I met Mary Moslander, President & CEO of Live Healthier, when she won the REDI business plan competition. Ruth Semple of the Maryland Technology Development Center had been telling me “You just have to meet Mary – you have so much in common!” Thank you, Ruth, for being right on the money. I owe you a debt of gratitude for introducing me to Mary. From the first 2-3 hour lunch we had (that could have gone on much longer if we didn’t have so many other things to do!), I discovered that I was missing something in my life – girl friends.

You see, I have always been around men. My business was focused on the manufacturing sector, which was at the time decidedly male-dominated. I seemed to get along better with guys – I can even remember lines to stupid movies and use them at an appropriate point in a conversation. Most of my close women friends were people I grew up with, or that knew me from before I started my business. It seems that once I started a business and that business started to become successful, the chasm started to open. I just didn’t fit in anywhere.

I love my children, and having flexibility to be with them was one of the catalysts for me to start my business. But I love what I do for a living, too. I loved writing my book. I love empowering others to find the greatness within themselves. I love creating opportunities by connecting people with each other. I refuse to choose between family and work – it is not an ‘all or nothing’ game for me.

Mary gets that. She is in the same boat. I can tell her about how incredible it felt to see my book on Amazon.com for the first time and she can get excited about it with me. She, in turn, can tell me about being introduced by Susan Lucci at a high-end awards event for which she was asked to present and I can feel thrilled with her. We don’t have to worry that the other will think we are bragging, or somehow insincere. We can just be ourselves while supporting the other to do the same. When you begin achieving a level of success, it is hard to keep supportive friendships in tact. When you find one, figure out a way to keep in touch with them more often.

Mary – we’re on for every third Friday, right?