Not everything is pink, a compass for women in crisis

When telling a success story, you focus on the happy ending. On the dream finally realized, on the finish line after so many difficulties. But in that “many difficulties” there is a whole world: the countless refusals, the daily fatigue, the failed attempts, the doors slammed in the face, the emails left unanswered, the moments of discouragement and uncertainty. There are all the “Maybe I’m wrong”, the “I should let it go and also” the “I’m not good enough.” In that “many difficulties” there is the real life of everyone. And if turning the spotlight on precisely this aspect, before reaching the finish line, was the best inspiration for those facing a moment of crisis? From this belief it was born It’s not all pinka non-profit association founded by Paolina Consuleri to support women in their professional and personal growth paths.

The project was born in 2020 as a podcast with the aim of interviewing women who wanted to tell their entrepreneurial and personal story, but without neglecting the falls, uncertainties and obstacles encountered along the way. And with a clear point in mind: every story has value. Even the “normal” ones, because being successful and happy in life does not necessarily mean becoming a manager, CEO or modern Wonder Woman. “I wanted to make the girls who needed comfort feel less alone, to make them understand that they are not the only ones experiencing a difficult moment and that there is always a way out”, explains Paolina Consuleri, born in 1994, who epoch had recently gone through a profound moment of crisis. “2020 was a turning point: apart from the pandemic, I experienced a very toxic relationship, which completely nullified me. Perhaps it was precisely in this complete cancellation that I later found myself. I went through a psychological journey and various people helped me, but in those months I understood many things about myself. I began to value certain aspects of my character – sociality, empathy, the ability to listen to others … – making them available to other women who, as had happened to me, were experiencing a difficult time, confusion or turning point “.

The feedback was not long in coming. They write to her: “Thank you, because I feel less alone”. «Reading the feedback I received, I understood two things. The first is that there are many of us who need help. The second is that, in my small way, I wanted to do something concrete about it “. Just born and ready to evolve: like this It’s not all pink it has officially become the association it is today, a compass for women who find themselves in a moment of stasis or uncertainty. The tools deployed in this “orientation” are different. There are dinners to get to know each other and network. I Salottini, free evening meetings, for the moment online, with a professional (counselor, financial consultant …) who brings her skills and makes herself available to answer the questions of the participants. THE Morning Talks, a four-hour training with experts on a specific topic, such as personal branding. There are also real personal and professional growth paths financed by the association and given to those in need: “We recently gave the women of the community the opportunity to apply to get a free four-session course with a counselor to learn to manage and achieve their goals ”, explains Councilors. “It’s a small thing that I would like to expand over time. The more funds we will have (they are collected through sponsors, calls and paid events such as Morning Talksed), the more we will be able to offer long, in-depth courses for more people “.

And then there is It’s not all pink On the road, a completely itinerant women’s networking event. In the first edition of September 2021 Paolina Consuleri, the growth marketer Mario Di Girolamo, the counselor Cristina Scelzo and the videomaker Alice Di Girolamo traveled from Sicily to Piedmont aboard a van and met at each stage women with a story to tell or in need of finding the right direction. in their work and life path. “We wanted to bring useful advice to the girls we met: Mario gave ideas from a professional and business point of view, while Cristina was available for help on the personal front”, says Paolina. The experience became a documentary, available from March 8 on the Nexo + platform. The second edition is already being organized: it will be held between September and October of this year and will touch Tuscany, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Marche, Abruzzo, Basilicata, Puglia and Campania.

Define those of It’s not all pink On the road simple networking meetings would be an understatement. When the participants took their seats in front of the van parked under the sun of Catania or in front of the Royal Palace of Caserta, what they really found in their hands was the opportunity to tell about themselves and that, more rare, to be listened to. Most were in their 30s and were, for various reasons, in a personal or professional stalemate. «Often the moment of crisis was dictated by the awareness of having followed a path driven by the expectations of others and of actually having other dreams and passions», says Paolina. «It was not a simple meeting to have a chat, to exchange information about one’s work and perhaps the telephone number. Some networking events are like this: everyone is busy making a good impression, but no one is listening. But when the focus shifts only on the person, everything changes. Listening at the right time and in the right way, giving the right stimuli to the right person: it’s a small thing, but this, yes, can really change your life “.