Woman of the Week, Katia Millar: October 26, 2009

by Miranda Voth

In the business world, networking plays a huge role in success. Katia Millar, Founder of Positive Fabulous Women, a social network community with a mandate of connecting, empowering and inspiring women in both their personal development and business networking, took this idea and created something just for women.

Katia's journey began a few years ago when her marriage ended, she felt the need to be around more women. Not just any women though, the type of women who had positive attitudes and desire to create amazing lives for themselves."That's not a judgment on my "other" friends, but I was growing as a person and really needed to surround myself with others who were also committed to connecting their purpose and passion while pursuing big dreams and goals for their lives," says Katia.

Katia always wanted to run her own business, and it wasn't long before she started the Positive Fabulous Women and found the connections she was looking for. And she has allowed for over 1,400 Toronto women to do the same.

Women's Post talked to Katia how she created a business out of feeling good about herself

WP: How did you take your idea and make it into a business?

KM: It's interesting, because despite having a business degree and several years of experience in the corporate world in marketing communications, project management and business development, I launched Positive Fabulous Women based mostly on my intuition -- with minimal market research and financial investment. I created the vision of an empowered and supportive community for women, and strongly believed in my ability as a connector. I also knew that I had a good mix of skills and know-how to grow and support the business. It was a very organic process in the early stages, and remains a work-in-progress to this day. However with just over 1,400 members in Toronto in just over 18 months, a full calendar of personal development seminars and networking events, I know that we're on the right track. We have just launched our website, which comes with a whole new set of new opportunities to engage and support our members. It's all very exciting and I'm loving every minute of this amazing journey.

WP: What's your positive business tip to all the women trying to start their own business?

KM: Find a passion, not just a way to generate money. Be crystal clear on who you are, what you stand for, and your personal values. Always trust your gut, it never lies to you. Surround yourself with people who inspire you and support you. Work with your strengths, and find people who enjoy doing the other stuff. Ask for what you want. Learn to say "no". Embrace ambiguity. Don't ever give up. Dream big. Believe, believe, believe.

WP: How do you use social media to build your business?

KM: Social media has been instrumental to our success. I relied almost exclusively on Facebook and Meetup to launch and grow the business, especially in the earlier stages. I recognized the possibilities that these sites offered instantly, and totally embraced the technology and became an early adopter. This provided me with ongoing two-way communication with my members and prospects, and allowed me to fine-tune my message on an ongoing basis. We have been very successful in leveraging our strong social media presence to grow our membership, connect with speakers, sponsors, and advertisers.

WP: What gets you going and keeps you inspired?

KM: My unwavering commitment to my dream and determination to make it happen. When that doesn't do the trick, I turn to my two boys who keep me grounded and remind me daily on what's important in my life. Having children and a new business creates a really challenging juggling act for many women, but I have found that my children add so much depth and vibrant colour to my big life canvass, so makes it even more rewarding and fulfilling.