We’re Done Competing. Here’s What We’re Doing Instead.

Our culture has long taught women that success is scarce, that visibility must be earned by outpacing someone else, and that there is only so much room at the table.

We are done with that story.

On February 11, Vested and Spokane Lady Boss are choosing a different approach. Instead of competing for the same audience or duplicating the same spaces, we are coming together at the Spokane Club to model what community over competition actually looks like in practice.

Spokane Lady Boss, founded in 2020 by Janelle Carney Boston and Randi Johnson, was built as a gathering place for women to connect, collaborate, and support one another. Vested exists for a similar reason, serving female-identifying entrepreneurs who believe that growth happens faster and more sustainably when it is shared. This Galentine’s Day celebration is a reflection of that shared belief, turned into action.

Instead of competing we are creating room. Room for conversation that feels real. Room for women at different stages of business to sit side by side. Room for learning that is practical, grounded, and immediately useful.

The evening will include a featured presentation by Christine Burns of Posted Consulting on mastering executive presence. Her work focuses on helping women show up with confidence and clarity in professional spaces without performing or shrinking. It is less about impressing and more about connecting in ways that last.

When women gather without pressure to pitch, posture, or prove themselves, something shifts. Conversations deepen. Guardedness softens. Relationships begin that extend far beyond a single evening.

This event is not about being the loudest voice or the most polished brand. It is about choosing collaboration as a strategy and community as a long-term investment.

We are done competing for space. We are building it together.

Photo by Emily Star Poole