Why I Started Phoenix Women’s Club

I spent decades being someone I wasn’t. And not to say I was being “fake,” but I definitely wasn’t being my true self.

Things were pretty rough for me growing up. I wasn’t accepted inside my household or outside of it, especially in those early years. Out of desperation to be loved and supported, I became whoever I needed to be. For those who can relate, you know how exhausting that shit is.

Eventually I did start to unmask, right? And when you do that, you start to see which people really like you, enjoy your company, and respect you and which ones just liked how much you appeased their needs. Your close circle gets smaller. Suddenly, people start talking shit about you. It catches you off guard, but at the same time, it confirms what you already knew deep down. Some people liked you better when you were quiet and easy to manage.

I truly felt, and still do, that in certain spaces this happens. If you don’t fit the brand or the specific archetype, you aren’t welcomed. And we’re not talking about someone being the wrong demographic in a technical sense. We’re talking about the subtle, coded stuff. The unspoken rules. The way people want things to look a certain way, even if they’re saying all the right words out loud. It’s mean girls. Not the movie kind. The kind that makes you second guess your voice, your ideas, your presence. The kind of energy that belongs in a high school cafeteria, not in rooms meant for growth and collaboration.

So when I started this group or once I realized it even was a group. I made sure to always speak to how inclusive and diverse this group is and will always be. It was important to me that this never became one of those spaces. This is a group where you get to be yourself, whatever that looks like. You can dress up. Or not. You can embody that business woman energy, or you can just be more low-key. You don’t have to perform to be respected here.

I wanted to create a space where people could feel good about themselves and supported. Not tolerated. Actually supported. I know what it's like to start a business with everyone around you doubting it, just waiting for you to get “a real job.” I know what it’s like to spend days or weeks crying from all the stress and not having anyone to talk to about it. I know what it’s like to feel so alone, you want to quit.

No one should have to navigate that in silence. And they definitely shouldn’t have to do it while pretending to be someone they’re not.

This is a place where you can grow as a business woman, yes, but also a place where you can be the version of yourself that brings you the most joy. The version that maybe doesn’t show up in other rooms. We’re honestly just here to keep you company along your journey and cheer you on the entire time.

Starting Phoenix Women’s Club wasn’t part of some big, strategic plan. It was just me showing up as myself and realizing other women were craving the same kind of space. Something real. Something safe. Something that didn’t come with strings or silent judgment.

If you’ve ever felt like you didn’t belong, if you’ve ever questioned your path or felt overlooked in rooms that were supposed to support you, I hope you know this place is different. This community was built by someone who’s been through it. Who still goes through it. And who believes, fully, that we all deserve people in our corner who don’t just accept us, but actually see us.

You’re welcome here. Just as you are.

xoxo Nik