The Women’s Inspired Network (WIN), an organization dedicated to connecting and empowering women business owners in the Park City area, is undergoing a relaunch. With a refreshed mission, new leadership and a renewed focus on connection and impact, WIN aims to become a vital force in the local business landscape for women.
WIN’s relaunch event Tuesday night at the Shamanic Twist in Kamas aimed to foster camaraderie through interactive exercises, encouraging participants to connect and form lasting connections. The new team also shared ideas and took creative input from members.
In 2015, Kathleen Barlow founded WIN as a collective of women in the Park City Area with a vision of co-creating connection, inspiration, and growth. Recently, Barlow and the new co-director, Kirsten Gunnerud, surveyed their existing email list. A hundred women responded, wanting greater connection, opportunities to grow and acquire new skills, and more joyous experiences.
“We understand the need for face-to-face community,” Barlow said. “This is a community of women in business supporting each other. Women who own their businesses, women who work for others, women who are trying to figure out what they want to do, and even women who have retired.”
The relaunched WIN will focus on:
- Diversity: WIN is committed to creating a welcoming and supportive environment for women of all backgrounds and experiences.
- Impactful Scholarship Program: WIN will continue to raise money for college scholarships for high school girls in the Summit County area.
- Mentorship and community.
“I think we need to get back together, have connections, especially after what we have been through the past four years,” Barlow said. “We need to help each other and have fun together. I believe we are stronger when we support each other.”
WIN has also created a 501(c)(3) — WIN For Good to access even more donors for their scholarship program.
“We’ve been rebuilding this entire organization in less than three months, and it’s pretty incredible,” Gunnerud said. “I have been astounded by how deeply the community wants it. I knew it was valuable, but I didn’t realize the depth. I have also realized how dedicated our local community is to creating any positive change. The more we do at home, the more we can impact a bigger footprint.”
Gunnerud owns Rocket Trike, the brand strategist behind the popular campaign for Las Vegas, “What Happens Here Stays Here.” Being the co-director of WIN aligns with Gunnerud’s goals for herself and her business.
“That work brought a town/brand that was struggling back to thriving because we mined to find its truth, embraced it, created alignment around it, and enhanced that truth not only in messaging but in everything — product, services, experience,” Gunnerud said. “We’re on the 20th anniversary of introducing it to the world (during the Super Bowl), and it’s been getting a lot of press. Everything I do is about finding the gold, the heart and soul of things, creating alignment, and transforming people and brands from struggle to thrive — which is shockingly easy when we embrace truth, heart, and soul.”
The relaunch of Women’s Inspired Network is a testament to the continued need for organizations that support and empower women business owners. By focusing on “connect, inspire, grow,” WIN aims to make a difference in the lives of women in Park City.