The Power of Community and Sisterhood: Building Meaningful Connections and the Right Support Networks
- 5 hours ago
- 4 min read
By Melissa Gonzalez
In many ways, my medical journey and the process of writing have been testaments to the power of community and sisterhood. Being 3,000 miles from home when I was jolted out of sleep and rushed to the ER, I was surrounded not by my biological family but by the unwavering care of my local work family and my chosen family that mobilized immediately to support me. They took shifts around the clock to ensure I had everything I needed to fill in the gaps until my husband and daughter could join me. My sister-in-law in California and my best friend from college (who was living in New York) booked flights without hesitation— choosing action over permission— to stand by my side when my husband had to travel back and forth with my daughter and while my parents couldn’t travel due to being homebound with COVID.
These moments of support were not just acts of kindness; they were demonstrations of the immense power of connection and humanity that binds people together. Similarly, the women who cheered for and contributed to my book have shown me the beauty of collective strength. By sharing their vulnerabilities, experiences, and wisdom, they’ve elevated this project into a mini movement exemplary of the transformative potential of community. Their stories underscore a truth I’ve come to embrace: our connections with others can be our greatest sources of strength, insight, and resilience.
Through my life journey, I’ve come to appreciate how these varied connections enrich our lives. In professional spaces like DealMakeHers, I’ve experienced relationships that transition seamlessly from tactical business discussions to deeply personal conversations about mental wellness and self-care. Whether at a salon-style gathering at the New York apartment of Mindy Grossman, or at a book launch event at Stacy Bern’s office, or standing at the NASDAQ ringing the opening bell together, or together for a 48-hour trip like those masterminded by Nancy Berger, where we experience everything from deep breathwork to cold plunges and multi-hour hikes, together we undergo deep individual exploration as an intimate group for both personal development as well as collective empowerment.
Outside of professional networks, personal friendships provide a different kind of nourishment. There are the people who mobilize at a moment’s notice when “duty” calls— physically or digitally— offering exactly what you need, whether that’s calm guidance, spiritual insight, or the simple joy of letting loose. Some will be your 911 call (Alice Kim, founder of PerfectDD, calls this your 911 Circle), filled with friends who can handle intense situations with calm and tactical means; some will be your deeply spiritual warriors who can go deep with you when you need it; some will be the friends you just need to let dance on tables and get a little crazy, channeling your forever youthful energy; some will see you for all that you are, every gift and every flaw and embrace all elements; some may only understand fractions of you but that’s okay because those are your fractions of deepest connection with them and where you need them most. Some will have the gift of seeing life through rose-colored glasses, no matter what you tell them; others will be your tough love friends who provide the healthy tension you need in certain moments to challenge you and bring out the best in you, fostering your growth.
Together, all the pockets of people in our life form a mosaic of support that meets us where we are and challenges us to be our best.
From personal to professional, women-oriented communities like Luminary, founded by Cate Luzio, and DealMakeHers, founded by Stacy Berns, Stacey Widlitz, and Mary Ann Domuracki, further remind us that shared vulnerability can transform relationships into reservoirs of strength and inspiration. In these spaces, individual well-being is nurtured alongside collective growth, creating opportunities for like- minded connection and mutual uplift. They let us ask questions without judgment, open doors for one another, and gain confidence in asking for the things we want.
“We need to prioritize building relationships with other women. It’s not a nice to have, it’s not just a ‘girl power kind of thing.’” — Kelly Hoey, author, Build Your Dream Network
This is how social science plays out: If you have big aspirations, whether you are an entrepreneur, a lawyer, rising in the ranks of management, an educator, or seeking to succeed in a creative industry, studies show that the women who achieve more of what they are seeking, in comparison to their equally talented and ambitious peers, are those who prioritize networking with other women. In pursuit of our individual interests, if we operate differently and we prioritize networking with other women, we will collectively lift up more women.
When we learn to embrace the diversity of our relationships, we open ourselves to a broader spectrum of possibilities. These connections encourage us to pursue diverse interests, foster ambitions, and explore new perspectives without judgment. By weaving in and out of supportive networks, we create a life enriched by shared purpose, personal growth, and limitless potential. And we begin to embrace pockets of people who fuel personal goals and growth without stigmas.
Ultimately, what I’ve come to realize is that community and sisterhood are not just support systems, they are catalysts for resilience, growth, and transformation. The people we surround ourselves with, in both personal and professional spheres, shape our experiences, expand our perspectives, and hold up the mirror to our best selves. They show up in moments of crisis, celebration, and quiet reflection, reminding us that we are never truly alone in our journeys.
Excerpted with permission from the publisher, Wiley, from The Purpose Pivot: How Dynamic Leaders Put Vulnerability and Intuition into Action by Melissa Gonzalez. Copyright © 2026 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. This book is available wherever books and eBooks are sold.
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