By Debra Sigel
Successful Women Made Here is a local organization that Indianapolis resident Sheryl Matthys founded to help women achieve more and earn more while building community and supporting one another in business.
And she recently invited racecar driver Pippa Mann – the eighth woman in racing history to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 – to speak at her organization’s monthly meeting in Carmel on Jan. 16.
Pippa Mann started out karting (cart driving) when she was just 12 years old – and yearned for other competitive women with similar aspirations.
Mann became the first British female driver ever to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 and finished the race in 20th place.
Now, she’s seeking to connect with other female drivers to build a business community and to foster confidence and determination with other like-minded women. And rather than see her peers only as competition, Mann is eager to connect with them and build non-competitive relationships.
Mann said, “We are starting to build a community with one another, and I want to work as hard as I can to try and do my little piece in helping ensure that it continues to happen and grow.”
She’s adamant about leaving a legacy for girls and women to have that same determination. She’s encouraging girls to take an interest in karting to help build their self-esteem.
“It’s not easy being among the first who had obstacles to overcome,” Mann said. “There may be objections about a woman’s placement in uncharted territory, but early pioneers pushed past these difficulties.
“Every time I strap into a car it requires persuading a company to believe in me, to believe what I can do to help it activate its brand and make racing the best place for its investment,” she said.
The organization’s next event will be at 9:30 a.m. Feb. 6 when it hosts singles’ coach Amy Owens at Launch Fishers, 5 Municipal Dr. in Fishers.
Owens will discuss how her 24-year marriage folded and how for 10 years after that she struggled to find love. Then, she figured out how to attract it. So following her own advice, she put the answer into a formula and believes that no matter what your business, you can devise a formula to demonstrate what you do. Owens said, “I still remember the moment 10 years ago when I realized that I had broken the code as far as dating and attracting the right kind of people into my life. And I can teach other people how to do it, too.”
The cost to attend is $10. For more information visit successfulwomenmadehere.com.
