NETWORKING GROUP REVIEW: Las Comadres
By: Lauren Marsicano
Insta: @networkingmaverick
NETWORKING GROUP REVIEW: Las Comadres
Best for: Soulful female entrepreneurs that are seeking a safe space, attendance flexibility, multi-platform access, and support (on and offline).
Overview: Gaby Guzman, the founder and main “Madrina” (or “Godmother”), has the following welcome online: “It's time to ride the powerful wave of sweet, supportive sisterhood all year long. Welcome to a community of women entrepreneurs who are real, soulful, passionate and creative. Comadres trust each other with the most important pieces of their lives. Let's be guardians of each others' dreams and successes.” Gaby spent years finding her own true purpose and now helps women realize their own. The Community has monthly Facebook live learning events, most of which are provided by the other Comadres or our “Madrinas” in the group. There is a heavy emphasis on soulfulness and spirituality, but if you are not the spiritual type, don’t let it dissuade you. There is a great variety of events, both on and offline, and the biggest benefit is the supportive Comadre sisterhood.
Who attends this event? Membership is limited to women, many of whom have their own businesses or projects that they are waiting to launch, working on, or looking to reshape themselves. The group leans towards a more spiritual side, which can be a bit much according to a few comments but it’s always positive and beneficial to those open to it.
What is included? For $47 per month (or $470 per year), you get the following benefits:
Inclusion in the Las Comadres Directory
Monthly Co-working Day (Miami, FL) - every second Thursday of the month
An active, intentional online community with guided conversations, dynamic content, and collaboration opportunities (Facebook Group)
Access to signature events just for this community, designed to help your spirit and business grow (choose from events on: weekdays, evenings, and weekends)
Accountability, Opportunities for leadership, and special features of your passions & your business
Three online live events per month (featured speakers, coaching Q&A, book club)
Las Comadres calendar featuring and promoting our community's events and a carefully curated list of events around town
First access to all of Gaby’s workshops, courses and masterminds
Book club
Your own Las Comadres t-shirt!
You can get a sneak peek of all they do here
Where is the event located? Throughout South Florida.
When does it take place? Varies, but see above.
Why should you go? If you are looking for a group of supportive women both on and offline but do not want attendance requirements, this is an ideal group for you. Gaby does an excellent job providing remote access to events for Comadres across the country and the Facebook group itself is an excellent support system and resource for many women. That alone may be worth the fee, but you also get the benefits of live, in-person events and coworking days for those that work from home but crave more connection.
How to get in touch with the event: Open enrollment is happening now until March 31st, and you can sign-up here: https://gabyguzman.com/community
Insider Experience: For me, this group of soulful sisters provides a much needed environment for the female entrepreneurs to dip their toe into networking and community support. Although I can’t always make the monthly co-working or live events, I always love being able to watch a fellow Comadre teach the community something valuable on a Facebook Live or learn something from such a variety of amazing, unique women. For instance, my friend Lacey McLaughlin hosted a Facebook Live in the group about “Finding Your Voice: Strategies for Owning Your Story.” How many people have struggled with this? Or maybe you didn’t even know they needed a story to position yourself in the market. Lacey’s presentation taught us how to tell your story in a way that attracts your ideal clients, and by the end, she taught me that and so much more. That’s what Comadres is all about! They lift women up spiritually and professionally.
Being able to learn from someone who is an expert in their field without being charged a large upfront consultation fee is an invaluable resource for you to have, and in Las Comadres, it’s literally right at your fingertips.
I also love the monthly book club as well (which you can also attend via the livestream and Zoom link usually), and they just started hosting more social events and happy hours (which are right up my alley!). Last month we had a deep dive into “Becoming” by Michelle Obama.
Most events are hosted in spaces of a fellow Comadre (sometimes in a friendly home or at a trendy office location), and this allows those business owners to have an even more meaningful exposure to their potential target market by merely welcoming us into their space! For some people, you might like the lack of attendance requirements (because let’s be honest, some people just don’t want to have the stress of adding anything mandatory to their monthly groove). This means that you can do as much or as little as you want or as fits in your own schedule, and there is no pressure to add something to your calendar if you can’t make it. With this approach to community building and networking, there is a lot less of the pressure you might experience at more traditional events, and the mix of online and in-person monthly happenings means a networking newbie can easily feel more relaxed and find something that’s right for them. An added bonus, the monthly co-working days!
For many female entrepreneurs at the start of their business, working from home is a necessity, but most also crave connection (honestly, who doesn’t every once in a while!). These co-working days allow you to shed the home office and create in a fun space with lots of soulful sister energy supporting you and your work. There is honestly something for everyone, and if you are interested, I would recommend reaching out and taking advantage of open enrollment while it’s here!