Rogers, a Willow Glen resident, is the managing director of the new local branch of eWomenNetwork, a 3-year-old Dallas-based women's promotion and marketing organization. Its mission is to help women become more successful in business through the resources and knowledge of eWomenNetwork members and its own substantial marketing initiatives.

The philosophy behind the organization is based on the idea of a member "giving first," or focusing on the needs of others, which is a trait many women already possess, Rogers says.

And women who help other eWomenNetwork members with their business issues frequently find that the favor is returned as needed. Sometimes the favor happens in a roundabout fashion—through women formerly unknown to them.

That isn't an unusual occurence these days since there are now more than 100,000 women who belong to eWomenNetwork throughout the United States and Canada. They are all profiled in its database, and their information is accessible to fellow members via the eWomenNetwork website.

"I think women are so supportive of each other and genuinely want to help each other be successful," Rogers says.

Locally, Rogers is promoting membership in eWomenNetwork through "Accelerated Networking" luncheon events held the third Thursday of each month, currently at Maggiano's Little Italy in San Jose. At each event, every woman present is asked to stand up, give her name, the name of her business and her contact information as well as say what she needs during the next 30 days. All the women record the information and anyone with a lead or advice is asked to get in touch with the woman. A successful guest speaker also gives a relevant talk to the group.

"I love connecting people," Rogers says. "For me it's a no-brainer to just ask, 'What do you need help with?' That's why I love being a managing director, because my role is to connect women and their businesses."

Membership includes an individual business profile, plus photograph, on the national eWomenNetwork website and two sessions of personal coaching. The profiles include categories pertaining to a woman's business background, her current product and/or service, and information about how she can be of assistance to other members. Women can join online or at a monthly event. At present, women do not yet have to be members to attend the luncheon events.

In addition, eWomenNetwork places public relations ads about the organization on billboards, in movie theaters and in women's business magazines to attract potential buyers of members' products and services.

Rogers says women often join when they are in transitional phases of their lives or if they are business owners seeking to take their businesses to the next level. She stresses that the organization is not anti-male but prefers to focus its energies on the strengths and weaknesses of women in business.

"I personally think women have got to get more comfortable asking for—and receiving—what they need in general," Rogers says.

With a degree in international business from San José State University, Rogers has worked for Silicon Valley companies in the past. She has been a member of eWomenNetwork for two years, originally attending the region's meetings in San Francisco. The company is just now branching out in California.

Today, in addition to her work for eWomenNetwork, Rogers has a home-based service sending out greeting cards and gifts for busy individuals, mostly men. She also markets her own Party in a Card trinkets and special party favors with different themes, both of which fit inside greeting cards. Rogers says networking through eWomenNetwork has increased her business greatly.

"We need to know about you so we can help you build your business," Rogers says to women.

She points out that women with home-based businesses need even more support, due to their lack of visibility in the public eye.

Contact Kristy Rogers at 408.288.8484 for local eWomenNetwork event information. For information about eWomenNetwork fees and national events, visit www.eWomenNetwork.com.