Our NYC Facilitator: Meet Callan Blount Fleming
I am a product of strong women.
Among many other things, my mother taught me “the basics”: take care of your health, spirit, and mind. She will tell you that you can pretty much assume that most of your problems come from not drinking enough water (she’s not wrong…). She showed me you could raise two kids while starting your own business, as well as the importance of being true to yourself.
My sister is a lot of wonderful things I am not, and she’s willing to share her talents with me. Being older, she charted a path and helped me avoid the pitfalls. And I deeply admire her for running her own business since she was 22.
My preschool through 12th grade years were spent with brilliant, talented, caring, fun, gorgeous women. I count many of these women as sisters. While I haven’t seen many of them in years, we pick it back up whether on a playdate in Central Park or helping each other with business strategy over LinkedIn.
My sorority in college sustained me and continues to support me in my professional life.
I have a mom squad.
I am a Tide Riser.
I am raising a strong woman.
I also acknowledge that my multiple communities of supportive sisterhood are unique in many ways.
In 2017, I joined Tide Risers as a founding member because I was captivated by Lara’s idea of bringing together women from various backgrounds around the common goal of supporting one another to achieve our biggest dreams and greatest impact. After all, I had this kind of support for more than three decades, and yet I still craved an opportunity to join others in a common pursuit of exploration and action.
During my cohort experience, I started a company and had my first child. I watched other women make bold and big decisions like moving to new cities and starting innovative companies. I cheered on women who found, and in many cases created, their dream jobs. I celebrated other new moms and received so much from the mamas who’d gone before me. I hired cohort members to help me tell my leadership story and market strategically. This remarkable group of strong, authentic, and fun-as-hell women showed up and gladly met me right where I was.
I believe that every person has a unique light to share on the world. Taking time to examine and understand what is sparking inside each of us, alongside a community of others, can light the path ahead. In this spirit and because of my personal Tide Risers experience, I could not be more thrilled to be facilitating Tide Risers in New York City in 2019. Our third cohort of New York-based women will come together for a year-long personal and professional development experience unlike any I’ve seen to date. They will build a new and diverse community and have the space to consider how they can best serve their values and purpose. And, of course, we will have a blast together.
Want to learn more about becoming a Tide Riser? Sign up here to get an invitation to an upcoming event open to anyone curious about the cohort and to receive information when our 2019 application opens.
Callan is the 2019 New York City Tide Risers Facilitator and a founder, consultant, trainer, and leadership coach igniting the passion and talents of individuals to make organizations remarkable. Her company, Spark Collective, provides services that include customized leadership trainings and facilitations, leadership coaching, and community and culture building support. Her clients include privately-held businesses, non-profits, and lifestyle brands as well as coaching clients working in finance, communications, and startup for-profit companies.