With 2020 coming to an end (it can’t come soon enough!), I thought I would use this space to tell you all about the benefits of joining the Women in Retail Leadership Circle (WIRLC) community! After all, you deserve a holiday gift to yourself — especially one that will help you achieve your professional goals in 2021! (It also makes a great gift for the women in your life whom you lead, mentor or work with.)

WIRLC is comprised of successful, motivated and passionate women from across the retail and brand ecosystem. Beyond directly connecting with the industry’s most elite women leaders, the benefits of membership include everything from peer group meetups to special event discounts and much more. Here are 10 reasons to join WIRLC:

  1. Exclusive access to WIRLC’s Membership Directory. WIRLC members represent some of the leading brands in the retail industry, including Lilly Pulitzer, QVC, PetSmart and more. This is a great tool to help you find members to connect with based on job function or company.
  2. Our WIRLC Forum is an online discussion space where members can engage in valuable conversations with their peers. Conversations include a variety of topics, including industry news, job opportunities, industry event coverage, and more.
  3. An exclusive Job Board for members. If you’re looking to take the next step in your career, you may find your next job with the help of our exclusive, curated listing of available executive positions at top retailers and brands. We also encourage members to submit open positions to the job board.
  4. WIRLC members have access to an archive of exclusive content, including articles, videos, interviews with top career coaches and retail industry leaders, in-depth research reports, and more. Our exclusive content also includes full-length videos from sessions at our live WIRLC events.
  5. A Research Library filled with valuable industry resources. Some of these resources are produced by WIRLC and its sister brand, Total Retail, while others are provided from third parties like Cushman & Wakefield, Korn Ferry, among other respected outlets. As a member, you get immediate access to these resources. Once you’re logged in on the WIRLC website, you can easily download the PDFs to view on-demand.
  6. Members have access to special offers from Women in Retail Leadership Circle partners, including Collaborative Gain, a private community of senior leaders assembled into councils of peers by job function, and Innovation Women, an online visibility bureau that helps connect innovative women with event managers for speaking opportunities.
  7. An Ambassador Program that enables members and other leaders in our community to coordinate meetups with other executive women in their local areas. The program was created as way to give our members more opportunities to connect with each other, network and grow.
  8. Access to thought leaders, mentors, career coaches and others that can help women take their careers to the next level. WIRLC members can find a list of all of the great career coaches who have spoken at the Women in Retail Leadership Summit and On the Road events over the years on our website.
  9. Women in Retail Leadership Circle’s peer group calls are designed to give members the chance to connect with each other via private video calls. These groups consist of eight to 10 members, are segmented by job function, and meet weekly or biweekly.
  10. Finally, when we’re allowed to safely gather in large groups again, WIRLC provides event discounts to members. Members receive discounted registration to the annual Women in Retail Leadership Summit (a $395 value, which is equal to the cost of membership), discounted registration to WIRLC: On the Road regional events (members attend for just $99!), and free access to Women in Retail Leadership Circle events at industry trade shows.

If you’re interested in learning more about becoming a WIRLC member, please visit our site for more information, or reach out to me at jdipasquale@napco.com.