January Newsletter + Cultivating Virtuosity

Clarity in our fifth month of Membership

The double standards we face as women often render us feeling as though we can never truly accomplish what we set out to do, much less seek the support we know we deserve. Nevertheless, we persist. We made messes and memories alike, and we will continue to do so as our best selves - nourishing, cultivating, and growing with the new year. May we gracefully gather our tools to forge ahead, opening doors for ourselves and each other as creative women who hold the world in our hands. And may our power to transcend those double standards continue to serve us in 2024!

We have some big news… 

The new Virtuosa Society App will be released this month! Members will have access to more services, resources, coaching, and collaborative opportunities than ever before. 

In 2023, we came together with our Founding Members as a society dedicated to uplifting creative women in any way we can. This year, we are ready to cultivate Virtuosity as our membership grows. From mental health support, to sharing our stories, to live tributes (and many podcast episodes!) dedicated to women often forgotten in history, we strive to make the world a better place for women everywhere by expanding our collaborative opportunities and support systems.

Whether you’re an avid outdoorswoman who also loves baking like Bonnie Nork, have bigger-than-Broadway musical talent like Natalie Douglas or Jayme Dawicki, strive to provide mental health resources for entertainment professionals like Sofi von Trapp, or produce unique theatrical experiences like Emily Doak, Virtuosa Society is a place where your skills and creative voice are sacred.

Join us in the new year as we continue to thrive in our unique creative fields. We see a Virtuosa in you, and we are ready to help you shine!

A new episode of the Virtuosa Society Podcast is dropping next week. In Episode 8: The Landowner’s Game, Katie explores the surprising twists-and-turns behind the discovery of Monopoly’s real inventor, Lizzie Magie: an intrepid artist and activist far ahead of her time.

Also upcoming on the VS Podcast:

Episode 9: Red Bird (coming in February)

The story of Zitkala-Sǎ and her pioneering efforts as a classical violinist, poet, opera composer and indigenous activist at the turn of the 20th Century.

Episode 10: One Vote, One Voice (coming in March)

Season 1 Finale. How the 51 young women of the Miss America Pageant’s Class of 2001 became the voice of a nation after 9/11.

A big part of what we do at Virtuosa Society is share our stories. Our members come from all over the world and are walking many different paths. It is vital for us as creative women to be seen, heard, and valued for our authentic selves. Our Weekly LIVE Elevation Conversations spotlight a different VS Member every week, discussing what ignited her creative spark as well as the messy and beautiful experiences she has learned from on her journey. 

Here are some recaps with fellow Virtuosas from last month. Members can access our full library of Elevation Conversations any time!

Jayme Dawicki discussed the highs and lows of her career as a musician and experience as Miss Wisconsin in 2002. A male professor once shamed her for playing piano in a mall as a teenager, when she was so excited to be making money by playing music at that age! Jayme persisted, always believing in her skills and passion, and has since toured in 33 states opening for various big names in the music industry while her music has been featured in shows on MTV, CW, NBC, and The Style Network.

Roxanne Gould is a Vogue cover model and has the second-longest running career as a model in the fashion industry. She is also a certified Chopra Total Well-Being Coach, a Chopra Meditation Instructor, a Chopra Health Instructor and a yoga teacher. Last year, Roxanne released her memoir, 'More Than Just A Pretty Face', where she gets real about the industry, her history, and the hard-won life lessons that have brought her to a place of peace and serenity. In her Elevation Conversation, she emphasized the importance of embracing our inner beauty regardless of how the world perceives us.

Monica Hammond is a Serial Entrepreneur and Marketing Professional with four six-figure businesses. As women, most if not all of us have struggled with self-doubts that often leave us wondering if we're on the right track. Our Elevation Conversation with Monica enlightened members to the fact that more often than not, we really do know when to take a chance, when to say no, and how to invest our time into what will fulfill us at the end of the day.

Bonnie Nork emphasized the importance of discipline in her journey through licensing her bakery and exploring the outdoors in the southwest, all of which has opened doors for beautiful friendships and continuing opportunities to fuel her creative drive! This clip melted our hearts, with Bonnie recalling a memory that was both vital in debunking those myths and inspiring to see an adventurous spark in her young daughter during a family trip.

Nourishing ourselves is a given. 

Isn't it?

New goals are always exciting when the new year rolls around. It's refreshing to hit that reset button, to look ahead at a blank canvas and envision the possibilities. We aim to laugh more, have more adventures, and try new things.

We often forget how much we carry that no longer serves us. It is so easy to live in fear and doubt, and sometimes our fresh new goals come with stipulations of the past. 

It's time to silence that noise and amplify your voice.

Nourish yourself with a day at the The Aerie Retreat Center with a group of women who share the same goal: to clarify our creative values and pursue them with full hearts. Sofi von Trapp will be leading our Maestra Masterclass to help us silence that noise and gather tools to move forward as our best and most authentic selves.

Where women gather, creativity flourishes.

Where women gather, our stories cultivate growth.

Learn more about the Maestra Masterclass and reserve your seat for Saturday, January 27th or Sunday, January 28th. Spots are limited, and we would love for you to join!

Where women gather, we generate the power to elevate the whole of society.