immediately pass it to the team for them to test it.

6 PM-11 PM: Work time is done. But programming does not stop there. I still research new technologies and techniques that I know that will be a great help to my projects. I only stop coding when my mind is overloaded.

11 PM-12 MN: This is my free time and all I do is just browse videos online and always try to find funny videos to help me forget programming for a bit. This is also the time that I respond to some events that others are offering me.

The Pros And Cons Of Working Remotely

”Working remotely has allowed me to use my time productively,” shares Ed. “Avoiding the three hours of travel doing nothing is a big thing for me. I hate doing nothing especially when I know that I still have this deadline but I’m stuck sitting and can’t do anything much because of the heavy traffic in Manila. I also avoid the daily expenses of commuting. Now that’s a big plus!”

For Ed, the cons of working remotely may include losing his “gala”  life, or his social life when he would go out. “I tend to just be at home and be with the ones I love than go out and chill,” he says. “But instead of that, I have been saving and also giving time for my loved ones.”

Embrace Failure

“I admit I have done a lot of things that I regret doing which resulted to many failures,” explains Ed. “But somehow I’m also thankful that I’ve experienced those failures. Until now, I always think that ’Will I be what I am now if this did not happen to me?’ Those struggles in life have shaped me to become stronger and be better in what I do.”

Ed’s tip for fellow developers: “If you encounter failures and hit rock bottom, get up. You can do this. If you fall, do not be discouraged to get back on your feet even for the nth time. It maybe a long and painful process but what matters the most is that you are learning from it. Once you reach beyond your limit, you will notice that you are already in top shape and you’ve come a long way. That’s the gift of failure. You learn so many things when before, you thought you couldn’t solve your problems.”

Always Upgrade Yourself

“Upgrading” one’s self doesn’t always just apply to technology; it can also apply to one’s self. “Programming is a tough job you always need to be updated in the latest technologies so you tend to throw some things that you know already to give way for a new technique to learn,” says Ed. “So we start to study again. Understanding technology is limitless. Sometimes the best teacher for learning is no other than our selves. We must not give up growing, learning, and being open to new things. It maybe difficult at first but you’ll get used to it. Once you got the rhythm you’ve earned yourself your reward for not giving up!”

The post Meet The CW Team: A Day In The Life Of A Software Developer appeared first on Connected Women - Entrepreneurs, Freelancers and Professionals..

If you’ve been feeling burned out lately and there seem to be not enough hours in the day to play your role properly, then you may need to consider having a remote staff with these qualities.

This article is an excerpt from my free Book, “Delegate or Automate, A Simple Guide To The Virtual Workplace.” 

But first, you need to define what type of person you’d want to work with. Below, we round up 10 key qualities that you should look for when hiring a Virtual Assistant:

1. Reliable

Reliability is a top quality that your virtual assistant should have. No matter how qualified they are, your working relationship won’t work if you can’t rely on your VA. When you give a task, your VA should be able to do these two important things — report their progress and reply to your questions. You’re not the one who should chase them and ask for updates.

2. Has good communication skills

The next quality is as important as the first. Apart from responding and updating you, they need to be able to communicate well. Poor communication can lead to disastrous consequences. Misunderstandings can also lead to delays and extra costs. Should you consider hiring a VA who’s not a native speaker of English, make sure that this person speaks and writes English decently.

3. Efficient

In the first place, you’re hiring a Virtual Assistant who can help you focus on core activities. Hence, it’s a must to hire someone who works in a very organized matter and improves work efficiency. Your VA should free you up from attending to the non-essential tasks and let you attend to high-priority tasks. In short, your VA should not be wasting your time.

4. Resourceful

Your chosen VA should not only provide you regular updates and be able to communicate well. He/She must be proactive and resourceful enough when carrying out tasks. Instead of asking you obvious questions, they find out the answer themselves by doing a quick Google Search. While you should not expect them to know everything, VAs should at least know how to work around a problem and be able to figure out how to do things even when it’s their first time to encounter such.

5. Hardworking

If your VA is able to find out the info themselves and always meets the deadline, you know you’ve found yourself a hardworking assistant. VAs should go the extra mile and not settle with the minimum. If you’re the type of entrepreneur who loathes mediocrity, a hardworking VA is what you need by your side.

6. Good in Time Management

While research claims that there’s no such thing as multitasking and that you need to set your eyes on one task at a time, VAs must be able to do a lot of things within a day for maximum efficiency. All tasks are equally important and so your VA must have good time management and outstanding organization skills to help you in your business.

7. Experienced

It’s not enough that your VA should possess praiseworthy traits that are essential in your fulfilling your day-to-day tasks. Your VA should at least have prior experience on the tasks that you would require him/her to do. But if experience doesn’t matter to you and would consider hiring beginner VAs, look for someone who has the eagerness to keep on learning and can guarantee a 100% quality service to your needs.

8. Has Multiple Skill Sets

In connection with number 7, your VA must also have several useful skills to deliver effective and efficient results. These days, multiple skill sets are the norm. It’s not an excuse that your potential VA only knows certain basic skills. There’s a ton of courses all over the web. If your supposed VA isn’t taking advantage of them, that’s already a hint that he/she might have little to no interest in upgrading his/her current skill set.

9. Responsible

Sometimes, there are days when you just don’t have time to check on your Virtual Assistant. It’s definitely a relief if your VA carries on providing high-quality work while you’re busy attending to more important matters. Consider yourself lucky if you find a VA who ensures timely delivery of positive results.

10. Honest

It may sound cliché but no one is perfect. Your VA is also human and is prone to mistakes, errors, and shortcomings. Therefore, it’s important that you find someone whom you can trust and is ready to tell you the truth. If you need something done by a certain day, he/she must be truthful enough to tell you when problems arise and an unexpected event might delay the output.

Considering the qualities you should look for in a VA is only a small part of the entire process of hiring Virtual Assistants. Apart from laying down the important qualities, you need to figure out where to find potential candidates, how to attract them to apply for your job post, up to the point of training and managing them.

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#ConnectedWomen helps entrepreneurs around the world find affordable, talented women virtual assistants.
Click here to search our database of applicants (FREE for a limited time).

The post 10 Best Qualities That Your Remote Worker Should Have appeared first on Connected Women - Entrepreneurs, Freelancers and Professionals..

This event is designed to focus on the value of virtual teams and to provide SME leaders and business-owners with first-hand strategies and insights on building virtual teams. From communication to effective resourcing, this workshop gives us the basics to the efficacy and sustainability of virtual staff.

A GUIDE TO THE VIRTUAL WORKPLACE

2 Signs You Absolutely Need to Offload Some Work

#1 You are Wearing All The Hats

You started a business as a solo-entrepreneur. You are the boss, the admin, the accountant, the social media manager, the photographer, the DIY graphic designer, and more. There are not enough hours in the day to play all your roles properly, let alone have any ‘me’ time, enjoy a proper meal, read a book or have a social life. A business can only go so far as a one-person team, and if you’re married and have children, it becomes almost impossible to balance. If you want to see your business grow, offer quality services or products, have happy clients and still have a life to live (isn’t that part of why you became your own boss anyway?), then you need to stop trying to wear all the hats.

#2 You’re Stretched in Every Direction

Because you are juggling so many roles, you are stretched thin. You aren’t able to focus good energy on one or two major components of your business, and it’s suffering. So, what is better, saving a few dollars so you can do everything but not get it done as best as it could be? Or figure out how you can get some assistance, so you can get to work on the things you do well? The answer is clear. You would most definitely benefit from delegating and automating some of those mundane and repetitive tasks. Not only will that help you get your business under control, but you’ll have more time for other things that matter besides work. If this all makes sense and you are nodding in agreement, then you are ready to get started.

Topics:

• Identify the tasks you need to stop doing (and what you should be doing instead!)
• What can be delegated to a human virtual assistant and what can be automated or AI?
• Where and how to hire remote team members – and how to avoid the classic mistakes
• Best practices for onboarding and training your remote team, and the tools you will need

SINGAPORE (Male Entrepreneurs are also welcome)

Date: September 18, 2019
Time: 2pm-6pm
Venue: Found8 High Street – 1 North Bridge Rd, #08-08 High Street Centre Singapore (limited seats)

Book now to join the event!

About the Speaker: Gina Romero

Gina is the CEO and Co-founder of social impact tech startup, Connected Women. She is a community builder who harnesses technology to drive the success of women entrepreneurs. Her mission is to enable more female entrepreneurs in APAC to startup and grow successful, profitable, purposeful businesses, regardless of their geographic location, race, education or financial standing.

The post How To Find, Hire And Manage A Virtual Assistant Workshop – Found8 Singapore, Sept 25 appeared first on Connected Women - Entrepreneurs, Freelancers and Professionals..

This event is designed to focus on the value of virtual teams and to provide SME leaders and business-owners with first-hand strategies and insights on building virtual teams. From communication to effective resourcing, this workshop gives us the basics to the efficacy and sustainability of virtual staff.

A GUIDE TO THE VIRTUAL WORKPLACE

2 Signs You Absolutely Need to Offload Some Work

#1 You are Wearing All The Hats

You started a business as a solo-entrepreneur. You are the boss, the admin, the accountant, the social media manager, the photographer, the DIY graphic designer, and more. There are not enough hours in the day to play all your roles properly, let alone have any ‘me’ time, enjoy a proper meal, read a book or have a social life. A business can only go so far as a one-person team, and if you’re married and have children, it becomes almost impossible to balance. If you want to see your business grow, offer quality services or products, have happy clients and still have a life to live (isn’t that part of why you became your own boss anyway?), then you need to stop trying to wear all the hats.

#2 You’re Stretched in Every Direction

Because you are juggling so many roles, you are stretched thin. You aren’t able to focus good energy on one or two major components of your business, and it’s suffering. So, what is better, saving a few dollars so you can do everything but not get it done as best as it could be? Or figure out how you can get some assistance, so you can get to work on the things you do well? The answer is clear. You would most definitely benefit from delegating and automating some of those mundane and repetitive tasks. Not only will that help you get your business under control, but you’ll have more time for other things that matter besides work. If this all makes sense and you are nodding in agreement, then you are ready to get started.

Topics:

• Identify the tasks you need to stop doing (and what you should be doing instead!)
• What can be delegated to a human virtual assistant and what can be automated or AI?
• Where and how to hire remote team members – and how to avoid the classic mistakes
• Best practices for onboarding and training your remote team, and the tools you will need

MAKATI Philippines (Hosted by BPW Makati)

Date: September 18, 2019
Time: 2pm-6pm
Venue: BPW Makati will send event details after successful registration (limited seats)

Book now to join the event!

SINGAPORE (Male Entrepreneurs are also welcome)

Date: September 18, 2019
Time: 2pm-6pm
Venue: Found8 High Street – 1 North Bridge Rd, #08-08 High Street Centre Singapore (limited seats)

Book now to join the event!

The post Delegate Or Automate: Grow Your Business with Virtual Teams – Makati Sept 18 & Singapore Sept 25 appeared first on Connected Women - Entrepreneurs, Freelancers and Professionals..

Do you have an innovative idea for a startup, but don’t know where to begin?

Are you seeking people driven to build something new with you?

Techstars Startup Weekend is designed to help you build momentum so you can start: start your own thing, start immersing yourself in the ecosystem, or just start getting out of your comfort zone. At Startup Weekend, participants create working startups during the event and are able to collaborate with like-minded individuals outside of their daily networks.

Whether you are looking for feedback on an idea, a co-founder, specific skill sets, or a team to help you execute, Techstars Startup Weekends are the perfect environment in which to test your idea and take the first steps towards launching your own startup.

Beginning with Friday night pitches and continuing through brainstorming, business plan development, and basic prototype creation, Techstars Startup Weekends culminate in Sunday night demos and presentations. Participants create working startups during the event and are able to collaborate with like-minded individuals outside of their daily networks. All teams hear talks by industry leaders and receive valuable feedback from experts. The weekend is centered around action, innovation, and education.

#Tech4Good

This Startup Weekend’s theme is #Tech4Good – calling for ideas centered in building startups and innovative concepts that address social problems through technology.

We recognize that moving forward, modern businesses will not just be socially responsible but will also zero in on the problems classified by Sustainable Development Goals.

Whether you are looking for feedback on an idea, a co-founder, specific skill sets, or a team to help you execute, Techstars Startup Weekends are the perfect environment in which to test your idea and take the first steps towards launching your own startup.

Aside from the experience of building a Startup from scratch within 54 hours, participants will also receive:

• Coaching from Startup Weekend mentors
• Networking opportunities during the event and the after-party
• $3000 in credit for Google Cloud Platform to build their web and mobile apps
• Free .CO domain for making their website
• Priceless exposure to the Startup Community 
• Goodies and freebies from our partners

When
Friday-Sunday, July 26 – 28, 2019
Event starts at 6:30 pm

Where
Acceler8 by UNIONSPACE – Rockwell
5F, Phinma Plaza, 39 Plaza Drive, Rockwell Center,
Makati City, Metro Manila 1200

Register at: http://bit.ly/SWTech4Good

Connected Women community members get Php 400 off by using the PROMO CODE: SWConnectedWomen

The post Techstars Startup Weekend – #Tech4Good, Manila, Philippines – July 26-28 (Event) appeared first on Connected Women - Entrepreneurs, Freelancers and Professionals..

Facebook’s #SheMeansBusiness with #ConnectedWomen and DICT will be back in Metro Manila (QC) this November 27! Register here.

Last June, Connected Women, a global community of women entrepreneurs, freelancers, and professionals, in partnership with Facebook and the Department of Information and Communications and Technology (DICT), welcomed over 230 women participants in the #SheMeansBusiness workshop held in Acacia Hotel in Muntinlupa City, one of the Information Communication Technology Centers for Excellence in the country. 

The workshop participants heard from experts on online marketing and were given tutorials on tools that could help them start or grow their business online.

“Since 2017, #SheMeansBusiness has helped over 2,000 women entrepreneurs in the Philippines to build and grow their businesses. This year, we look forward to supporting more women entrepreneurs, by providing them with critical skills and tools to help them thrive in the digital marketplace,” said Beth Ann Lim, Head of Community Affairs, APAC, Facebook.

The #SheMeansBusiness program has been launched in 21 markets around the world, including the Philippines. It’s designed to reach both aspiring and established women entrepreneurs through a series of workshops and online resources that will arm them with the knowledge, skills, connections, and technology required to build and grow their business.

(Pictured from left to right): Anton Villaluz of Facebook, Gina Romero of Connected Women, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Assistant Secretary Ivin Ronald D.M. Alzona, Ruth Yu-Owen of Connected Women, and Engr. Amelia S. Dean from the Regional Operations Coordination Service of the DICT, attended the first #SheMeansBusiness workshop in Muntinlupa City.

“Thank you, Connected Women and Facebook for your collaboration to help thousands of women skill up, scale, and provide them with the necessary support on how to conduct their business. We at the DICT are happy to work with Connected Women and Facebook to help us reach and teach women about ICT related livelihood opportunities and how to access them,” said Attorney Ivin Ronald D.M. Alzona, Department of Information and Communications Technology, Assistant Secretary for Management and Operations.

From Passion Project to Success Story 

Trixie de Guzman, one of #SheMeansBusiness participants, was able to turn her passion project into a business in only a few months. After attending the pilot run of the #SheMeansBusiness program in 2017, she  gained the confidence to leave her corporate job and start a full-time online business. Trixie felt ready to set up a bag and accessory company called Genuinely Everywhere.

#SheMeansBusiness participant, Trixie de Guzman, founder of Genuinely Everywhere.

In the early days of the business, Trixie was double hatting as owner and sole crafter. The biggest challenge was to expand her business with little to no capital. Through the #SheMeansBusiness program, Trixie learned how to market her products online and reach her customers more efficiently. She set up her Business Page on Facebook and Instagram, where she connected and engaged with customers and enthusiasts—some of whom were stay-at-home mothers who wanted to be trained on leather crafting.

From being a retail provider fulfilling individual orders, her business has scaled to provide products for corporate orders. Today, Trixie has expanded her operations and workforce, employing more full-time crafters to support the growth of her business. During peak production season, she also temporarily hires freelancing crafters that she has trained to ensure they can deliver to customers.

“Tools like Facebook have made it easier to grow your business and build better relationships with your customers. At Connected Women, we aim to educate women entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs on digital tools so they can scale their businesses and reach a global market, even while staying close to home. We hope women entrepreneurs who attend our events can take the lessons from the workshop to bring their business ideas to life,” said Gina Romero, CEO and co-founder of Connected Women.

The workshop in Metro Manila is the first of five free #SheMeansBusiness workshops all over the Philippines this year. #SheMeansBusiness will be back in Metro Manila (Quezon City) this November 27! Register here.

For more information on the #SheMeansBusiness program, visit https://shemeansbusiness.fb.com/ph/ or to join Connected Women to get notified of our next events.

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Amidst the Muslim Holiday on April 3, 2019, over 160 aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners coming from the Summer Capital of the South – Marawi City and the City of Majestic Waterfalls – Iligan City, attended the joint event of Connected Women and UNDP. Plaza Alemania of Iligan City was filled with eager participants who didn’t want to miss the learning on how they can build and start their online career and business.

Women and the Future of Work in Marawi and the Rest of the Bangsamoro

Following the UN Women’s International Women’s Day theme for 2019, “Think equal, build smart, innovate for change,” the program focused on informing and inspiring innovative ways in which they were able to advance gender equality, particularly through financial inclusion, labor participation and women’s economic empowerment. Atty. Mohammad Al-Amin Julkipli, Programme Analyst for Resilience and Peace Building of UNDP Philippines opened the event with a motivational key message to the women from Bangsamoro areas.

Ruth Yu-Owen, a successful businesswoman proud of her Chinese-Tausug roots, also kickstarted the event by sharing her humble beginnings, challenges, triumphs and how she co-founded Connected Women, an organization aimed at improving the economic participation of women through technology adoption and entrepreneurship. “Use technology to initiate movements, to make a difference in people’s lives. Change lives. Be of help. Always help when you can,” Ruth shared.

Gender Equality, Women’s Economic Empowerment and Resilience in BARMM

Also gracing the event is Amina Rasul-Bernardo, the President of the Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy. She left the crowd with an informative and thought-provoking talk about the amazing contributions of women and how they remain unacknowledged, invisible and anonymous. “It’s about time that Moro women are recognized in our history and be credited for the work that they do,” she remarked.

Joining her in a panel is a young public servant and a Public Administration student of MSU Marawi, Johaniah Yusoph and Niña Espinola-Abogado, Oxfam’s Partnership and Programme Manager, Digital Financial Inclusion.

Possibilities that Digital Marketing Can Bring

Technology has paved the way for startups and businesses to grow and flourish. Through social media, Facebook and Instagram, entrepreneurs are now able to increase their brand awareness and build better customer relationships.

More was discussed in a panel on “Technology-empowered Entrepreneurship” with Selahuddin Hashim, CEO of The Moropreneur Inc., Ria San Gabriel, Head of Community of Connected Women, and Aisha Flores, former Commissioner of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos and Senior Lecturer of the University of the Philippines Institute of Islamic Studies. The participants learn the advantages of cost-efficient digital and social media marketing platforms to set up profitable business ideas and promote existing products and services to improve their incomes.

Engr. Oweida Smith of DICT and Sittie Norjehan Hassan Macapundag, a top graduate of the Rural Impact Sourcing program, shared the economic opportunities that tech can bring to help uplift the situation in Marawi. Connected Women Program Manager Liezl Dunuan also led an activity to introduce remote work, debunk false ideas on working from home and share free resources to kickstart an online career such as an online digital marketing course called “WE-Train, WE-Match,” made possible through the collaboration of Connected Women, Facebook and DICT’s Tech4Ed.

Work With Women Everywhere

Yes, we do work with women everywhere! Harnessing technology, our “Best Selfies” and “Best We-fies” winners were actually chosen by our teammates based in Bulacan and Lucena. Our banners and cool swag bags carrying Connected Women’s tagline “Work With Women Everywhere” were also designed by a women-founded online creative agency in Taguig, Dezynspace. Talk about digital!

On top of UN Women’s theme on innovating change for women, the event also followed International Women’s Day 2019 theme #BalanceForBetter and Connected Women’s #High5for5. These are not just for the month of March – campaigns run all year long – a reminder to do what you can to truly make a positive difference for women everywhere.

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*Note: Due to limited seats, actual venue will be emailed only to those who confirmed their registration via email (see confirmation instructions after completing registration)

At Connected Women, our mission is to increase the economic participation of women through remote work, freelancing, self-employment and entrepreneurship. Together with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), we are holding this event specifically for women who want to learn how to start an online career or business!

Following the UN Women’s International Women’s Day theme for 2019, “Think equal, build smart, innovate for change,” the program will focus on informing and inspiring innovative ways in which we can advance gender equality, particularly through financial inclusion, labor participation and women’s economic empowerment.

Join us in the Philippine city of waterfalls – Iligan City – for a FREE whole day event to learn how you can start your online career!

What to Expect:

Learn new work trends and invaluable skills in demand in the next 5-15 years

Access free training tools and resources available through Connected Women

Celebrate a future in which innovation and technology creates unprecedented opportunities for women, both through online jobs for remote workers or by helping entrepreneurs grow their businesses online

We only have limited seats, so register AND confirm to reserve your slot!

How to reserve your seat:

Please register here

After registering, send the confirmation email found in the instructions on our registration page.

Full venue details will be sent only to ladies who confirmed

Looking forward to seeing you!

Date And Time

Wed, 3 April 2019

8:00 AM – 5:00 PM PST

Add to Calendar

Location

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Amidst the busy Holiday Season, aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners set aside time to attend the final Connected Women #SheMeansBusiness event of 2018 held in Puerto Princesa City. Last December 12, Citystate Asturias Hotel’s Ambassador Hall was filled with eager participants who were keen to start their own businesses and entrepreneurs who didn’t want to miss learning how they can leverage Facebook and Instagram to grow their businesses. The event was supported by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Luzon – Cluster 3.

Connected Women, in partnership with Facebook’s #SheMeansBusiness, aims to develop skills for women entrepreneurs in the Philippines, using Facebook and Instagram marketing tools for business. The event attracted ladies from different parts of Palawan and some have travelled as far as Iloilo and Zamboanga City!

Final #SheMeansBusiness event of 2018

The launch of Connected Women and Facebook’s #SheMeansBusiness in Puerto Princesa City marked the final #SheMeansBusiness event of the year and brought together almost all the team members of Connected Women, who are working remotely from various parts of the Philippines.

Connected Women CEO and Co-Founder Gina Romero officially opened the event and shared her inspiring story. She shared some of Connected Women’s goals which is to build strong communities and improve the economic participation of women through technology adoption and entrepreneurship. She also reflected on the lessons she learned along the way and how she is thankful for people who help Connected Women to be where it is today.

“At Connected Women, it’s all about helping each other. We cannot do things on our own,” Gina shared.

Online Marketing For Promoting and Growing Businesses

Technology has paved the way for startups and businesses to grow and flourish. Through the #SheMeansBusiness program, entrepreneurs are now able to increase their brand awareness and build better customer relationships with the help of technology tools like Facebook and Instagram for business.

In the workshop, Facebook Lead Trainer Prof Aries Patawaran delivered the #SheMeansBusiness modules on the basics of online marketing including best practices and tips for content, engagement, and maximizing business presence online.

Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Luzon Cluster 3 OIC/Head for Technical Operations Division Engr. Carmela P. Valencia concluded the program and encouraged participants to make use of Tech4ED Centers. Tech4ED is the DOST-ICT project that provides opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship by harnessing the power of ICT.

Engaging, Fun, and Friendly Breaks

At every Connected Women #SheMeansBusiness event, there’s really no such thing as breaks. In between the learning sessions, Connected Women COO and Co-Founder Ruth Yu-Owen held icebreakers to engage participants through breathing exercises, and gathering names of fellow attendees in less than 10 minutes!

Of course, there were “Best Selfies” and “Best We-fies” contests which brought out the creativity and eagerness of the participants to win prizes! Some of the Connected Women team members chose the winners based on the message/caption, photo composition, originality, and theme. Here are the winners:

Early Bird

Winner of Third Prize Selfie

Winner of Second Prize Selfie

Winner of First Prize Selfie

Winner of We-fie

Winner of We-fie (Boomerang)

A special prize was also awarded to Arianne Mae Rosita who came to the event with her best friend, Fhebe Tayona.

The  next #SheMeansBusiness workshop will be in Alabang, Metro Manila on June 21, 2019.

We hope to see you there or tell a friend!
connectedwomen.co/metromanila

Facebook’s mission is to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together. Helping businesses connect with the people they care about is part of that mission and, to that end, the Facebook #SheMeansBusiness initiative is committed to helping female small business owners and entrepreneurs.

The post Connected Women Launches In Palawan In Partnership With Facebook’s #SheMeansBusiness appeared first on Connected Women - Entrepreneurs, Freelancers and Professionals..

#SheMeansBusiness has been launched in 21 markets around the world, including the Philippines, and is designed to reach both aspiring and established women entrepreneurs through a series of workshops and online resources that will arm them with the knowledge, skills, connections, and technology required to build and grow their business.

In the Philippines, over a thousand Filipino women entrepreneurs have participated in #SheMeansBusiness workshops in over 10 cities, since 2017. “When women do better, we all benefit. Filipino small business owners are resourceful and we want them to understand how going digital can expand their ventures. Through the #SheMeansBusiness program and our partnership with Connected Women and Bayan Academy, we aim to connect entrepreneurial women with empowering tools, peers and networks.” said Clair Deevy, Director of Community Affairs, APAC and Latin America, Facebook.

“Tools like Facebook has made it easier to grow your business and build better relationships with your customers. At Connected Women, we aim to educate women entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs on digital tools so they can scale their businesses, and reach a global market, even while staying close to home,” said Gina Romero, CEO and Co-Founder of Connected Women. “We hope women entrepreneurs who attended our workshops across the Philippines can take the lessons and bring their business ideas to life.”

Inspiring Women Entrepreneurs

Beyond the workshops, participants also heard firsthand experiences from those who participated in previous #SheMeansBusiness workshops including, Catherine Taleon of Cabautan, Iloilo, who owns Balay Tablea, and Daisy Catague-Cababasay, chef and owner of Takuri Cafe in Iloilo.

Catherine shared how she started out by putting in a small investment on tablea to try and get a feel of the business landscape. When she finally decided to open up Balay Tablea, she made sure to support local farmers while producing a distinct quality chocolate from Iloilo City. After attending a #SheMeansBusiness workshop in Iloilo, she learned about building the brand, driving exports, increasing sales, and attracting new customers using Facebook tools.

“When I started my business, it was more of a side line and involved only me doing all the work. But being part of a network of women entrepreneurs in #SheMeansBusiness, I gained access to tools and expertise that helped me take my tablea business to the next level. Today we are working with cacao farmers in Panay Island, and also working with women in an indigenous community who help weave our product packaging,” said Catherine Taleon of Balay Tablea. “It is truly a good feeling to be able to pay it forward to the communities that make cacao production possible, and to share the distinct taste and quality of Cacao to our customers not only in our province, but also in key cities in the Philippines.”

^{(PHOTO) Entrepreneur Catherine Taleon, Connected Women CEO and co-founder Gina Romero, Entrepreneur Daisy Catague-Cababasay.}

Daisy meanwhile, talked about how her age (she’s 58) and perceived disability (having had total hip replacement) didn’t deter her from putting up Takuri Café—which serves Asian fusion cuisine. She learned more on how to market her business online after attending a #SheMeansBusiness workshop in Zamboanga.

“It was truly amazing that at my age, I am continuously learning. In the workshop, I learned a lot about how to make the most out of Facebook—including the way we should post and how we should interact with our customers. These are things I never really thought about before, and they helped the business grow much more than expected,” Daisy said.

These are just two of the many success stories seen by Connected Women founder Gina Romero since her group started mounting the #SheMeansBusiness event together with Facebook, with support from the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and Bayan Academy. She hopes to see more as they bring the workshop to other parts of the country.

Facebook’s mission is to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together. Helping businesses connect with the people they care about is part of that mission and, to that end, the Facebook #SheMeansBusiness initiative is committed to helping female small business owners and entrepreneurs.

We are the leaders, activists, innovators, and visionaries – whether in the public eye or behind the scenes – who are revolutionizing the way people think and live. We are #ConnectedWomen.
Join the Connected Women community now, it’s free!

Join us at our next FREE #SheMeansBusiness event on December 12, 2018 at Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines!
connectedwomen.co/palawan

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Over 100 women from the City of Smiles, Bacolod, gave a warm welcome to Connected Women and Facebook last October for the #SheMeansBusiness event. Next up, Puerto Princesa, Palawan!

The O Hotel in Bacolod City was filled with warm smiles and eager participants who were ready to take their businesses to the next level at the Connected Women #SheMeansBusiness event last October 19. The event was sponsored by the DICT Western Visayas Regional Office.

Connected Women, in partnership with Facebook’s #SheMeansBusiness, aims to develop skills for women entrepreneurs in the Philippines, using Facebook and Instagram to improve their business. Women from Bacolod City and other parts of Negros Occidental came to attend the event; some even traveled by boat from Iloilo. One even flew to Bacolod from Manila, just to be able to attend the workshop!

A Special Reason To Smile
The launch of Connected Women and Facebook’s #SheMeansBusiness in Bacolod City was made even more special as the workshop took place during Bacolod City’s charter day, and the month when the annual Masskara Festival was held.

Connected Women co-founder and CEO Gina Romero officially opened the event and shared her personal journey with the participants, as well as the mission behind Connected Women—which is to improve the economic participation of Filipinas through entrepreneurship and use of technology. This was followed by a quick overview of the #SheMeansBusiness program by Facebook representatives.

Harnessing Technology For Business Success
Technology has made it easier for startups to grow and flourish by helping business owners build better relationships with their customers. The #SheMeansBusiness program and Connected Women help women become better entrepreneurs by harnessing the power of technology.

The attendees were all ears as Facebook representatives delivered the #SheMeansBusiness modules on the basics of online marketing, Facebook for Business, content rules, and women in business.

The workshop participants also heard from the experiences of their fellow women entrepreneurs who have participated in previous #SheMeansBusiness workshops, as well as business owners who have overcome various struggles and have found more business success after taking their ventures online.

Fun And Friendly Competition
In between the learning sessions, participants brought out their A-game to claim the title of having the Best Selfies and Best We-fies and other prices! Anticipation was high as the ladies waited for the announcement of the winners. Here are they are:

Early Bird

Winner of Third Prize Selfie

Winner of Second Prize Selfie

Winner of First Prize Selfie

Winner of Boomerang We-fie

A special prize was also awarded to Gemma Chua who came to Bacolod from Manila just to attend the event.

The #SheMeansBusiness workshop is the second to the last event of Connected Women for 2018.
The final stop for this year will be held in Puerto Princesa, Palawan on December 12.

See you there and share the news with your friends!
connectedwomen.co/palawan

Facebook’s mission is to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together. Helping businesses connect with the people they care about is part of that mission and, to that end, the Facebook #SheMeansBusiness initiative is committed to helping female small business owners and entrepreneurs.

Department of Information and Communications Technology – Luzon Cluster 3
The Department of Information & Communications Technology is the lead implementing agency of the government in all ICT-related efforts.

The post Connected Women Launches In Bacolod In Partnership With Facebook’s #SheMeansBusiness appeared first on Connected Women - Entrepreneurs, Freelancers and Professionals..

*Exact venue to be announced after registration is confirmed via email. Please check your email after registering for confirmation instructions

Establish your business where people are spending their time – on Facebook and Instagram. During this session, you will gain insights on ways to be creative, best practices, and tools you can use to help you grow your business.

This sounds exciting, can I join?

Are you an experienced woman entrepreneur who wants to embrace technology in your traditional business?

An aspiring woman entrepreneur thinking about leaving your job to start up a business, or a mother looking for a better work-life balance?

If you are a digital beginner who wants to learn how to use Facebook to grow your business, this workshop is for you!

Event Details

Date: December 12, 2018
Time: 9am-4pm
Venue: To be announced after registration is confirmed via email
Cost: Free / Complimentary

Book now to join the event!

This event is by invitation through Connected Women. Please use your promo code to register. If you don’t have a promo code and would like to attend, please contact the organiser.

About Connected Women Philippines

Our programme objective is to increase the economic participation of women in the Philippines through entrepreneurship and the adoption of technology for business success.

We aim to:

1. Impact the lives of Filipino women – by increasing family income and personal success
2. Support the growth of the local economy – by developing skills
3. and improving productivity
4. Increase the economic participation of women -by supporting women entrepreneurs

In Partnership With

Facebook’s mission is to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together. Helping businesses connect with the people they care about is part of that mission and, to that end, the Facebook #SheMeansBusiness initiative is committed to helping female small business owners and entrepreneurs.

This #SheMeansBusiness training will provide you with an overview of how Facebook could be used to boost your business. Hands-on activities are included for you to experience the relevant features that will connect you with your customers.

Supported by

Department of Information and Communications Technology

The Department of Information & Communications Technology is the lead implementing agency of the government in all ICT-related efforts.

The post #ConnectedWomen – Palawan, Philippines – December 12 (Event) appeared first on Connected Women - Entrepreneurs, Freelancers and Professionals..

#SheMeansBusiness has been launched in 21 markets around the world, including the Philippines, and is designed to reach both aspiring and established women entrepreneurs through a series of workshops and online resources that will arm them with the knowledge, skills, connections, and technology required to build and grow their business.

In the Philippines, over a thousand Filipino women entrepreneurs have participated in #SheMeansBusiness workshops in over 10 cities, since 2017. “When women do better, we all benefit. Filipino small business owners are resourceful and we want them to understand how going digital can expand their ventures. Through the #SheMeansBusiness program and our partnership with Connected Women, we aim to connect entrepreneurial women with empowering tools, peers and networks.” said Clair Deevy, Director of Community Affairs, APAC and Latin America, Facebook.

“Tools like Facebook has made it easier to grow your business and build better relationships with your customers. At Connected Women, we aim to educate women entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs on digital tools so they can scale their businesses, and reach a global market, even while staying close to home,” said Gina Romero, CEO and Co-Founder of Connected Women. “Today, we hope women entrepreneurs who attended our event here in Bacolod can take the lessons from the workshop to bring their business ideas to life.”

Inspiring Women Entrepreneurs

Beyond the workshops, participants also heard firsthand experiences from those who participated in previous #SheMeansBusiness workshops including, Rechilda Solina of Iriga City, who owns the online-based essential oil business Thank You Lord God Herbal Industry or TYLG Herbal Industry and Daisy Catague-Cababasay, chef and owner of Takuri Cafe in Iloilo.

Rechilda shared how she was able to rebuild her life when she learned how to create homemade vapor rub after a series of bad business investments. Still, it was not without its challenges.

“We offer different kinds of massage oils—aromatherapy oil, turmeric rub, and other kinds of oil. At first, it was difficult to sell the product especially since it was new to people, and most said that they don’t want it,” said Rechilda.

After attending a #SheMeansBusiness workshop in Albay, she learned more about using Facebook tools and saw her business grow. “Facebook greatly helped our business. Because of the training, I was able to improve our business page and since then, a lot of people have already inquired about how much and where they can buy my products,” added Rechilda.

^{Facebook communications manager in the Philippines Michelle Fojas, entrepreneur Daisy Catague-Cababasay, Connected Women CEO and co-founder Gina Romero, entrepreneur Richilda Solina, and Facebook public policy manager in the Philippines Christopher Kuzhuppilly.}

Daisy meanwhile, talked about how her age (she’s 58) and perceived disability (having had total hip replacement) didn’t deter her from putting up Takuri Café—which serves Asian fusion cuisine. She learned more on how to market her business online after attending a #SheMeansBusiness workshop in Zamboanga.

“It was truly amazing that at my age, I am continuously learning. In the workshop, I learned a lot about how to make the most out of Facebook—including the way we should post and how we should interact with our customers. These are things I never really thought about before, and they helped the business grow much more than expected,” Daisy said.

These are just two of the many success stories seen by Connected Women founder Gina Romero since her group started mounting the #SheMeansBusiness event together with Facebook, with support from the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and Bayan Academy. She hopes to see more as they bring the workshop to other parts of the country.

Facebook’s mission is to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together. Helping businesses connect with the people they care about is part of that mission and, to that end, the Facebook #SheMeansBusiness initiative is committed to helping female small business owners and entrepreneurs.

We are the leaders, activists, innovators, and visionaries – whether in the public eye or behind the scenes – who are revolutionizing the way people think and live. We are #ConnectedWomen.
Join the Connected Women community now, it’s free!

Join us at our next FREE #SheMeansBusiness event on June 21, 2019 in Alabang, Metro Manila, Philippines!
connectedwomen.co/metromanila

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Future Leaders Summit
October 22nd – 26th
Venue: Online

The world’s largest online summit for existing leaders, new leaders, emerging leaders, potential leaders, entrepreneurs and solopreneurs.

The post Future Leaders Summit – Online – October 22-26 (Event) appeared first on Connected Women - Entrepreneurs, Freelancers and Professionals..

This event has ended, however you might be interested on the Future Leaders Summit with 30 global speakers and best selling authors, featuring Connected Women’s Gina Romero. For more information click here.

On October 9, we will be featuring Gina Romero, CEO of Connected Women, Jocs Pantastico, CEO of Olivia App, and Alexandria Gentry, Co-founder of Sprout Solutions, as they talk about their personal experience building their respective startups from the ground up. Gina and Alex will also be sharing insights and lessons learned as ambassadors for She Loves Tech, while Jocs will be talking about her learnings from the speakers of the She Loves Tech global summit and bootcamp.

Other topics to be covered will include overcoming barriers towards becoming a successful startup founder, transitioning from corporate to startup founder, and scaling startups. There will be a subsequent Q&A session to open the discussion to any aspect of the technology, with the opportunity to delve deeper through vibrant conversations and exchange of insights.

This event is made possible by DOST-PCIEERD.

Agenda

Date: Tuesday, October 9, 2018

6:00pm Doors open/registration

7:00pm Start of Program

8:30pm Networking

Dress code: Smart casual Please don’t come in sandos, shorts, and slippers!

Location

This event has ended, however you might be interested on the Future Leaders Summit with 30 global speakers and best selling authors, featuring Connected Women’s Gina Romero. For more information click here.

About She Loves Tech

She Loves Tech is a global initiative, showcasing the convergence of the latest trends in technology, entrepreneurship, innovation and its impact on and opportunities for women, which includes a global startup competition and international conference series.

About Gina

Gina Romero is the founder of Connected Women (www.connectedwomen.org). Her passion for helping young women embark on successful careers and entrepreneurial journeys lead to securing funding through the National Youth Council (Singapore) to engage and empower more young professionals. Connected Women Jobs is a social impact startup that aims to empower Filipino women withwork-from-home career opportunities while supporting the growth of women-led businessesglobally. Gina will be speaking about her unconventional journey from being a pig farmer’s daughter to stewardess to IT director to women’s empowerment advocate, and how she overcame barriers leading up to her final role as a tech startup founder.

About Jocs

Jocs Pantastico is the CEO and co-founder of Olivia App, which won She Loves Tech Philippines 2018. Jocs was sent to represent the Philippines to the competition for the global finals and attended the bootcamp featuring talks and lectures from Chinese unicorns like Baidu, Bytedance, and chats from Singaporean executives of Lazada and Grab. Olivia is the Filipino woman’s Virtual Financial Advisor. They help women create financial goals, match them to investment products via AI, and allow them to allocate investments to goals so they can track their progress.

About Alex

Alex Gentry started her career in the publishing industry where she began as an editorial assistant and ended up as one of the youngest group publishers in the country. She then transitioned to (and fell in love with) software where she did everything but write code. She is currently the co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Sprout Solutions, one of the country’s fastest growing HR tech startups. Alex will be speaking about her transition from media to tech startups, and how she’s able to grow Sprout to where it is now.

What is QLITAN?

QLITAN is a regular series of talks arranged for experienced startup founders and enablers to share their personal stories, tips, and business know-how to inspire explorers and other founders in succeeding with their own ventures. For more info on the upcoming QLITAN talks, visit QBO’s eventbrite or follow their facebook page. You may also check out QBO Philippines website.

Brought to you by QBO

QBO Philippines is an innovation hub and startup platform envisioned to connect, transform and empower the Philippine startup ecosystem.

This event has ended, however you might be interested on the Future Leaders Summit with 30 global speakers and best selling authors, featuring Connected Women’s Gina Romero. For more information click here.

The post QLITAN: Overcoming Barriers in Tech Leadership Roles ft. She Loves Tech – Philippines – October 9 (Event) appeared first on Connected Women - Entrepreneurs, Freelancers and Professionals..

On September 26, 2018, 26 simultaneous Connected Women meetups happened in 26 cities in 4 countries, including Singapore, Pakistan, Philippines, and the UK.

No one can stop women from achieving greater heights if we all come together and share our personal and business insights. The women who attended the September 26, 2018 meetups are still buzzing with good vibes from the inspiring stories, knowledge, and new connections they gained.

As we prepare for the next global meetup on November 7, here are more learnings and key takeaways we can all benefit from.

Singapore

“It’s just great to have so many ladies from different countries meeting in Singapore. During the event, I mentioned the United Nation Global Sustainable Goals and one of the important goals that we want to achieve is gender equality and leave no women and girls behind. I hope more women and girls can move into STEM. This is the reason that I support and volunteer for Connected Women,” says Jane Lai, founder of Travel For Good. Jane is a results-oriented professional with 21 years’ experience working for multi-national companies in a variety of industries including life science, oil and gas, chemical, retail and electronic.

United Kingdom: London

“Every woman’s unique journey to the space she fills today and her momentum inspires the whole. And technology aids and propels the whole to another dimension of the field that’s never played before. I have made very valuable connections, friendships, and business relationships from gathering women who are connected within and without,” says Adele Lim.

Philippines: Cavite

“Thank you, beautiful ladies, for sharing your time and stories with us. We heard not just success stories but also stories about failures, struggles, and trials that still turned into beautiful endings. I’m so overwhelmed with the people who shared their blessings through the products and services they provided. God bless your generous heart. Let’s stay connected,” says Ellie Tablada.

Philippines: Cagayan de Oro

“What inspired me to host and join the Connected Women’s global meetup is to meet like-minded women—people around the world who are one in teaching and sharing my knowledge about technology. As an IT professional and as a woman, I have experienced so many challenges. Given the opportunity to become a volunteer to this community has allowed me to reach out to more women, connect with them, and help them become better in their crafts. I believe this is my mission,” explains Joan Merced Sheng who has been an IT professional for the past 15 years. She is also a freelance writer, a modern mom, and an eco-advocate.

“During the connected women meet up in CDO, I have learned how to use social media in terms of marketing and promoting my advocacy as a teacher and pastor in Maranatha Christian School,” shares Neleg Fortes Pablo.

Philippines: Davao

“During your worst, you shall be your best. This line stuck with me after hearing the speaker’s talk. She had major operations and eventually had depression. From there, she discovered her passion for crocheting, which is now her online business. She holds workshops to train others and also helps them by subcontracting orders to stay-at-home moms. It was during her darkest that she shone brightest. So never ever lose hope,” says mom entrepreneur Abbey Rivera who owns Adea’z Enterprise.

“Strength grows in moments when you think you cannot go on but you keep going anyway. The room was full of women with different stories. In every story, I discovered a woman’s resilience, faith, and love. And every woman in the room was in search for their tribe. I realize that a woman thrives with her community. We lift each other up. The story of the crafter Ella Faye MG Bensali left a powerful impact that opens us up to a lot of possibilities when we believe in ourselves a little more when we reach out to others more often,” says digital marketer Marj Bulahan.

“But how do you exactly find your tribe? For Faye, technology opened multiple doors of opportunities. It is truly a powerful platform where you can start building and growing your local community to a global one. Faye found her tribe through Facebook and reached the global market from the humble corner of her home when she was on the road to recovery—beating cancer, enduring multiple surgeries, and fighting depression. Today, she is dedicating her time to teach more women the art and skill of crochet, growing her local community of crafters using Facebook. She believed in herself a little more and focused on her capabilities. Any woman can do the same and make things happen too,” adds Marj.

Philippines: Makati

“This is my third time around hosting a Makati meetup. I observed that with every meetup, 90 percent of the attendees are new faces. Despite this, what I love about each new pool of meetup participants is that the stories of the women I get to talk to are all unique and inspirational. My key takeaway for the Makati meetup is that what we’re doing as a Connected Women community is really phenomenal, especially for other women who look for motivation to get out of their comfort zones and go beyond their usual roles,” says entrepreneur, choreographer, and health advocate Trizza Tolentino Javier.

Philippines: Naga

“Organizing an event is not an easy task. More than just devoting time to take care of every detail, I think what’s more important is that you have the passion down to your very core. What’s more challenging is that this event is not a one-time, big-time event. We want this community of women to grow here in our local community. And so the real challenge is not the organizing, it’s in the sustaining. It’s how we create value and make an impact on the lives of other women. I’m just blessed to have this team who really devoted their time, went out of their way to make the event meaningful with the limited time we have in our hands,” shares Ivy Oporto.

“Every meetup is indeed truly remarkable. Meeting new friends and gaining new learnings. The best way to learn is to be surrounded by like-minded people. I feel blessed being a part of Connected Women. I know being a member of this community is not an accident. It is a great avenue to enrich the entrepreneurial spirit within me. Here are some of the things I really like about the recent meetup. First, the initiative of local organizers, second the openness of every attendee to share and listen, third, the total equality. Lastly, I like the sharing of pertinent business lesson from those who have been in business for a decade. I enjoyed their very inspiring and motivating stories,” says Amor A. Bautista.

Philippines: Pampanga

“Connected Women reminded me that us, women, are capable of never-ending possibilities, especially with the fast-paced modernization of technology, available resources online, and support groups such as this one. We’re no longer bound by the stereotypes and are encouraged to promote women empowerment and inspire one another. Connected Women showed me that the world is not so scary after all because we support and have each other’s backs. That’s why after attending Connected Women’s first city tour in Pampanga, I started volunteering to host meetups and so far, everything’s been good and successful. Our community is slowly but surely starting to grow with members coming from different walks of life with skills, knowledge, and life experiences they are willing to share,” says digital marketing specialist Keziah Cyrene Garcia.

Philippines: Pasig

“It was a great experience! Hosting and being one of the speakers in this one-of-a-kind event is not in my vocabulary. But I did it tonight! I was touched by the appreciation and feedback from them. I can’t contain it! Maybe it is a great start for something new. I was very inspired by the stories of Connected Women Pasig,” shares Marjorie De Los Reyes.

Philippines: Quezon City

“My key takeaway from the meetup is that women are more than happy to help and be an inspiration to one another once given the perfect opportunity to share their experiences and knowledge without being judged. This is the opportunity given by Connected Women for holding these global meetups. I love the atmosphere in all the meetups we have hosted. All hesitations are gone and everyone is just open to have a good time and create genuine connections,” shares Gwenn Doria, a 10-year veteran in the virtual assistant industry, who is passionate about helping women have a thriving virtual assistant career.

“This time, I joined the meetup in Quezon City with Ruth, one of the co-founders of Connected Women. These women are contagious! I also get inspired by their successes and how they manage life challenges as a woman. I am sleeping tonight with an inspiring quote from one of the women speakers Marianne Mencias: ‘When women know how precious they are, it changes them. When women know their purpose, it changes the people around them. When women know their inherent worth, it changes the world.’ I am proud to be part of Connected Women team. I am more encouraged and engaged,” shares Arianne David.

We released a series of articles for the milestone #CW26on26 meetups.
Read Part 1 and Part 2.

Official global meetups happen every six weeks. Next run will be on November 7.
Sign up here if you want to attend or host one in your city!

The post #CW26on26 Part 3: More Learnings From The Women Who Attended and Hosted The Milestone Meetups appeared first on Connected Women - Entrepreneurs, Freelancers and Professionals..