The Wise Leaders Council

Business & leadership development compatible with the fullness of life.

A private community for CEOs, founders, and leaders who are also parents, mothers, fathers, caretakers, and more.

EARLY BIRD 2024
APPLICATION DEADLINE

JAN 30

REGULAR 2024
APPLICATION DEADLINE

FEB 15

WELCOME SESSION &
COHORT KICKOFF

FEB 29

The Wise Leaders Council

AT A GLANCE

Our members are founders, business owners, investors, leaders, and entrepreneurs—who are also parents & caretakers. We meet once a week from February through the first week of December.

  • WWC is a year-long leadership incubator filled with kind, brilliant community members who understand what you’re going through. This is a space for you to level up and grow, and to shift the way you work, and to gain more clarity, insight, and ease.
  • We are business owners, bootstrappers, founders, solo-preneurs, authors, freelancers, and investors. The majority of our members are founders. About a third of our members are intra-preneurs and business leaders operating within companies and teams who find the business resources and community a strong match for their careers.
  • Each month, we explore one core leadership concept together, drawing from real-life experiences and challenges you’re facing. Throughout the year, we take you through our Wise Leadership Philosophy, an approach that allows for the fullness and messiness of life across all areasThe practice of wise leadership is about creating space for all of who you are.
  • We host one call each week. The first week of the month, Sarah hosts the All-Group Call, a playful gathering for connection and delight. The second week, we offer Drop-In Coaching to get on-demand support as needed. The third week are your Small Group Calls, and the fourth week are optional Co-Working Sessions for you to get things done in a collaborative environment.
  • You’ll be thoughtfully grouped in a small-group mastermind to spend time together with during the year ahead. The groups are designed with your skillsets, expertise, and industries in mind so that you will have people to lean on and learn from.
  • Our calls happen primarily at 10AM Pacific / 1PM Eastern on Thursdays. We record the calls for playback, create a one-pager of notes, and share transcripts post-call so you can review materials quickly and easily. The design and rhythm of this program are specifically tailored to the lives of modern working parents and caretakers.
  • We start in February and wrap up the first week of December. We welcome new members by application only. Click here to submit an application to join the next cohort.
  • Pricing is all listed right here on the website. We have an annual tuition due up front to join the program, or a payment plan with a deposit to hold your spot. Scroll down or use the Control-Find keys to search for “pricing” or click here to skip to the tuition section.

If you want to live a more connected, rested, and intentionally-designed life, you’re invited to join us.

We believe that leadership is about grounded wisdom, calm confidence, and sourced from your inner knowing. I’ll explain more about how we do all of this—and what happens when you join—down below.

— Sarah Peck
CEO & Founder,
Startup Parent

 

What MEMBERS Are Saying

 

Alexis Grant, Founder of They Got Acquired

Alexis is a media entrepreneur who helps grow companies, teams, people, and profit. She helped grow The Penny Hoarder from a small team to 100 people, and now she’s building They Got Acquired. She joined us for four years and is now a proud WWC alumni.

“I joined WWC because I wanted to connect with other women who were juggling both career and family in a supportive space. I loved the support we all provided each other through career and personal decisions and transitions. Being in the company of these women constantly reminded me that all the sometimes-conflicting feelings I have about family, business and life are normal, and that other women are working through a lot of the same challenges.

It can be really lonely struggling to balance career and family, especially as a new parent. This group added the layer of support I was craving.”

Alicia Jabbar, Women’s Leadership Coach

Alicia Jabbar CPCC, PCC is an executive leadership coach who partners with individuals that sit on the outside of what is known, valued, or understood in the places they live and work. She joined us for two years and is now a proud WWC alumni.

“I am closing out the year with so much gratitude for learning through and with each person here in WWC—around how to be the full complex human, mother, and business owner that I am.

Prior to joining this group I knew almost no female entrepreneurs with kids and I am leaving with inspiration and freedom to find my own way into my new role as a mother.”

 

Pavla Loka, Storyteller

Pavla helps people get greater recognition & success through telling real stories and writing books. Pavla joined us in 2020 as a new mom to twins, and joined us again in 2021 and 2022. She recently welcomed a new baby and is now part of our WWC storytelling team at Startup Parent.

“My experience has been transformational, especially on the inside. I was in The Wise Women’s Council in 2020 during the pandemic, with twin babies and zero childcare. While I didn’t “double my revenue,” the first year, I did address my business foundations, I started using my voice, I pitched and got featured, and I still managed my writing business. Most importantly, I gained tools and community far beyond business building, which is priceless.”

 

Lee Price, Founder, View Finder Partners

Lee Price is the founder of Viewfinder Partners, a thought leadership consulting and ghostwriting firm that partners with B2B leaders to clarify their big ideas, find their voice, and write content that converts.

WWC is an incredible blessing. It was a gift I didn’t know I needed. I found companionship, friendship, business support, cheerleaders, and new ideas. WWC helped me find new inspiration I have applied to my work and my personal relationships, including my relationship with myself.

— Lee Price, thought leadership consultant

 

The Program & Structure

A weekly gathering space for founders, leaders, and business thinkers. We meet Thursdays at 10AM Pacific / 1PM Eastern.

PROGRAM AT A GLANCE 

All calls are on Thursdays at 10AM Pacific / 1PM Eastern.

WEEK 1

ALL-GROUP CONNECTION CALLS

Start your month off with a full heart by joining our monthly call. The first week every month, we gather together to share insights and stories from our lives. These aren’t teaching calls as much as they are connection calls—so you get to talk, share, and go deeper with other people.

You’ll meet with other people in the community in real time. We’ll pause, breathe, and come together. These are tightly facilitated, vulnerable, important conversations with plenty of time to connect with other women and share where you are on the journey.

“This is one of the most magical communities I’ve ever been a part of.”

WEEK 2

LEADERSHIP & BUSINESS COACHING

The second week every month, one of our executive coaches leads a drop-in hot-seat session for people to get support. Our leadership and business coaching sessions are here to provide clarity, support, and guidance.

These are available to everyone in the community, and we use breakout rooms and peer structures to support everyone who shows up.

Each month, we send a query for members to submit challenges, and we spotlight coaching sessions in a round-table session. Use these as needed, or join us to support other leaders in business.

“My mind is already blown and we’re only 7 minutes in.”

WEEK 3

SMALL GROUP MASTERMIND CIRCLES

When you join, we carefully match you with a small group of business peers in a similar stage of business and leadership to you. The third week of the month is dedicated to your small group—with guidance by our coaches and custom processes.

These groups are the place we go deep: we have real, brave, human conversations at the intersection of life and work, with other people who are going through it alongside you. You’ll have the monthly anchor to check-in, plus a private audio chat room for your group as well.

“I NEVER KNEW THERE WERE All of the possibilities FOR MY career at 40 and 50!”

WEEK 4

OPTIONAL COWORKING &  TIME TO REST

Sometimes it’s better to get your work done next to someone. The last week of every month, two of our members host an optional drop-in coworking session.

Show up, commit to the big work for 90 minutes, and ship your MVP. We save five minutes at the top of the hour to check-in on your work, and a few minutes at the end to share wins.

“Turns out, focusing on sleep is me focusing on my business.”

The Wise Leaders Council is for people who are creative, daring, and kind. Together, we’re building new ways to work, lead, and parent.

 

We only open for new members a few times per year.

“I honestly don’t know who I would be without the Wise Women’s Council. I don’t know how you led us through this in a pandemic, but it was everything I needed and more.”

— MaryKate, Senior Transportation & Engineering Consultant
I couldn’t have imagined a more supportive community that helped me not just survive, but at times thrive, during a pandemic when I was working in an executive full-time role and parenting a young child. I knew going into 2021 that it would be a hard year to establish new friendships in person, so I thought that it would be a great opportunity to meet new people online in a similar stage of life to me. What I didn’t expect was just how expansive WWC was for me. The people I met, what I learned both about myself and the world – it truly expanded what I thought was possible about working parenthood.
— Jessica Wan, Executive Leader

There is no way to describe what it feels like to be validated across all areas of life. So much of being a woman (and more so, a mom) makes one feel invisible. In this space I felt seen and heard by really smart, funny, and fearless parents.

— Stefanie M. Falconi, Policy Entrepreneur

the future of work needs new vision and more life.

It’s time to stop pretending to work like we don’t have big lives. Our future of work needs a new vision. The leaders of today and tomorrow have kids, families, and communities they are a part of. That’s why we’re here.

We bring leaders together to imagine, shift, and change the way we show up — whether that’s at home, with our teams, or in our communities. 

WORK TODAY IS OUTDATED AND BROKEN

That’s why our members are actively pioneering new models of work, play, & life.  

But it’s harder to invent the future when you’re doing it alone. In the Wise Leader’s Council, we share ideas, run experiments, and encourage each other to do new things. It’s a fast-track to shifting your habits, your life, and your joy. Because we can’t keep doing things the way they’ve always been done and expect to get different results.

THE CURRENT MODEL OF WORK IS BROKEN:

These are just a few of the ways that the modern world of work is poorly designed for community, family, and well-being:

❌  The world of work wasn’t designed with working parents or caregivers in mind at all—it is based on a one-earner family, which is no longer applicable in the modern world. Many families have one-parent households, or two-income households, or entrepreneurial leaders that need more flexibility, agility, and grace. 

❌  Yet work and parenting are still often pitted against each other, and the pressure doesn’t ease as you climb the ladder. Often, the higher people go in the ranks of their careers, the more isolated they can feel.

❌  Senior level leaders are often the most impacted by caregiving challenges, with managers and senior men dropping out of the workplace at some of the highest rates. (Source: The Caregiving Crisis, Harvard Business Review).

❌  Advice to push harder, lean in, get better systems, and delegate won’t solve a broken system. It’s deeper than delegation. But the work and exhaustion never stops.

❌  Being a working parent is a tremendous challenge, leaving women exhausted, frustrated, spent, angry, and isolated. More than 30% of moms leave the workforce after they have kids, even though they don’t want to, due to a lack of flexibility, understanding, and support.

Yet most women, parents, and caregivers want to keep working, and they want to pursue their dreams and ambitions. But it is going to take a radically different approach. A different pace, with more flexibility, with kindness and generosity, and surrounded by people who understand what you’re going through. That’s why we believe, teach, and practice different ways of living, being, and working here at Startup Parent.

THE CORE BELIEFS WE BUILD FROM:

🌿 1.

We don’t have to do things the way they’ve always been done.

Building a business, being a working parent, and navigating this new world of work as a parent or leader is hard.

If hustle culture is burning you out and you feel hundreds of miles away from your feelings and your dreams, then the current models of leadership aren’t working.

We won’t get through it doing the same things the same way they’ve always been done. In fact, that’s one of our mottos: We don’t have to do things the way they’ve always been done.

🌿 2.

You were never meant to go it alone.

Here in The Wise Leader’s Council are people who will get you, and people who are redesigning the world of work and parenting alongside you.

Instead of trying to figure out your next steps on your own, you need to be in a network of kind-hearted, driven, brave women who are sharing knowledge and ideas. This is the advisory board and leadership circle you need to support you as you navigate your life.

🌿 3.

Parenting and work do not need to be at odds.

At Startup Parent, we believe that parenting shouldn’t be at odds with work—and the insights from your parenting journey propels you as a leader that this world needs. It’s okay to rest, to go slower, and to make space for family. You don’t have to give up a career to have kids. You might have to re-invent it, however. Because it’s up to us to figure out the new world of work, the path forward in parenting, and to build the world we want to live in.

🌿 4.

Motherhood is an incredible time of growth and development.

We believe that motherhood and parenting are incredible assets in your growth and development. The skills you gain have the potential to transform your leadership ability and give you unparalleled gifts that the executive suites and board rooms need more of. But the current world of work largely ignores these very real puzzles, and as a result, our leadership capacities are stifled.

🌿 5.

Parenting and work can fit together when we edit and update the design of our lives.

At Startup Parent, we believe that parenting shouldn’t be at odds with work—and the insights from your parenting journey propels you as a leader that this world needs.

We’ve put together this incubator to help women, men, and people grow as leaders— supporting you with coaching, a stand-out community, business breakout sessions, and expert guidance in the way of our group advisory board.

🌿 6.

Radical change happens when we get to show up as our full selves.

We need to show up as our full selves—complete with partnership challenges, marriage struggles, parenting snafus, fertility disappointments, and more—in order to continue to grow in our full leadership potential. Come be seen, heard, supported, and understood.

“WWC is an incredible blessing. It was a gift I didn’t know I needed. I found companionship, friendship, business support, cheerleaders, and new ideas.

— Lee Price, founder of View Finder Parters & thought leadership consultant.
I loved everything about the program. The women who joined me were inspiring, thoughtful, emotionally intelligent, and eager to be in community. That alone made every forum for interacting worth my time and focus. SKP is brilliant at holding space, providing sparks for connections, and letting go of any attachment of a plan in service of meeting the group where they are and what they are needing.
— Alicia Jabbar

Being with Sarah in a mastermind is a totally life-changing experience. She has a knack for listening in a really powerful way. But here’s the thing: having my turn to speak in the hot seat is always life-changing. What was more surprising and powerful was how much I got out of being there for other people. Sarah models how to listen, how to ask insightful questions, and how to create space for other people to be honest, to be real, to be growing-in-process. Through her guidance, I became a more active listener and connected more deeply to other people’s stories. That was the game changer: being a powerful listener is the substance of true, life-long connections.
— Kinzie Ferguson, Owner, The Empowerment Photographer

We want you in The Wise Leaders Council with us this year.

Applications are now open. Early Bird applications are eligible for the early bird pricing — save up to $975 when you apply early.

OUR VISION

The Wise Leadership Philosophy

Leadership growth happens when you have space where you can show up as your full self.

The Wise Leader’s Council is where you can show up fully in front of mentors and peers across all areas of your life—with a mess at home, stress at work, doubts, and all of the callings that still ache inside of you. Because we’ve been there and we’re also going through it.

What we’ve found in running this program for four years is that this one-of-a-kind community becomes an incubator for your personal and professional growth. The structure—a weekly cadence of live calls and hands-on discovery—is focused on creating critical space for your own integration and exploration. This is a your sacred place to let your full self show up. It’s place to develop, test, and refine your leadership skills. In doing so, you’ll expand your leadership capacity.

Here’s what we focus on in our leadership model:

CONNECTION — A lot of growth happens when we’re deeply connected and supported—not when people are isolated or alone.

EXPERIMENTATION — We won’t get through it doing the same things the same way they’ve always been done. We need a place to try new things, experiment, and learn from failures.

REFLECTION — It’s critical for leaders to have dedicated time for internal inquiry, honesty, and reflection.

COMMUNITY — We are raising the bar for what it means to be in community.  Communities thrive with clear boundary articulation, strong guidelines, and high standards.

BRAVERY — We enforce our community standards so we can have deep, brave & trusted conversations where we examine some of life’s biggest questions.

INTIMACY — We currate intimate personal connections that we are experts in building through multiple mediums and layered conversations. These connections are the kind that lead to feeling fully seen and often develop into life-long friendships.

CURIOSITY — In our approach, we seek to understand what a more feminine, creative, and connective leadership could look like. One that is dynamic, fluid, and intuitive. We’re fascinated and intrigued by the study of female biology and systems, to complement and engage with our overly rigid, singularly-masculine work and management styles.

RESPECT — We approach leadership and life with an honor and respect for how parenting, caretaking, and community are essential parts of life, and have so many leadership lessons to teach us.

EXPANSION — Together, we meet weekly to gather, laugh, cry, connect, and share. We’re here to support you as you expore and expand your leadership capacity.  In this community, we lean into our individual growth curves to expand our leadership potential. For some, that means learning how to get more rest, for others, it means learning how to set better boundaries. And yes, it happens right now, inside of the chaos that life continues to bring.

OUR FRAMEWORK:

This is a space for your full self to show up, a place to develop, test, and refine your leadership skills. In doing so, you’ll expand your leadership capacity.

 

STRONG CONTAINER FOR GROWTH

TIGHTLY FACILITATED, SMALL-GROUP FORMAT

Our tightly facilitated calls and small group spaces create layered conversations that build over time, prioritizing depth, intimacy and true connection.

Our programs are designed based on the principles of connection, trust, and depth. We use science-based research on friendship, connection, and growth to create an experience unlike others out there.

EXPERIENCED LEADERS & INNOVATORS

LEADERS WITH 10-15 YEARS OF INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE

This is not the beginner table (although in business, it can often feel like you’re a beginner).

People join us when they’ve hit a ceiling or a plateau—you’ve been a product manager, you’ve worked in tech, you’ve been a high-level leader at your company before. Now you’re staking your claim as a founder, as an executive, or you’re running several teams.

 

CANDID SPACE FOR REAL CONNECTION

HONEST TALK ABOUT LIFE, LEADERSHIP + BUSINESS

No gurus, no formulas. Show up successful, show up messy. Be real.

In this council, we ask that you don’t leave parts of yourself behind. There are too many boundaries and edges in how people are supposed to “perform,” and we need to strip back those layers to find who we really are, and lead from there.

KINDNESS,  HONESTY, & DEPTH

DEEP, BRAVE, TRUSTED CONVERSATIONS.

Confidential and candid space to talk with our clear guidelines and small-group formats.

We prioritize intimacy and personalization over “networking” and “maximizing value.” You’ll be put in a small group with people at your level.

THE JOURNEY IS UNIQUELY YOURS

WE MEET YOU ON YOUR UNIQUE LEADERSHIP JOURNEY

Each leader’s journey is unique and requires customization, experimentation, and personalization.

No cookie-cutter formulas or one-size fits all. No gurus. The world of business changes too fast for that. We bring integrity, science and rigor, and tested frameworks to explore for your specific situations.

“I feel so proud of everyone — not only for what we’ve achieved this year, but for being vulnerable in discussions that helped us grow.”

— Lexi Grant, Media Entrepreneur & Founder of They Got Acquired

PARENTING IS A TIME OF INCREDIBLE TRANSFORMATION.

At Startup Parent, we believe that parenting shouldn’t be at odds with work. Instead, the opposite is true: parenting is an incredible time of transformation, and the insights from your parenting journey should fuel your growth and transformation as a leader.

WHAT ALUMNI ARE SAYING

— How our alumni describe the program —

 
WWC was the group I didn’t know I needed. And as big as the surprise was, the more I got from it. I didn’t quite understand what the program was about, but decided to go with my intuition. I’ve learned, connected, felt close to, cried, shared stories that I’ve never thought others would care about, asked for advise, laughed, dug deep (and then even deeper), challenged by my own perspectives of things and — had the privilege to hear from so many inspiring women. Sarah, you are creating something so magical here, which is why I suppose it’s so hard to understand what the WWC is all about. — Liron T.

WWC has been such a rich experience for me—deep, juicy, layered, textured, expansive, and affirming. Juxtaposed against the backdrop of a grueling second pandemic year, the contrast could not be more stark. WWC was a haven and a respite and a source of energy, strength, creativity, courage, and community when I needed all of those things perhaps more than ever before. Two of the biggest lessons I will take away from this experience are the power of being part of an intentional community and the power of reflecting on one’s own story, experiences, beliefs, habits, and values. Sarah K Peck, you have done a brilliant job of curating this group in every way, from convening this specific assemblage of beautifully human humans to shaping the experience with thought, care, and no shortage of magic all the way through. — Jody R. K.

WWC has been such a rich experience for me—deep, juicy, layered, textured, expansive, and affirming. Juxtaposed against the backdrop of a grueling second pandemic year, the contrast could not be more stark. WWC was a haven and a respite and a source of energy, strength, creativity, courage, and community when I needed all of those things perhaps more than ever before.

— Caroline O.

I am closing out the year with so much gratitude for learning through and with each of you how to be the full complex human, mother, and business owner that I am. Prior to joining this group I knew almost no female entrepreneurs with kids and I am leaving with inspiration and freedom to find my own way into my new role as a mother. — Alicia J.

This was the best investment into myself this year. This group has helped me grow, sometimes just by being a non-judgmental sounding board where I could pour in my ideas, my progress, my struggles. Knowing that there are other women out there who can relate, who understand, and who who can roll their eyes out loud with, that has been transformational. — Valentina T.

Meet Your Coaches

These are the people holding space for you throughout the year. If you’d like to go deeper with 1:1 personalized coaching, we offer 1:1 and small group coaching as an add-on for added clarity, support, and personalized feedback and growth. 

Michelle Florendo

DECISION ENGINEER & COACH FOR TYPE-A PROFESSIONALS
Michelle Florendo is a personal and executive coach for Type-A professionals and is known for her analytical approach to coaching. With a BS in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University, and an MBA from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, Michelle uses a blend of decision engineering, design thinking, and lean startup principles to help her clients map their path forward. Michelle teaches driven professionals how to use the principles of decision engineering to craft careers that energize them. Michelle has lead workshops at the Haas Berkeley Women In Leadership Conference and guest-taught on career decision making in Stanford’s famous Design Your Life course. She served on the inaugural coaching team for Seth Godin’s altMBA, is a founding member of the Forbes Coaches Council, and is an adjunct faculty member at New Ventures West.  

Sara Taylor Tans

CERTIFIED COACH & BUSINESS OWNER
Sara Tans is an ICF-certified coach and founder of Pathways to Parenthood, where she provides strategic support to new and working parents and the companies who employ them. Sara believes that every parent could benefit from having a coach. She is passionate about helping women navigate the overwhelm that comes with the parental transition and supporting them in finding ways to continue to grow the spaces in their lives that make them feel like themselves, while still being the parent they want to be. Sara also believes that companies have a lot of work to do to provide the type of work environment that allows families to thrive and aims to provide solution- based guidance to both organizations and their employees. Sara has supported hundreds of working parents through her businesses, Pathways toParenthood and Coaching By Sara. Sara also serves as a Career & Back-to-Work Coach for Maven Clinic.  

Mariana Vélez

CERTIFIED INTEGRAL COACH

As a certified Integral Coach, Mariana is committed to helping people develop emotional, embodied and relational capacity, and reclaim territories of peace within themselves, so they can move meaningfully through their lives.

She brings ten years of experience in the non-profit and public sectors to her coaching, including work with the United Nations Development Program and in Mexico City’s Human Rights Commission. Originally from Mexico, her strong intercultural background — including time living in Panama, Ecuador, Canada and the United States — informs her coaching work.

She is a certified Integral Coach from New Ventures West in San Francisco, California and a highly skilled process facilitator. In addition to her role as a coach, she currently works at The Nature Conservancy, strengthening leadership networks around Indigenous and community-based conservation.

EARLY BIRD 2024
APPLICATION DEADLINE

JAN 30

REGULAR 2024
APPLICATION DEADLINE

FEB 15

WELCOME SESSION &
COHORT KICKOFF

FEB 29

Meet Some of our Members:

MEMBER PROFILE

Meet Pavla Loka, Founder Storyteller

Pavla joined us in 2020 as a new mom to twins, and joined us again in 2021 and 2022.
“My experience has been transformational, especially on the inside. I was in The Wise Women’s Council in 2020 during the pandemic, with twin babies and zero childcare. While I didn’t “double my revenue,” the first year, I did address my business foundations, I started using my voice, I pitched and got featured, and I still managed my writing business. Most importantly, I gained tools and community far beyond business building, which is priceless.”
Alicia Jabbar Startup Parent Feature Wise Women’s Council

MEMBER PROFILE

Meet Alicia Jabbar,
Women’s Leadership Coach

Alicia joined us in 2021 and 2022.

“I am closing out the year with so much gratitude for learning through and with each of person here in WWC around how to be the full complex human, mother, and business owner that I am.”

 

“Prior to joining this group I knew almost no female entrepreneurs with kids and I am leaving with inspiration and freedom to find my own way into my new role as a mother.”

MEMBER PROFILE

Meet Erin Simpson,
Founder & Principal of Brick Lane PR

Erin was pregnant when she signed up to join The Wise Women’s Council in 2019.

“I had been devouring the podcast and found it really inspiring as I was mentally piecing together what life as an entrepreneur, working mother, wife, might look like. I said “Ahh, these are my people!”

 

“I knew I’d transition into becoming a mother during the course of the WWC so it felt like the perfect way to learn, grow and get support from and connect with an amazing group of like-minded women during this vulnerable and uncertain time.

 

“You’ll be surprised how big of an impact WWC can have on your life, and how much you grow by being connected with these women, and what you’ve probably been missing in other areas of your life.

 

“After WWC, I am more honest, more vulnerable, more open and also am challenging myself to be really kind to myself. I am used to just being heads down cranking away and taking the time, space, and care to just sit with new feelings was scary but so rewarding. I feel like I just can see things differently now. It was amazing was how kind, helpful and loving these people I hadn’t met in person could be, and sometimes I felt more seen and heard by them than people I see and talk to every day.”

MEMBER PROFILE

Meet Alexis Grant,
Founder of The Write Life

Alexis is a media entrepreneur who helps grow companies, teams, people, and profit. She helped grow The Penny Hoarder from a small team to 100 people, and now she’s building They Got Acquired. She joined us for four years and is now a proud WWC alumni.

“I joined WWC because I wanted to connect with other women who were juggling both career and family in a supportive space. I loved the support we all provided each other through career and personal decisions and transitions.”

 

“Being in the company of these women constantly reminded me that all the sometimes-conflicting feelings I have about family, business and life are normal, and that other women are working through a lot of the same challenges.”

 

“It can be really lonely struggling to balance career and family, especially as a new parent. This group added the layer of support I was craving. In my first few years as a working mom, I felt like it was just so hard, and how the heck was everyone else doing it? My ah-ha moment during this mastermind was that it’s hard for everyone else, too. Sometimes just knowing you’re not alone in your struggle, and having someone else to talk to about it, is enough to get through it.”

More from Alumni:

— Testimonials and experiences from previous alumni, including a few notes from mastermind participants who were in the earliest group program iterations before this officially became the Wise Women’s Council) —

 
WWC is a community of women who are doing interesting work, raising kids, and supporting each other. If you’re working solo, working from home, or just want to build a new community of supportive peers, WWC is an incredible blessing. It was a gift I didn’t know I needed. I found companionship, friendship, business support, cheerleaders, and new ideas. WWC helped me find new inspiration I have applied to my work and my personal relationships, including my relationship with myself.
— Lee Price, thought leadership consultant

LOVED connecting with other women, especially async when possible. It made me feel seen and less alone. I am a Voxer lover now too 🙂
— Jessica B, Entrepreneur

My experience has been transformational, especially on the inside. I was in The Wise Women’s Council in 2020 during the pandemic, with twin babies and zero childcare. While I didn’t “double my revenue,” I did address my business foundations, I started using my voice, I pitched and got featured, and I still managed my writing business. Most importantly, I gained tools and community far beyond business building, which is priceless.
— Pavla Loka, Storyteller, Media Builder

I loved the call to be generous with our time and talents, and how that was met by each deeply invested participant. I felt as if I had a new circle of supporters, people who I also wanted to help meet their goals and dig into challenges and big ideas. The community, all centered around wanting to do and be even better selves, was incredibly empowering.
— Jessica Ashley, Founder, Sassafras Media

I loved having a designated space, time, and community with which to dive deep into the most pressing questions in my personal and professional life. This structure worked really well for me because it provided structured times to pose and answer important questions, an accountability group that inspired me and pushed me to dig deeper, and finally a look into the questions, struggles, and aha moments of other ambitious people! After this mastermind, I have seriously wondered how people function without a similar support network and structure!
— Michele C, Social Entrepreneur

The experience of going through the mastermind with you and our crew was incredible. It left me feeling inspired, supported, poised, and empowered to take action to make my dream of running my own business a reality! I learned concrete tools and ideas from you and my peers in the group and felt truly held and heard in all of our interactions. Thank you for creating this space for our group to gather.
— Gretchen H

Senior Planner, San Francisco, 2017 Mastermind Member

I loved the diversity of people who shared the same values of motivation, growth and learning. It totally exceeded my expectations! This is a structured Mastermind with the opportunity to meet other high-quality, motivated people, dig deep into your questions via deep dives and make progress on your goals.
— Diana Jaunzeikare

Software Engineer, Google

Sarah’s ability to connect people is like magic. Once you meet your Mastermind tribe, you’re sure to build relationships that have the potential to last longer than the 3 months you’re together.
— Shannon Callarman

Content Director , Red Caffeine Marketing & Technology

The group of women you put together was great. They made the program.
— Katie Bronnenkant

Founder, Simple SaaS Finance, 2018 Wise Women's Council

Sarah was a thoughtful and committed guide through this process. I found the monthly rhythms and the check-in calls with her to be wildly helpful. Even more so, I found her theme of asking questions to upend all of my thinking about how to make progress on problems. Instead of saying, I need an action plan! Sarah would ask, why do you feel this way? Why do you think you need that? Throughout that process, you could start to get a better grip and handle on what was actually going on in your own mind.
— Amy Francois

Senior Content Manager + Credit Strategies, GLG

WWC Call

You’ve Got Questions

I’ll do my best to answer all of them.

What is the time commitment?
Plan to spend about two hours a week, based on the science of connection. Research shows it takes approximately 90 hours to truly form deep connections with other people. We took that research, along with design strategies for skipping the small talk, and create a program that’s around 2 hours a week for 52 weeks, or … enough time to make life-long connections. You’ll leave with a network of women you didn’t know how you lived without. We average 90 minutes a week for the live calls and expect around 30 minutes a week in Slack or Voxer. Think of this like a weekly meeting three times a month, plus the best chat room you never knew you needed. Our goal is to offer you flexibility and choice. We know that the last thing you need is more on your to-do list. That’s why this community has been designed and refined over many iterations to fit the lives of most busy working parents everywhere. You can come more when you want to go deep (you might have a big month and need more support), and if you have to skip a week, totally fine. Start with the all-group call on your calendar. The first Thursday of every month, 90 minutes. That’s a must. Add one business breakthrough (90 minutes) and the coaching call (join when you can—when you need it). That’s the framework and the foundation. Miss one? Watch the replay or trust that you’ll connect again next week. We offer a couple of options for you to engage: 90 minute calls at the start of the month, small group coaching, drop-in sessions, guest teachers, Voxer circles, and more — you can spend several hours per week connecting, or a few hours per month. The content is downloadable and streamable offline; we focus on audio, on-demand, and asynchronous as much as possible so you can listen while folding laundry, driving, running errands — or whatever you’ve got going on.
Do you have to be a parent to join?
You do not need to be a parent or pregnant to join us. You should, however, have a desire to think about what it means to raise our future generations — and be in the process of figuring out how pregnancy, parenting, or children will play a role in (or adjacent to) your own life. Want to support other mothers and women in their journeys? You can still join. This is a space for women to be around other women who are thinking about these issues and navigating these choices alongside you. We will spend a fair amount of time talking, thinking, and workshopping parenting issues, so consider this if you want to apply.
How are the Zoom calls led?
With intention. One of the reasons The Wise Women’s Council creates space for such deep conversations is because we spend time creating clear ground rules so we know what to expect, what conversations we can have, and how we’ll respond to each other when we share our brave and vulnerable truths. The goal is to create expectations and offer structure, so that the time we spend together is supportive and fills you up, instead of becoming just another meeting to dread. For more about group guidelines and what makes our calls so special, check out this blog post.
How many people will be part of the community?
This is a space that has become a vibrant, intimate community. In the early days, we started with small groups of six, then expanded to 18 people. A couple years ago we grew to 28 people, and last year we had 36 participants. Every time we grow, we add coaches, create breakout cohorts, and facilitate small groups to retain the intimacy necessary for deep conversation. We are aiming for 30-40 women in our upcoming cycle, but we’ll welcome as many as we can confidently provide support for.
Will you be offering scholarships or work-study programs?
We have a few work-study options for people who want to be a part of the community, but for whom financial cost is a concern. These spaces are available to alumni first, and if there are extra spaces available, we will reach out to those who have applied to let them know we have a spot available. We also offer scholarships in support of social justice + equity, and award as many as we can each year to marginalized groups. If you identify as BIPOC or LGTBQIA+, if you’re a single mom, in a low-income or non-profit position, or you would otherwise like to apply for the scholarship, all of the details are on the application form. Please indicate on your application that you are interested in being considered for this option, which reduces the program fee by up to 30%. There are limited spaces available each year.
What is Voxer?
For many of us, Voxer is a lifeline. To be more specific, it’s a walkie-talkie style app that allows you to send/receive voice memos and text or picture messages. Pretty simple, right? We use Voxer for small group conversations between our live calls, so that you can feel connected even if your schedule doesn’t align perfectly with our meetings. It creates the opportunity for real-time conversation, or a place to catch up when we’re ships passing in the (jam-packed) days and (sometimes sleepless) nights. The app is free to use, and participation in Voxer circles is optional.
Do you need to be an entrepreneur?
Entrepreneurship is not a requirement for participation, although we find many of our members are 10+ years into their careers and are either intra-preneurial, entrepreneurial, or in senior management positions. You can be anywhere in your business journey — whether that’s as a leader at a company, building a side hustle along a job you love, or thinking about taking the leap into something new. Our entrepreneurs come in many shapes: small business owners, side project makers, authors and creatives, freelancers, venture-backed startups, angel investors and people looking for board members, and senior-level managers and VPs looking to start a new project or venture in the coming years. We have female founders who have been entrepreneurs for years, and we also have badass leaders in all sorts of industries who recognize how important it is to be surrounded by other women who are passionate about making great work in the world. In the words of one of our past members, “I know there’s a big move coming for me this year, but I don’t know what it is yet. I want to be able to be around other women while I make these big career moves.” If that sounds like you, then you’re our kind of people.
What are you looking for in a community member?
We’re looking for wise, creative women leveling up in leadership and life. We want to connect driven, thoughtful women who are passionate about changing what it looks like to do work in this world. We are interested in forming a community where people don’t feel alone, or like the “only one” of their identity or situation. Whether it’s single motherhood, divorce, adoption, disability, race, gender fluidity, we strive to create a community that is supportive of all walks of motherhood. If you identify as any of these things — if you are an intra-preneur, or feel entrepreneurial and creative — come join us! We’d love to see you apply.
How much time and access to Sarah will I have?
This is a group program and community first, so all of the connection and conversation will focus first on our all-group calls. Do your best to make those live, because they are magical and foundational. That’s where I will be, and where you can find me. In addition, you’ll have the online portal and I’m in the community often — every week — throughout the program. My goal is to try to start conversations and get going on the big, meaty stuff that might feel hard to talk about. With strong guidelines (you’ll get our community rules when you join!), we can create containers for good, open conversation. If you want to work 1:1 together, check out the executive coaching options or the small group coaching program. We have some extraordinary coaches on staff who can give you space, energy, and time to figure out your next moves. The group coaching program is one of the best all-around coaching packages out there, and an extraordinary value. That said, I don’t go small with what I do and am committed to knowing each participant. I read every word of every application, and keep a chart on the wall by my desk of every single member. I cherish the connections we make and getting to be a part of your life.
Can my company support me in this? How do you get your business or company to help pay for this?
There are many women who ask for financial assistance from their companies or employers, because many have professional development, education, coaching, and ongoing learning reimbursement opportunities. I encourage you to ask at your workplace, and tell them you’re looking at a yearlong leadership coaching program or leadership training program. (If you run your own company, this is an education & training expense that you can file with your accountant.) Great companies are invested in supporting their women leaders and often don’t know how to support women going through the shifts in pregnancy, parenting, and life changes that come at the same time as great leaps in business. Keep in mind that they want to help, and it often needs to fit within the umbrella of what they understand and have done before—although we’re big champions of starting new initiatives, too! Reach out to us at hello@startupparent.com if you’d like support with this conversation.
How do I tell my work, team, or partner about these calls?
Getting time on your calendar is HARD. I like to keep it simple: tell other people that you are taking a course, and missing a class creates a lot of chaos. People understand what “class” is, and it keeps it simple and clear. Be proactive with your team and clue them in to your schedule. “This year, I’m enrolled in a women’s leadership training course, and we meet three times a month at 1PM-3PM eastern.  Classes from March to September, and I’ll be blocking off my calendar accordingly. I could use your help in keeping those dates/times clear. Do you see any conflicts with this schedule, or anything I can switch around to make this work?” If you already have a regular meeting at that time, reach out and ask your peers, “Can we switch the monthly all-hands an hour earlier, or can I show up partway through?” For partnership and spousal dynamics, this is a great opportunity to start a conversation and to set up a clear boundary. The calls happen at nap time on the east coast, and we’ve tried to make a time that most US-based people can come to because it’s very close to lunch or late morning for most folks. In our family, my husband and I now have a calendar system where we tag our calendar events as @social @meeting @important for the level of interruption we’d prefer to have. The @important tags are ones where the other person is on “interruption duty” when the kids are home, even if we both have meetings at the same time. (In one case during the pandemic, my husband had switched his therapy session to the same time I was teaching, and that week in the pandemic, he took interruption duty with his therapist, because a pandemic is not normal times.) You don’t need to adopt this exact system, but you can use it as inspiration to start your own conversations about what is important to you and what you’d like support with. This is, after all, a space for leadership — and leadership also means being true to yourself, your needs, and communicating clearly what you need to the other people in your life, and, finding a system or a solution that works as well as it can for everyone.

More Questions?

Email us at hello@startupparent.com and we’ll do our best to answer whatever questions you have!

It’s time for you to lead.

So often I see women looking around, asking for mentors, questioning, “What’s next?”

You’re next, my dear. The time is now. You are the leader that the world is looking for.

The good news: if it feels like it’s confusing, overwhelming, and intimidating—you’re well on your way. We’re a group of women dedicated to doing things that have never been done before, which means it is bound to be a little messy.

So what? We’re #boss when it comes to wiping up shit, managing the motherload, and negotiating with toddlers. Even after all that, we still get to work. That’s what it’s all about.

Leadership is big. It’s a lot. We’re here for you and your growth. It you’re here, I know that you are building something big with your life and your work, and it’s time for you, me, and all of us to step into our strength.

But leadership shouldn’t mean doing it alone. Nope, not here. Here at Startup Parent, we build up the next generation of female founders and business women by leaning on the strength of each other.

We can’t do things the way they’ve always been done and expect different results.

Let’s forge a new path of working, parenting, and being. Together.

We’ll go deep. Talk about the important stuff. We’ve got big things we need to discuss, and we need to be in conversation with each other. Things break down when people are separated and isolated from each other. That’s why we need to be in community. We’ll be together for much of the year, discussing the things that matter, sharing on topics that need to be discussed.

Motherhood, entrepreneurship, pregnancy: it is currently way too lonely. Kurt Vonnegut once wrote that we need at least fifty people in our lives. I agree: we need way more people in our lives. More good people. The goal here? Meet new and familiar faces as we journey together through these challenging, but so rewarding, years of our lives.

We need other women in our lives. Not after-work drinking buddies. Not light professional connections. Not fake friendships. We need people who are in the trenches with us, thinking big, tackling the challenges of our generation. Women who are changing what it looks like to be a working woman and what it means to raise children.

Come for the yearly program. Make connections to change the rest of your life.

It’s not always easy to see where you’re going—or the fullness of your own potential. We’ll help you see both.

We want you in The Wise Leaders Council with us this year.

Applications are now open. Early Bird applications are eligible for the early bird pricing — save up to $975 when you apply early.

JOIN US IN THE COUNCIL

Membership Options & Pricing

You are a full member of the community and join us in our weekly sessions, including:

  • All Group Gathering Calls—the first week of every month.
  • Coaching Drop-In Sessions—coaching sessions every month for guided laser coaching and workshopping with your peers and a coach, the second week every month.
  • Small Group Mastermind Sessions—the third week of every month.
  • Coworking Sessions—member-led sessions to get your work done, held the fourth week of every month.

Plus, when you join, you’ll get:

  • The 1:1 Deep Dive Interviews with every member in the community—described as “one of the best things I never knew I needed—I love LOVE getting to know everyone this way!”
  • A private podcast featuring you and your fellow council members so you can get to know everyone while going about your daily life.
  • Small group audio chats where you will be matched with peers at your level to check-in on progress and discuss the themes throughout the year. New groups start every six months.
  • A private, highly curated member portal to connect and talk with everyone in the community.

— THE COUNCIL —
EARLY BIRD OFFER

** APPLY BY THE EARLY DEADLINE **

$375 / month

Plus a one-time tuition payment of $1,175.

Early bird pricing is available for two weeks before the regular enrollment period begins. You must apply by the early bird deadline to be eligible. Late applications are not eligible for early bird pricing.

Payment plan: A non-refundable deposit of $1,175 to hold your spot, plus twelve (12) monthly payments of $375.

Pay-in-full: Save $925 if you pay your tuition fees in full.

— THE COUNCIL —
REGULAR ENROLLMENT

** REGULAR PROGRAM TUITION **

$475 / month

Plus a one-time tuition payment of $1,175.

Regular enrollment opens in February. Submit your application to join our community. You will hear back within 1-2 weeks of submitting your application.

Payment plan: A non-refundable deposit of $1,175 to hold your spot, plus twelve (12) monthly payments of $475.

Pay-in-full: Save $1,625 when you pay your tuition fees in full.

THE COUNCIL + UPGRADE
1:1 PRIVATE COACHING

** EXECUTIVE COACHING UPGRADE **

$1,625 / month*

Only 6 spaces available.

This option is for senior leaders and founders looking for dedicated coaching with some of the best coaches in the world. You’ll join the council as a full member, plus upgrade to work 1:1 with an executive coach or a founder coach. Limited spaces available. Available by application only.

Payment plan: All coaching plans include a non-refundable deposit of $2,575 to hold your spot, plus twelve (12) monthly payments.

Monthly pricing depends on the coach’s experience and background, and the number of monthly sessions. It typically ranges from $1,475 to $1,975 per month. Contact us for full coaching details and a quote.

A few important details. Tuition is due in full by the time we begin the program together.  If you enroll in a payment plan, you are responsible for all payments—your space in non-refundable and non-replaceable.

Refund policy. As a service-based offering, we do not offer refunds more than two weeks after the program begins. The one-time deposit is non-refundable, and any payments you have made are non-refundable. In the case of emergencies or extenuating circumstances, we will work with people on a case-by-case basis to create space to enroll you in a future session.

Scholarships. We have a select number of scholarships available in pursuit of social equity and social justice. All of the information about our scholarship program is on our application form. When you apply, select on the application that you’d like to apply for a scholarship.

EARLY BIRD 2024
APPLICATION DEADLINE

JAN 30

REGULAR 2024
APPLICATION DEADLINE

FEB 15

WELCOME SESSION &
COHORT KICKOFF

FEB 29

The Wise Women’s Council

Business & leadership development that works for moms.

A private entrepreneurship community for women CEOs, founders, and leaders navigating business and motherhood.