Inspire Me: Sussex Winning Women

Christina Toimela meets people with a positive can-do attitude. This week: Sussex Winning Women

Circuit training two days in a row left me with no fuel whatsoever in the tank, just like the instructor wanted. I felt a bit shaky after the second class on Sunday but decided to have a quick flick through some local papers at the gym bar. I was not really reading, just looking at pictures and headlines. A picture of a very photogenic lady and a subtitle, “Are You A Woman Looking To Start A Business? Or Looking For A New Way To Connect Your Business,” made me stop. This lady was going to launch Sussex Winning Women at Stanmer House on Tuesday. How inspiring could that be?

I met Jennie Harland-Khan author, speaker, mentor, coach and most importantly – mum and wife, just before she launched the inaugural Sussex Winning Women meeting. She told me how a few years ago being a mum and a wife was the stage where she was at in her life. She had always worked in entrepreneurial businesses, being the right hand and when she had her children she ended up working for her husband.
One day Jennie, from Haywards Heath, woke up to realise that she had another 30–40 years ahead of her and she had no idea what the future was going to look like. All of a sudden she felt that being a mum and a wife was not working for her. Working for her husband was convenient but it was his thing, not hers. She wondered what on earth she was doing and went through the process of finding out what it was that she really wanted. Jennie realised that throughout her life she had inspired other people to achieve their goals, but she had never thought of doing it professionally. One thing led to another and she ended up getting trained in the US by a famous motivational speaker, Bob Proctor, best known for The Secret. Jennie said it all happened very quickly, she became a licensed coach by Bob and met many people.

Jennie got asked what was coming next because people wanted to hear her ideas, even
if they liked Bob’s talks. After all Bob is now a 75-year-old Canadian, a man, and not Jennie. She decided to focus on what to do after your children go to school. This was what her smart clients in the mum-market were wondering. Many women are very good in their roles as mothers and Jennie knows it takes a lot to step out. Her book I’m Back is all about that.

Stronger together
Today Jennie’s children are six and eight, and she has made it a bit easier for herself. Jennie now focuses more on women in business who have already said “yes” to themselves and who already know what they want. The aim of the Winning Women group is to bring women together. There are many groups online but Jennie thinks you just can’t beat the physical getting together of a group and the energy it brings. She wants the group to be a safe place to express where you are going and wants women to feel they will be supported by one another. She wants these women to eagerly anticipate the next months’ meeting and the speaker to be specially chosen to serve their needs.

“Many women are very good in their roles as mothers and Jennie knows it takes a lot to step out”

Teaching irresistibility
The founder of Winning Women, Allison Marlowe, was Jennie’s inspiration. She was drawn by Allison’s passion, total belief and global vision. Jennie trusted that the right people would come to the group when they were ready. Currently the group is women only because Jennie wanted to narrow it down and because she was originally attracting women post children. Jennie also wants to be 100 per cent herself and she feels that she can be more authentic among women. She also thinks that if you are with the right women there is a much more supportive feel to the group. Women are more sharing and become friends whereas men concentrate on business. When asked, Jennie says women could learn from men on how to sell and “just do it” and not to let emotions and hormones get in the way.

Jennie’s focus is moving into how to be irresistible on the inside. It’s not about what you look like, it’s the attraction factor she is after: “What is it about those women who have it and who just have opportunities coming their way? What makes some women stand out?” Jennie focuses on teaching the mental state in which you attract positive things your way. Jennie used to have it, but post children she lost ‘it’, the natural ability of being irresistible and attracting things her way. She had to learn to do it again. According to Jennie some women are born irresistible but everyone is attractive in their own way and depending on the mental strength of an individual ‘it’ can be taught.
“This is what Winning Women is all about.

We are the best we can be,” says Jennie as she smiles irresistibly.

Sussex Winning Women meetings are held every first Tuesday of the month in a different location, with different speakers.

Do you know any people who have really inspired you in Brighton?
We’re not looking for celebrities.
Not ordinary, but extraordinary.
Contact Christina: christina.toimela@gmail.com