Today we’d like to introduce you to Johanna McDaniel.
Hi Johanna, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
Back in 2014, my husband and I moved to Seattle to be pastors of a church, and during that time, we had just had our first daughter a year and a half before that and then had our second daughter Hannah six months into moving to Seattle. During this time, I suffered massive depression and anxiety due to being away from my friends and family, struggling to make friends as an adult in a new place, and just overall really having a hard time growing roots where we were at.
Our time within formal ministry was a huge wake-up call for me and going through the severe depression really helped me find myself as an individual. God guided me through that time in my life to bring me into real estate when we move back to Texas so that I could be healthy.
When I got into real estate, we use that as a goal to provide secondary income for the family, maybe some supplemental funds for vacations or extra Christmas money here and there. But what real estate became for us was a whole new way of life. It got us out of debt. It allowed us to buy our first home. It allowed us to make new friends and be able to support other people weigh more than being informal ministry had ever provided for us.
During my tenure in real estate, I have met many women who are in similar situation as I was when we lived in Seattle and I love to connect with them and to help them find their village and make friends right away when they are moving to a new area here in North Texas we have many many families moving from out of state, and they are trying to create a new life for themselves and their families.
I have created Frisco Women as a friendship networking group for women of all ages to get together and to find new friends, create deep connections, and to also network their business if they’re a business owner. We do not value business over friendship; we value friendship over business, and so what is unique about us is that when you join the group, you are immediately welcomed you are engaged in conversation. You are invited to multiple events every month to connect face-to-face with actual people rather than just being on Facebook.
I have always struggled with face-to-face meetings. I love being online. I’m very good at being behind the screen. I have managed Facebook groups for years now, especially during Covid. It was a hotbed of arguments and negativity, and I have figured out a way to redirect those anger-filled conversations into something that’s more joyful and positive for the whole community.
My joy is found in connecting women to similar personalities is themselves and creating a safe space to be awkward with each other and to develop more meaningful relationships.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I started running Facebook groups back when we lived in Seattle, I worked with The Buy Nothing Project, which is a Freecycle style giving group that is now international. I ran dozens of groups with them back in the early days of the buy-nothing project.
After moving back from Washington, I had deleted all of my social media to help with my mental health, but once I got into real estate guy knew that I needed to jump back in so that I could be present online for my business. From there I gained several dead groups that I have revived and have now several thousand members and each of those which are directed towards a Rentals and real estate education. I also help run a local Mom group and have no created Frisco Women, which is grown to be nearly 4000 members after only six months of existence…
The struggles are definitely where I have learned a lot. I feel like if I’m not struggling, or if I am not uncomfortable in a situation, then I am not learning fast enough, so what I like about struggling through the process of running a group of thousands of people, especially thousands of women online during Covid mind, you has taught me so much about human nature and how to really love someone when they are angry at you lol.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Frisco Women is a collaborative group of women networking together to create friendships and then also really strong business relationships. We value kindness, integrity, & honesty. Frisco women hosts Cole working meetups, brunches, girls’ nights out, happy hours, large business, networking, mixers, vendor events, pool days, movie nights, and so much more. We strive to create a large variety of events to attract all of our diverse member base so there’s something for everyone!
We are open to women who are in Frisco and Frisco’s surrounding cities or if you’re not in one of the surrounding cities, but you’re willing to drive into attend our event you’re welcome as well!
What sets us apart from other networking groups is that we have a very low barrier of entry, and we prioritize friendship over business advertising, so whenever you join a networking group, it’s all about business. It’s all about sales, and we don’t not care about that, but we do want to know about you as a person first. Not everyone is a business owner in Frisco Women. We are here to grow your village.
Titus 2:3-5 is very important to the mission of Frisco Women.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I’d just love the awareness of Frisco Women to grow! We are still very new but have plans to add in a non-profit support arm to our group and a membership-only section as well to help provide bigger and better for all of our members!
Pricing:
- Membership is free
- Frisco Women X Networking is $10
- Networking event sponsor is $600
- Networking event vendor is $50
Contact Info:
- Website: www.friscowomen.com
- Instagram: www.Instagram.com/friscowomen
- Facebook: Www.Facebook.com/groups/friscowomen
Image Credits
Mia Valdez
