Flower Mound Women in Business
FMWIB
When Christi Beca reached the point in her life when she desperately needed to surround herself with strong and empowered female business owners, she was shocked to learn that no such group existed in her community.
So she did what any driven woman would do — she took matters into her own hands.
“When you can’t find what you’re looking for to fill that void, you might as well create it yourself,” she said with a laugh.
And just like that, Flower Mound Women in Business was born. Those who know Flower Mound Women in Business today refer to it as an inspiring beacon of hope that leaves no woman behind — a non-profit organization with over 4,000 members and a nine-member board of directors dedicated to inspiring and empowering women entrepreneurs to live their best lives and give back to their communities where they live and serve. Their member list includes a who’s-who of female business owners representing industries ranging from real estate and finance to food service, law, sales, marketing, healthcare, insurance, and more.
Christi started the organization in 2015. They became an official 501(c)(3) in 2020 and currently raise money for over 20 charities, including Christian Community Action, Arms of Hope, Dress for Success, Susan G. Women, and Refuge for Women.
On February 18, they hosted the Flower Mound Red Carpet Gala, benefitting Arms of Hope.
Clearly, it’s a group that will only continue to grow by leaps and bounds. But eight years ago, Flower Mound Women in Business was just a small Facebook group kick-started by Christi — a single mom and newly-minted real estate agent trying to pick up the pieces of her own life after a devastating divorce.
“Everyone has a story, and mine was that I was coming off a devastating divorce and had to move in with my parents and start my life completely over,” Christi said. “I did a lot of soul-searching during that time and eventually got my real estate license and began getting involved in a bunch of great networking groups. But as great as they were, they weren’t filling the void for what I was looking for. I wanted to be surrounded by other female business owners, and this really did start as a Facebook group. But it took off from there. We started meeting once a month, then twice a month. And more women kept joining in.”
She added, “This has grown bigger than my wildest dreams. I never thought we could have this much impact on the community, and I’m excited to be surrounded by so many women who want to fill that need. Our motto really is to leave no woman behind.”
Flower Mound Women in Business meets at 9:30 a.m. on the first and third Thursdays of each month at Clink Wine Bar & Bites. The organization is open to any woman who wants to make a difference and grow personally and professionally.
The organization’s three pillars are below and represent where the money raised gets distributed:
- Women’s Business Advancement — Committed to helping advance women in business through programs and resources.
- Guidance Through the Gap — Supporting charities for women and children and providing grants for single moms in hardship.
- Community Involvement — Supporting community initiatives and businesses through volunteering and raising awareness.
“When you’re in the thick of it, you think your life is falling to pieces,” Christi said. “But in reality, it’s all falling into place. You have to go through it to grow from it, and I don’t think I’d be where I am today if it weren’t for my own personal experiences. I get to work every day with women from my community who want to change things for the better.”
To learn more about Flower Mound Women in Business, please visit their website.