A Jolt That Amplified A Network:
Capital Region and Their Journey of Growth

by Kim Morris

With less than fifty members in 2021, the Women’s Council of REALTORS® Capital Region in New York needed a jolt to come back alive. “I could see we were not loud enough in the area. I never heard much about the organization.” Coty Demers, 2023 First Vice President of the network says. “That was the first step we needed to address.” By the end of 2022, the network nearly tripled its membership. Currently, they have 140 members. That first jolt started the network down a wonderful path of growth and connection. If your network is looking to inject a jolt of energy to boost your membership, follow the journey of Women’s Council of REALTORS Capital Region. 

NETWORKING

Coty just opened her own brokerage when she was first introduced to Women’s Council of REALTORS®. At the time, the Capital Region network had less than fifty members and a small voice in the community. When it came to connections throughout the community, Coty knew she could contribute. “I knew everybody,” Coty says, “and I could use those connections to introduce people to the organization.”  She was elected 2022 Membership Director shortly after joining. When she started that position, Coty could see she was taking on a big, demanding responsibility and many changes were ahead. She scouted leaders in the community—“it’s important to tell people what you see in them,” Coty explains—and leaders within the organization. The network needed to grow its membership and the best way to do that was to show others the value they’d get by joining.

LEARNING

“I made connections and asked questions, I learned and researched all of the benefits Women’s Council had to offer. I asked people who knew more than me what they thought.” It was hard work but, “As they say, you gotta be in it to win it,” Coty says.

The network leaders learned the power of collaboration, realizing that leaning on each other's strengths was vital for success. It was critical to recognize members who were willing to share their skill sets and knowledge and then appoint these members into higher leadership roles. By fostering collaboration and allowing ideas to flourish, the network imparted a valuable lesson to others about the wealth of possibilities. They recognized the need to expand their membership and forge strategic partnerships, relying on the skills Women's Council taught them: working together, embracing authenticity, pursuing what truly mattered to them, and highlighting the individuals within their community. 

Coty describes the Capital Region network like this: “We are an empowering community that is constantly growing, we’re pouring into each other, we tell you what you need to hear to help you learn and grow.” For their membership, one way they keep that growth going is by passing the baton, opening up opportunities for others, and mentoring them while they learn new skills. “Show what you learn,” Coty says, “pass the baton nicely, share the opportunities with others, move on, grow. That’s what we tell people to expect when they join our network.

“Joining Women’s Council means working with mentors who are looking out for you,” Coty points out, “sharing skill sets, teaching about cultural diversity, relationship building strategies, learning where the opportunities are, holding each other to high standards.” The surprise for the Capital Region network was how many benefits there were for Women’s Council members. The opportunities and the different directions to take those opportunities were far more plentiful than they had thought. And the more they learned, true to their network’s mission, the more they wanted to share.

SHARING

Connections were made. Research was collected. The network had a meeting. “We got to see in one place all the opportunities Women’s Council has to offer,” Coty says. That allowed the existing members to show potential members the value of joining their network and the value of being a part of the Women’s Council organization.

“We’ve got to show others what the value is now,” Coty says. “Show the opportunities. Explain the rules. Broadcast the mission. We have the Radius Network, Mastermind Groups, Leadership Institute. You get to choose how you want to be successful here.”

It’s an exciting path forward and the Women’s Council Capital Region professionals are leaders in the communities they serve, so more growth is coming. “We really can teach others not to fear scarcity, but to believe in abundance,” Coty says.

For more information on how the Women’s Council Capital Region network grew its membership, contact Coty Demers at demerscoty@gmail.com.

About the Contributor

Kim Morris is a Chicago-based freelance writer and editor with more than 25 years of writing experience.