The Original GOG Story: 10 Years in the Making
Happy (almost) New Year! As many of us do at the end of December, reflection is top of mind for me lately; especially as it relates to Growing Our Girls. 2024 has been fulfilling in ways I never could have imagined. I have trusting collaborators and partners to thank for that and you: our GOG community. As I’ve alluded to before and as many were around to witness firsthand, GOG was a vision that originated back in the summer of 2015. It came to fruition in 2016, then benched for a bit while I did my own market research growing my own 3 girls as a mom living in Charlotte, NC.
I had so much fun going down memory lane and retelling the story of how GOG came to originally be (nearly 10 years ago!) and then revitalized this year. It’s a story only made possible by leaning into the ebbs and flows of real life, following one’s heart, and always listening to your inner whisper. So if you care to read any further, snuggle in with something warm and enjoy. I’m so glad you’re here.
Summer 2015
We had 2 daughters: an active 2.5 year old and a brand new 4 month old babe. Maternity leave was over and our youngest was just starting daycare so I could return to work. I liked my job. I worked at a major consulting firm, doing work I enjoyed. I was fortunate enough to be offered a more flexible schedule that would allow for Fridays at home. As expected, things were chaotic at times, but we were happy. The girls were thriving and we were navigating life as a new family of 4.
This summer day in 2015 was like any other. My time in the office was quieter than usual, which allowed me to hear “the whisper” when it showed up. This whisper came in the form of occasional someday dreams I often had, but it was louder on this particular day. It had vibrant colors. It evoked big emotions. It contained tiny details. Details that all came rushing in at once, in a way that I couldn’t ignore. I needed to create a girl empowerment platform.
When I got home, I whiteboarded my ideas on large pieces of paper across the floor like a mad scientist. I downloaded this quiet whisper that became more of a roar over the next few weeks and months, emailing and later meeting with organizations, founders of summer camps, authors and therapists in the fields of STEM, mental health and girl empowerment. I researched and started building the brand I envisioned. Research meetings turned to strategy sessions. The name Growing Our Girls was selected, a logo was designed, and a website was built. It was happening. The structure was coming to life and the content would soon follow.
Spring 2016
Fast forward to 8 months later, we learned our family was to grow once more in November. My husband Dustin’s work got more demanding and Growing Our Girls (GOG) was still pushing forward despite all the changing dynamics at play for our family. Planning for 3 kids under 4 was overwhelming, so with Dustin’s job ramping up and my vision of GOG materializing even more, we decided I’d leave my corporate job that spring. However, the more time I had at home with my 2 girls and growing belly, the less time I found to keep building GOG.
Fall 2016
November came and we were ready to meet the newest member of our family. We didn’t know if we were having a boy or girl, but we knew he/she would complete our family of 5 and possibly shift or further affirm the direction of GOG. On the first Monday of that November, our third baby girl was born. From that moment on, our new normal began to look and feel a little more chaotic, but in all the best ways. Priorities shifted. The GOG dream and vision was still there, but became quieter. Over time, it became neatly tucked in a quiet corner of my mind, patiently waiting for the right time to start whispering again.
Winter 2023
After 7 busy years (and a pandemic, 4 schools, and more sports teams, dance routines, gymnastics classes, swim meets, music lessons, play dates, sleepovers, and summer camps than I can count), the whisper returned. But louder this time. It had to be, in order to drown out the doubt that made every effort to yell louder. Now a mom to girls in 5th, 3rd and 1st grades, our day-to-day life had once again shifted.
We’re no longer in survival mode, barely managing life with an infant, toddler and navigating those early school years. I now have a few years of experience behind me and a lot of years left to go, raising girls in a society that’s even more fraught with uncertainty and different from the world that raised me. After a couple of months dusting off cobwebs, rebranding considerations, and looking for ways to move forward with the revised GOG vision, I decided to leap.
Spring 2024
Perhaps the scariest decision since publicizing the original GOG launch back in 2016, was publicizing the launch of GOG… again. I cast a wide net to mom friends and family far and wide. It was time to let old friends know GOG was being revitalized and catch new friends up on the journey that started many years ago. My insecurities had front row seats as I told my story and invited them to join focus groups to help refine the GOG vision and offering. I extended my heart in both written form and in casual conversations. Little by little, GOG was coming back to life, but in a bigger, even more vibrant and relevant way.
During the month of March, I hosted 6 focus groups and heard from over 50 moms of girls ages 4 to 18. The energy around the GOG vision and its potential was magnetic. Women showed up. They were ready to engage in real conversation about their lived experiences as girls and as mothers today. We laughed. We cried. We hugged. We connected. We left each conversation more inspired and driven to be part of the future narrative of what it means to grow up girl in the 21st century. Momentum was gaining and I was more inspired than ever to follow this dream.
Today
The real work has ramped up to start building a platform to support those women and their girls in ways I could only dream of nearly 10 years ago. The messages I heard loud and clear during those spring focus groups were that mothers today want:
community with other moms who are also in the trenches
connection with their own girls to help strengthen their relationships
and access to resources to stay informed while helping them and their girls navigate rocky terrain in the years to come.
The GOG translation of these needs resulted in Charlotte events that kicked off in September that carried us through the end of the year, with seats already filling up for 2025. We hosted 3 GOG mom workshops, 4 mother-daughter activities and 3 community service events in a matter of 4 months. Once again, you showed up. You helped us spread the word and made connections. Collaborations were created in 2024 that affirmed the GOG vision in new and beautiful ways. Thank you for trusting this vision and platform. Thank you for sharing your time with us. But most importantly, thank you for leaning on us to help strengthen the precious bond with your girl.
2025 is going to be a big year. There are so many things already in the works like, workshops on Academic Anxiety, Navigating Your Child’s Friendships, mother-daughter painting, jewelry-making and more! I appreciate you coming along for this ride down memory lane and excited for you to be part of our story for years to come.
As always, please share this post with anyone you think might appreciate the chance to learn more about our community. We’re excited to keep growing in 2025!