Women Supporting Women - is it really that hard to do?

I’ve spent most of my years living through life not really paying attention to the issues that surround me. I’m guilty, I can admit that. I grew up in an era where I knew women to be competitive with each other and probably still are. Fast forward to recent years, I have been seeing more women support and uplift each other. I know I’ve been doing that on my part.

It’s already hard being in the business industry, being a woman, and on top of that being Black. Last year, I had so many friends who launched their business and I was ready to genuinely support and find ways to help them grow their brand. I created an Instagram page called Support YourFriends (https://www.instagram.com/supportyourfriends_/) which is a platform I use to promote my friends' businesses at no cost. I was also doing a Support Your Friends Series on YouTube where I interviewed my friends with a business so that people can get to know more about the person behind the brand. I was doing great with the series until the pandemic took over, causing me to lose all motivation towards creating further content. I wanted to change the narrative a bit and write about it instead. Check out the series here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtT7svGgjXr3ZyOzUY04BJjkqRSE6FFWh

I had the chance to sit down with the founder of Women Supporting Women Berry Pie. First I’d like to give you guys a little background on who Berry Pie is. Berry Pie is the CEO and founder of Berry Pie Delights LLC (https://www.instagram.com/berrypie_delightsllc/)and leader of Women Supporting Women Group. I have known Berry for decades now, I met her through my cousin, we all attended the same elementary and middle school. I moved after 6th grade to a new city. Berry and I have always been acquaintances. We have many mutual friends and over the years we’ve become closer, I consider her a friend. I’m thing 1, she’s thing 2. She’s going to argue with me when she sees this lol. Berry and I have been roommates on most of our trips that’s how the nicknames came about, wherever I am she’s there, wherever she is I’m there and we’re both always late. Berry Started the group this year during our vision board party and it’s been a journey since then. Check out the questions I had for Berry during our brief interview.

Can you give us a brief background on what Women Supporting Women is?

Women Supporting Women is a group focused on the physical, mental, spiritual & financial well-being of women. As women, we go through many hardships in our lives and at times we feel alone. The goal of this group is to show that we are not alone and uplift one another. Trying to get out of that crab in a bucket mentality and just support/encourage other women. If someone starts a business, we will celebrate in the group chat and encourage people to follow/support their new business. We also encourage others to follow and support small businesses.

What does Women Supporting Women mean to you?

To me, it means to encourage and uplift other women. If I find information that can benefit others, whether it is financially or mentally, I share it with everyone I know. I have friends who do the same. If my friend is trying to start a business, I will support her any way I can. It does not always have to be financial support. I will either send information that will be beneficial to her business, share her business with others and promote the business on all platforms.

What inspired you to start a Women Supporting Women group?

Well, a lot of people may not know this, but I am a very friendly person (I’ve been like this since I was a teen). I do not like having surface conversation, I enjoy having deep conversations. So, when I talk to people, they usually become comfortable and start telling me things such as dreams/aspirations and the things/fears that are holding them back. There were times I would come across women who felt like they were alone, and no one understood what they were going through. I would often give them some encouraging words and try to help them find ways to accomplish their dream the best way I could whether it was through pep talks, advice, article, motivational quotes or introduce them to others that can help them get to where they want to go.

I started to notice a trend and so I decided to create a safe space for women where we can talk about our hardships and how we got through them. I genuinely believe that we go through hardship not only to grow but to help others. Your testimony is not only for you, but it is to help and encourage others.

I also created this group to encourage the support of Women Owned Business. Like I mentioned before, we must get out of the crab in a bucket mentality. We must encourage each other because women, especially black women, are at the bottom of the totem pole. If we have that crab in the bucket mentality, how can we expect to flourish and be great? I love seeing women going after their dreams and accomplishing their goals.

What is your vision for the group?

Eventually, in a few years, I would like for this group to be a national networking group where we host seminars, yearly retreat focused on mental, financial, spiritual and physical growth and events catered to promoting and supporting Women Owned Business. If possible, I am hoping that we can host our first networking event catered to women owned business.

Also, the goal is to have an outreach program where we will be able to work with different high schools and their youth groups that are catered to young women. The outreach program will teach young teens about financial literacy, scholarship vs loans and life after high school. There are a lot of things I wish I was taught before I left high school, so I, along with a few other women in the group, thought that this would be very beneficial to young ladies who are getting ready to graduate.

We also focus on Community service. Eventually, when it is safe to do so, I am hoping we will be able to help the homeless, beach/park clean up, and donate our time in any way that we can.

Berry, you answer the questions beautifully. Thank you for sharing with us about Women Supporting Women Group. I am happy to serve as a board member of the and being a member of the community service outreach. I look forward to growing with the group and wish more success.

Leave us a comment below, let us know what steps you take daily to help support your friends’ business or how do you uplift other women.