UPCOMING EVENT:

The Power of Community: Finding Your Way Back to Your Authentic Self

An afternoon of connection, conversation, and courage- where women come together to feel seen, supported, and rediscover who they truly are.

Thursday, June 4th
11:30AM to 1:00PM
Hotel Indigo

450 N Milwaukee Ave, Vernon Hills, IL

$45 includes lunch, presentation, and new connections

An Afternoon of Building
Genuine Connections


At a Grateful Connections event, we are not just passing out business cards or sharing a 30 / 60 second pitch of your business. It’s about real connection, thoughtful conversation, and the confirmation you don’t have to build your business alone!


Instead of simply placing you in a room and hoping you meet the “right” people, our gatherings are intentionally designed to create meaningful conversations and genuine connection from the moment you arrive.

Through guided table rotations, conversation prompts, and connection-focused activities, you’ll engage with multiple women throughout the event. Our intention is to remove the pressure of small talk and replace it with real, comfortable dialogue. No awkward wandering. No cliques. I am personally committed to anyone who attends- you would never be standing alone wondering who to approach. I got you!

You’ll meet other business women who:

✔ Support your dreams
✔ Cheer you on
✔ Share openly
✔ Collaborate generously
✔ Truly want you to win

Our community is built on something deeper than traditional networking. It’s about building relationships that continue long after the event ends- the kind that lead to collaborations, referrals, friendships, and real support in business and life.

This is how business was meant to be built- not to do it alone!

Come connect with intention.

Leave with relationships that matter.

You Belong Here If…

  • You are navigating a transition or new chapter

  • You are craving deeper connection

  • You are feeling a little disconnected from yourself and others

  • You're ready to rediscover your voice

The Afternoon's Presentation:

The Power of Community: Finding Your Way Back to Your Authentic Self
with Stephanie Bell


SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY… WE LOSE PARTS OF OURSELVES

We take on roles.
We carry expectations.
We become who we needed to be- for our families, our work, our lives.

And over time, it’s easy to forget:

Who am I underneath all of that?

If you’ve been feeling the pull to reconnect with yourself…
To find your voice again…
To step into your next chapter with more clarity and confidence…

You’re not alone.

And you don’t have to find your way back by yourself.

THIS IS WHERE COMMUNITY CHANGES EVERYTHING

At Grateful Connections, we believe something powerful happens when women gather with intention. Community is something we all truly need whether it's so you're not building your business alone, or to connect with others in the same stage of life in order to be truly understood!

As a mid-life transition coach, Stephanie will share the importance of community and how genuine connection and shared experiences help us feel seen, supported, and understood. It’s often in the presence of others walking similar paths that we find the courage to reconnect with ourselves, reclaim our voice, and step into a more authentic and intentional next chapter.

💛 A special note:
Stephanie is courageously a member of Toastmasters! As a self-identified introvert, she is on her own journey of stepping into her voice after overcoming a fear of public speaking. Let's show her love and support as steps out as a newly-confident public speaker!

At Grateful Connections, we believe in cheering women on as they grow- and you’ll be part of that moment in a really meaningful way. I am SO proud of Stephanie and her desire to share her heart with us! Maybe others of you will follow....

You will leave this session with:

• Clarity on what truly matters to you in this season


• Confidence to reconnect with your voice


• Meaningful connections with women who support your growth

About Stephanie Bell

Stephanie is a certified health and life coach, author, and speaker who empowers women to navigate the emotional stages of midlife transition with confidence, clarity, and support.

With over 20 years of experience as an educator, she brings a unique blend of structure, empathy, and insight to her work- helping women feel seen, heard, and understood during some of life’s most pivotal moments.

Stephanie specializes in guiding women through transitions such as empty nesting, relationship changes, and the evolving identity that comes with aging. Through her 1:1 coaching, she helps clients move beyond overwhelm, release limiting beliefs, and rediscover a sense of purpose and possibility for what comes next.

She is also the founder of The Midlife Sisterhood, an online community created for women who are craving deeper connection and a safe space to talk openly about real-life challenges and growth.

Through guided conversations and shared experiences, Stephanie fosters an environment where women can support one another, reclaim their voice, and step into their most authentic selves.

About Your Host

Hi, I’m Malinda — founder of Grateful Connections, lifelong connector, and professional cheerleader for women in business and beyond.

After 25 years in corporate sales, I started my own entrepreneurial journey — and I quickly saw how many women are building incredible things without the support, confidence, or business knowledge they truly deserve. What I kept hearing — and personally experiencing — was that so many women felt stuck or unsure, not because they lacked talent or heart, but because they were trying to do it all alone.

Why this Afternoon Gathering matters

  • Because you’ll experience networking in a way that feels natural, comfortable, and genuinely enjoyable

  • Because meaningful business relationships are built through real conversations- not awkward introductions and surface small-talk

  • Because one meaningful conversation can shift your confidence, clarity, and momentum

  • Because you were never meant to build your business alone

Tickets

Say yes to growth, support, and meaningful community.
Grab your ticket and be part of something special.

$45 – Space is limited!

Includes lunch, presentation and new (intentional) connections