I recently attended the Third Anniversary party for The Mom-e Club, a networking and support organization for female entrepreneurs juggling the responsibilities of business and family.

Mom-e Club founder Tisha Marie Pellatier points out some of the benefits of membership. (Photo by Maria Fossler)

Started by a colleague of mine, Tisha Marie Pelletier of Simply Put Marketing, the organization has grown to 14 chapters among four states (Arizona, California, New Jersey and Ohio) and is preparing to launch new chapters in Colorado and Texas. It will go international at the end of this month with a chapter in South Korea.

The party was on the rooftop deck of a restaurant at Tempe Marketplace, which passes for centrally located in the sprawling Phoenix area. (Put another way, that’s about as far east as a West Valley resident like me is likely to go.) There are nine Mom-e chapters in Arizona, eight in greater Phoenix and one in Holbrook.

The weather cooperated, and I met some interesting women. Among them was the group’s 2013 Mom Entrepreneur of the Year, Angela Harrolle. A former Secret Service agent, Harrolle turned her experiences from numerous job transfers into The Fed Realty Group, which helps federal employees relocate. She also is a part owner of several restaurants, including the local Humble Pie gourmet pizzerias.

There were some Mom-e Club synergies on display as well. Gwen Tautimez – Tisha’s partner in another business, Details Event Management – was on hand to help with logistics. Another attendee was Carli Auer, who joined the club after attending an event Details managed for her alma mater, the American Medical College of Homeopathy. Photographer Maria Fossler was there to document the Mom-e anniversary party.

Beyond networking, the club offers work/life coaching, educational webinars, online access and listings in its membership directory. Events include monthly chapter meetings, quarterly social mixers and the annual Mom Entrepreneur of the Year event each May. (Click here for information on dues and membership benefits.)

“We bring mom and women entrepreneurs together in a safe, comfortable environment to build meaningful connections and learn from one another through our meetings and educational webinars,” club says on its website. “No high heels or facades required. Come join us and just be.”

The reference to a “safe, comfortable environment” is more than just marketing pablum. As part of the Third Anniversary celebration, club members collected more than 30 used purses for clients of the Sojourner Center, which provides shelter and support services to women and children affected by domestic violence. Some of those clients left everything behind to seek shelter, so donated clothes and accessories help them get back on their feet.

Looking Ahead

Tisha’s goals for The Mom-e Club’s fourth and fifth years include:

• adding chapters domestically and on U.S. military bases overseas;
• continuing to attract top-caliber moms and women entrepreneurs; and
• supporting members with a variety of resources to help them succeed.

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Tags: Angela Harrolle, Carli Auer, Details Event Management, entrepreneurs, Gwen Tautimez, Humble Pie, Maria Fossler, Small Business, Sojourner Center, The Fed Realty Group, The Mom-e Club