Aspire Plant City officially launched Tuesday night, drawing more than 100 women to Wishing Well Barn where they learned about the new women’s group.
A new women’s group received overwhelming support during its official launch Tuesday evening.
Aspire Plant City is hoping to create a space for women empowerment to flourish. Spearheaded by Courtney Paat and Sophia Hyde, the group blossomed from a desire to have a women’s group that would encourage relationships both professionally and personally between women in Plant City.
“We started the idea of a women’s group about a year ago and Sophia and myself had a conversation one day after
yoga class about how it felt like there was a need for a women’s group in Plant City and that many of the women here were not being served,” Paat said.
The group is open for women of all ages and at the launch event, held at Wishing Well Barn, the attendees ranged from high schoolers to retirees. Paat said the beauty of the group was it was there for any and all women, whether they were just starting in their careers, stay-at-home moms, retirees or still in school.
Aspire plans to have a variety of events each month to foster connections between its members. Paat said there will be a lunch meeting, which will feature a speaker, a coffee networking session and an after hours evening social. The next three months for the group have already been planned and will include events like a thank you card gathering and a sunset social.
Eventually, Paat said the hope is there will be book clubs, mentoring and volunteer opportunities and potentially even a charitable arm of the organization. She said it was important to both Hyde and herself that they create a culture and space where women can come and “not be judged or torn down” for where they are or what they’ve accomplished.
“Women have a tendency to tear each other down rather than build each other up and all women, either in the business world or in our personal lives, we all will be more successful and more thriving if we’re supporting each other and encouraging each other,” Paat said.
At the launch, Michelle Welch, owner of Wishing Well Barn, discussed how important it was that women know they are loved and supported. As a board member for Aspire, she went over the morals and motto of the new group and encouraged attendees to share with each other stories of women who have encouraged them throughout their lives.
Angelica Ibarra, founder of Plant City-based Learn Tampa Bay, stood up and told the story of learning to overcome her insecurity and self-doubt with the help of a loving teacher.
She said it was crucial women in Plant City get connected via a group like Aspire and love on their community so they can help young girls and their fellow women know that they are strong and that anything is possible.
The first few events with Aspire will heavily focus on networking and building that undercurrent of camaraderie throughout the group, while still providing educational and inspirational lectures. On May 2 the group will offer an educational lunch at the Chamber of Commerce Meeting Room, on May 14 there will be a Networking Social at the Corner Store and May 22 is the coffee connection event at Krazy Kup.
Aspire plans to unite not only local women but also businesses throughout Plant City. Paat said the evening socials
and coffee connections will hopefully be held throughout the town so women can get to know the city that they all live in. Interested businesses can reach out to Paat or Hyde to host an event.
All of the events will be on the group’s Facebook page and on aspireplantcity.org.
During the launch, more than 100 women flocked to Wishing Well, which Paat said testifies to the need for such a group.
“Curiosity, to me that’s just a sign that women want something more, they’re looking for something more because the invitation doesn’t give you a whole lot of information,” Paat said. “It’s intentionally vague so to have this much energy and curiosity, I feel justifies and proves our thought that the women are looking for something different.”
