Women Making It Work (WMIW), a grassroots network supporting women in business across Casey and Cardinia, marked its 20th anniversary with the launch of a new book sharing the personal stories behind local enterprises.
Almost 100 people braved torrential rain to attend the launch event in Clyde North in October last year.
The anthology, Beyond the Business: Stories of Women Who Dared, features stories from 22 local women and explores what it takes to run a business while navigating life’s challenges.
The book launch featured a Living Library experience, where contributors became “living books,” sharing their stories through facilitated conversations.
Berwick-based kinesiologist and hypnotherapist Carolyn King, who has run Empowered Happiness for 15 years, shared her experience of being diagnosed with breast cancer during the pandemic and the lessons she learned stepping back from her business during treatment.
“It’s not a business book as such. Because when we say businesswoman, we’re just looking at the person who’s running a business. We don’t realise they have a life behind that,” Carolyn said.
“They have children, they have partners, they have other commitments, they may have health issues, they may have elderly parents, whatever it is.
“This book really gives an insight into the dynamics of what it takes to run a business and run and also navigate through life’s challenges.”
Carolyn said one thing she loves about women making it work, as opposed to some of the other networking events out there, is that they always have a speaker who is designed to help the members build their business in some capacity.
“Whether it’s LinkedIn or it’s AI or marketing, it’s always geared towards helping us build our business in some capacity,” she said.
“They listen to the members, and just recently someone said they needed help with LinkedIn. So, at the next networking event, someone’s going to talk about that.
“It’s also helped my business because I’ve just connected with local businesswomen in the area, and they get to know what I do, and I get to know what they do.”
Carolyn recalled that the launch night was held during severe winds, but the event still reached capacity.
“During the book launch, I actually remember even seeing 4 birds not be able to fly in the wind. It was a really, really windy night,” she said.
“But the vibe was great. Many of us got to tell our story in person.”
Contributors took part in small group “story time” sessions, giving attendees the opportunity to hear directly from the authors and ask questions.
For Lang Lang-based organisational development consultant Debbie Key, who runs Success BOX, the network has provided both professional collaboration and personal support.
After joining WMIW almost 12 months ago, she described it as “the most amazing find”.
“You’re surrounded by phenomenal women who have just really embraced who they are, what they want to achieve in this world, and they know very much what their niche market is and who they want to talk to, what value they bring, and I think that is an empowering space,” she said.
“It’s quite an unusual space for a group of women. If you were in a corporate environment, you might find the odd one or two in that space, but the rest of them are suffering from imposter syndrome and are tired and bored and overwhelmed and keep hitting the glass ceiling, and they’re just not who they should be.
“It’s just wonderful every month to walk into that room and have these amazing women around you, and the support that comes from it is extraordinary.”
Debbie has been working with two other women in the network on different projects in the past 12 months, and she said those opportunities wouldn’t have presented themselves to her if she hadn’t come to the network.
“It’s about connection. When you’re a sole trader, an entrepreneur, I sit here in my office at home. My husband goes off to work and comes back at the end of the day. But unless I’m talking to clients, I technically don’t have any teammates around me,” she said.
“I see that network as my teammates. I can reach out on Facebook and go, hey guys, I’m looking for something. Does anybody know about this? The responses come in if people can help.
“I don’t know where I would go if I didn’t have that because Google and ChatGPT are so much. It doesn’t give you that human experience connection that you so need.”
WMIW Chairperson Khatija Halabi said the organisation’s focus extended beyond individual success.
“It’s not about your own personal success – it’s about the success of others and rising together,” she said.
WMIW is now preparing for its International Women’s Day 2026 event at Watermans Business Centre in Scoresby, themed “Balance the Scales,” which will explore equity, leadership and shared responsibility in business and community life.
To learn more about the new book, visit: amazon.com.au/Beyond-Business-Stories-Women-Dared/dp/B0G3GST1Q2
