It might seem like Boston is filled to the brim with networking groups. But I think there's room for one more. Meet The Y Society, a new community specifically for 20-something-year-old women who are still figuring out their lives.
Abigael Titcomb, founder and CEO of Knightly, and Sarah Gaines, founder and CEO of Fit University, connected because of their affiliation with Northeastern. (Titcomb is a current student, while Gaines is an alumna.) They met to discuss how their ventures could collaborate, and the conversation led them to a separate initiative.
“We were sitting down at Pavement near campus and started talking about what was getting to us,” Titcomb told me. She explained that both she and Gaines felt frustrated by how people treated them.
“First, people look at you, see how young you are and don’t take you seriously,” she said. “They almost look down at you because you’re not experienced. Then, if you’re a woman, there are issues there. Whenever we go to networking events or conferences, we’ve had a hard time making substantial relationships because of these barriers we're facing.”
Gaines and Titcomb decided that the best way to combat these feelings was to form a community for young women in the same situation.
Titcomb said:
You can use the community to grow yourself so these barriers aren’t in your way. There are lots of women-specific networking groups and events already out there. But even though we’re female, we didn’t fit into those categories. We’re young entrepreneurs, not women in business who’ve been working on their careers for years. We’re still finding ourselves - not just professionally, but also personally. We want to surround ourselves with people going through the same thing and who are in the same place in life.
The Y Society will organize laid-back, comfortable get-togethers where young women can bond and enjoy themselves. Gaines and Titcomb are deliberately forgoing the stuffy, early morning breakfast panels in favor of more millennial-friendly gatherings.
What you can expect from The Y Society: A monthly brunch series at hip restaurants throughout the city where 15 to 20 young women can come, drink mimosas and have casual conversations with their peers.
We’re still finding ourselves - not just professionally, but also personally.
Titcomb told me The Y Society plans to roll out other events, such as wine tastings, where young women can bond with individuals going through similar experiences, allowing them to form personal connections and feel empowered. The new community is also launching a bi-weekly newsletter filled with inspiration, lifehacks and updates.
As of now, becoming a part of the community will be free. In the future, Titcomb said The Y Society will charge for its brunches, but the pricing for their future events is to be determined.
The Y Society is hosting a free launch party Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. The event is sponsored by Luna Bar and will be held at Janji Pop Up Store on Newbury Street. Young women in attendance can expect champagne, food and mini-manicures.
