Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve spent a lot of time speaking to retailers, friends and colleagues on the phone (and, of course, on Zoom) about the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact it is having on the retail industry. From those conversations, it has become increasingly clear to me that we’re in a unified state of uncertainty, anxiety and fearfulness. However, I’ve also learned that people are hopeful that we will emerge from this crisis stronger, while also looking for ways to help each other in the present.

This got me thinking about the Women in Retail Leadership Circle (WIRLC). For those of you who may not know, WIRLC is a members-only networking group that offers enterprise-level women in the retail industry a place to learn, connect and grow. WIRLC offers many great resources that are currently helping its members navigate these difficult times. Here are a few perks you can use right now:

  1. Peer Group Calls: WIRLC has started a series of peer group video calls designed to give our members the opportunity to connect with each other. In these private calls, members (who are are segmented by job function) share how they and their companies are handling a variety of issues stemming from the coronavirus pandemic.
  1. Online Forum: WIRLC members are also posting regularly to our online discussion board to connect with each other. Over the past few weeks, topics have run the gamut from a member in search of a retail expert who can help a multistore retailer pivot its focus to a member asking retailers if they had extra fabric on hand that could be used to produce much-needed surgical masks.
  1. Members-Only Content: Members have exclusive access to valuable content — which is perhaps more important now than ever. From articles to videos to research reports and more, this content serves as a resource to create more effective leaders. And we all know more effective leaders are needed now more than ever.

Of course, there are many other benefits of being a WIRLC member. We would love to have you be a part of the Women in Retail leadership Circle. If interested in becoming a WIRLC member, you can apply via this link. Lastly, if you have any questions about becoming a WIRLC member, feel free to contact me at mcampanelli@napco.com. I’m always happy to chat!