Thanks to digitization, the times when women networking events meant listening to a well-polished professional explain how she managed to break the glass ceiling and raise children at the same time, are over.

Ten years ago, networking events for women in finance were mostly industry or employer-led evenings promoting the advantages of combining work and family. At the end of the evening came the networking part where participants were meant to engage in conversations that would somehow help their careers.

What often happened was that the speaker made clear just how far removed their universe was from those in the audience, alienating many of them even more from the working world.

Content Not Cocktails

Thankfully, today’s professional women's networks paint a different picture: They are increasingly digital, content-driven and don’t stop at sector boundaries. And more importantly, women themselves are deciding the type of advice they need.

These traits are some of the factors Claudia Bally had in mind when she co-founded «bwomen your business network,» a digital platform for professional women in Switzerland, three years ago.

Members' Expertise

Since then, the platform has grown to 500 members with over 1,200 followers on LinkedIn and finances itself through members' self-set contributions. Although the network has a strong focus on female entrepreneurs and women in leadership positions, it is used by professionals at all levels looking to tap into its members' expertise.

«In some cases, platform members want to restart their careers after a break or are looking for advice related to establishing a new company or changing industries,» Bally said.

Career Toolbox

Unlike professional networks, such as the Boardroom, which have a dedicated focus on aiding women onto the board of companies, the platform serves as a tool, which women can use for their own job-related needs.

Recent topics held on the platform have ranged from «How to stay connected to a team while working remotely» to «What is the metaverse and how can it help my business?»

«Women are often open to sharing their experiences and to helping each other,» Bally said, while highlighting the many ways women can benefit from speaking to professionals from other sectors.

Members Choose

The members pitch tutorials to each other, which they then schedule as 45-minute online sessions for a maximum of eight participants, during the lunch hour. Bally recommends that before signing up for an event members always ask themselves, «what do I want to get out of this session,» she said.

Other events include live-streamed hubs and occasional physical meetups, which can end in a networking-style soiree. The digital platform also has a chat function whereby members can interact with each other.

Learning From Each Other

While Bally doesn't have visibility of these conversations, she has heard of a case where two members joined forces to set up a business together after connecting via the chat function. 

«For us at bwomen, it is very rewarding when we can facilitate women to help and learn from each other,» Bally said.