A history of Women’s Network Australia
Women’s Network Australia Founder Lynnette Palmen AM is a trailblazer for women in business. This article, written in 1990 to mark WNA’s 20th Anniversary, tells of Lynette’s drive and passion, and the journey that led to WNA. The values and direction set back in 1990 continue to guide WNA today.
Part of staying ahead of the curve is staying right in that curve. Director of Women’s Network Australia, LYNETTE PALMEN AM is all to aware of this and know from experience how to say one step ahead in business.
Australia’s premier female networking agency Women’s Network Australia (WNA) is about to undergo a major facelift that will add event further value to the renowned organisation that has for a quarter of a century provided invaluable support to thousands of working women.
Currently (as written in 2010) celebrating 20 years of helping women to be on an equal footing to their male counterparts, the organisation is now launching a brand new online model, which Founder and Director of WNA Lynette Palmen AM says will ensure the next decade is even more successful.
“The world today is a different place to what it was two decades ago,” explains Ms Palmen. “To remain successful in business it’s imperative that we embrace technology and adapt to market demands.”
Undergoing significant improvements to ensure that it’s able to provide working women with the very best support system possible, WNA’s new online model will, for the first time, allow working women to gain knowledge from the network no matter where they are in the world.
“Many women find that running their own business can be both a rewarding and challenging experience, but they can also find it isolating,” she says. “We’re now working to solve this by providing women with a constant, online support network.”
Launching in line with a proposed expansion, Ms Palmen’s savvy new business model will ensure WNA is on trend with emerging technologies, which she says is changing the way women do business.
“The growth of online platforms means women are now more mobile and are communicating differently,” she says. “They’re no longer limited to just doing business with those that operate within five kilometres of them. It’s therefore important that we do the same and expand our model to include both face-to-face and online services.”
Established in 1990, WNA has always been ahead of the times, providing working women with vital support when they need it most and paving the way for them to achieve the business goal that they previously never thought possible.
“I founded WNA so I could give working women the support and skills that I wish had been at my disposal,” explains Ms Palmen. “I saw how my male colleagues were benefiting from being part of a strong network and I thought why can’t women have that same opportunity?”
Beginning with just four women, at a time when many working females were just starting to stand up for themselves, WNA has grown significantly and now provides its vital networking, professional development and support services to thousand of women each year.
“I’m immensely proud of the role WNA has played in shaping the women of today,” she says. “Unlike 20 years ago, women now have confidence in their business abilities, and I think that comes down to them having somewhere to turn to when they need advice and inspiration.”
Thanks to support from organisations such as WNA, Australian women have come a long way over the past two decades, now owning and operating 33 per cent of small businesses and filling previously male dominated roles, with the nation now run and governed by females. It’s a huge leap forward from the last century but Ms Palmen says there is unfortunately still room for improvement, particularly in Australia’s corporate sector.
“I did think WNA would have a time limit because it would not be long before women had equal opportunities,” says Ms Palmen, “but two decades down the track it’s more relevant than ever, as companies fail to grant women the flexibility they require and many seek ways to achieve success through their own business ventures.”
Tired of their employer not being family friendly or their ideas being ignored, or stolen by their male counterparts, Ms Palmen says Australian women now have the confidence to stand up for themselves and do something about it.
“Women don’t like the games being played,” she says. “They find it all too frustrating and feel they can do it better and more efficiently themselves, without having to sacrifice their lifestyle.”
Ms Palmen is a strong role model on how women can blend their personal life with their career, as a single mother raising two young children whilst running WNA, she is passionate about WNA supporting women so they never have to give up their personal aspirations.
“What I love about running WNA is that it allows me to continue doing what I love most,” she says “and this is what we teach our members. We educate them on how to align their values and passions with their business so that they achieve both emotional and financial wealth.”
A leading businesswoman who work with Australian women has seen her appointed a Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia in the prestigious Queen’s Birthday Honours List, Lynette Palmen AM is an inspiration.
She is committed to ensuring WNA continues to exist for as long as working women need support and says that even after 20 years of operation, she is still just as driven by her mission of ensuring women are considered equal in the workplace.
“I remain passionate about helping women to succeed in business,” she says. “I’ve had the unique opportunity to make a difference in the lives of thousands of women not only nationally, but globally,” she says.
