Meet Kerry Crandell of WoMAN:Women of M&A Network in Denver and Boulder Chapters

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kerry Crandell.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Kerry. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Since I was a little girl- I LOVED starting businesses and creating experiences for others to enjoy being together and feel good about life. When I graduated and moved to San Diego in 2001- I took on various roles in finance, banking, and insurance- mostly sales and leadership roles as Director, VP, and now Founder/President. Reflecting back on my career path- I noticed that I was motivated to achieve more money, status, and title. (all ego-driven) And when I achieved those things…there was usually a deep-seated feeling that something else was missing. Hmmm…so I got curious on two questions: Who Am I? How Do I Want to Matter? From that curiosity, a whole new world opened up to me!

In 2017, I set the intention to align my work with my passions and gifts…and behold the power of manifestation! Alongside ten other women who supported my dream- I founded WoMAN:Women of Mergers & Acquisitions Network. Here we are… 2.5 years into this adventure. Somewhat surprised (but not really) on the impressive growth of our membership to over 100 women strong in Colorado. All solidifying the theory that an organization like WoMAN is not only attractive but necessary in today’s world.

We are well on our way to becoming the #1 resource and community for professional women in the M&A space. We are collaborative in nature. We are diverse in our roles and functions. We are high-functioning, highly successful women who are over the bu!!$#it! We are here to tear down the walls of the way it’s been (a wink to you “good ol’ boys”) and make a HUGE splash by authentically owning our space and brilliance as empowered females in M&A. Can you feel the Ripple Effect!? I sure can.

Great, 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?
Smooth road…ha! I am not sure what that even means. The way I choose to see life is that I am continuously blessed no matter what situation is present, And that is not to say I don’t feel the “bad days” or that I don’t have stress/struggles…I certainly do. Everyone does. And I guess one thing I have learned in this journey is that stress surfaces whenever I try to control a situation or produce a particular outcome in my desired timeframe.

Funny for me- as I am sharing this- I am now recognizing I am in a pattern right now!

This year, I made the commitment to scale WoMAN. I have been focused on growing and expanding our membership to 100 (done!), launching another chapter as a beta test to build the playbook (hello Boulder), and building a “perfect” team (hey there Lisa and Kristin!) And now- I am smack dab in the middle of what feels like my biggest game to date…bringing in MORE MONEY TO DO MORE GOOD (through the advancement of women). AND I want to play/win this game by BEing more and DOing less. Letting life flow

And here’s where I get real/vulnerable with all the humans reading this…I have NOT been aligned with my intentions of this game for the last few months. Lately, I have been back to my old habits of pushing that boulder up the hill to get the money, stressing myself out by allowing fear to drive my attitude and behaviors, and not practicing the daily routines that I know best support me to live the vision of what I know is possible. DAMN! I feel sincere gratitude for this awareness right now and I am making the choice to realign with the vision of the “best me” and re-commit to the practices that best support me in this chosen journey. (ahhhhhhh….that feels good.)

There is a saying that I love…”Life happens through us, not to us.” I get to choose the energy/mindset that flows through me- no matter what.

Please tell us about WoMAN:Women of M&A Network.
WoMAN is an acronym for “Women of Mergers & Acquisitions Network” (womanglobalgroup.com) We launched in 2017- as a (for-profit) membership-based organization headquartered in Denver, CO. Our mission is simple…To enrich the lives of women who work in M&A through Information, Connection, & Service (our three pillars.)

WoMAN was founded in the spirit to provide a community of like-minded women who desire to authentically engage with their peers, build a strong network of other women in M&A industry, and learn new concepts and strategies to enhance their work and way of living in the world.

Each month we come together, face-to-face, and share in a meaningful experience. The INFORM events provide information and education for professional development. The CONNECT events allow for authentic connections through personal development topics/activities. And the SERVE events are an opportunity to come together, learn about, and support various charities/non-profits.

What makes us special? Well to start- Our members! All high-functioning, successful women in M&A who value building community through authentic connections. We are NOT a “transactional/salesy” group where you are stabbing each other with business cards and looking for your next deal.

WoMAN is committed to:
– attracting a relevant, balanced and diverse group of members.
– delivering valuable information and impactful activities to support your professional and personal development.
– providing structure and the opportunity to serve our community both in time and treasure.
– creating events that allow you to form deeper, more authentic relationships with women peers.
– being unique and fresh in our approach and programming-­ always striving for positive enhancements.

What we are most excited about is our growth and expansion initiatives. In 2020, we will officially roll out new offerings and collaborations to support our growing community.

– We have the Boss Lady Brunch series (think of it like if Vistage/YPO had a baby with a Jeffersonian dinner over bottomless mimosas!) Real boss ladies coming together to tackle real issues in a fun, intentional environment.
– WoMANifest- a 2-day all-inclusive retreat where you can rest, reset your creative genius, nourish your body and envision what’s next.
– Women on Boards initiative. Collaborating with board bound programs to prepare more women for community and corporate boards seats.
– The WoMAN Collaborative Partnership Program is based on developing symbiotic and strategic relationships with like-minded organizations who support the advancement of women.

The power of WoMAN has only just begun. We would welcome any/all connections to people, organizations, and opportunities to expand our reach into other US cities and globally. The time is now. Women are being called to take a proactive stance and to advance into more leadership positions. It only takes one action to start a ripple effect!

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Wow…quite a few actually, but if I had to pick just one…

I was about 9 or 10 years old. My best friend Jennifer and I were scheming how to make some extra money (for stickers). We came up with the notion that the other kids on the block would probably pay money to come see us perform a concert singing Debbie Gibson songs. (ha! who wouldn’t pay money for that!?)

So we joined forces and delegated tasks based upon what we each did best. Jennifer was great at making the stage props, creating the playlist, and making sure the ticket prices would be enough to meet our financial needs. I was excited to create flyers, produce the show/make props, and build the buzz with the kids on the block. Oh and performing the best version of Debbie Gibson ever was pretty fun too! I had a natural gift of persuasion and could inspire others to join in the fun we were creating.

Concert day came…we crushed it! SOLD OUT show (probably 10-12 kids resulting in $5) and we had a blast singing and dancing our favorite songs from our favorite artist at the time. What I remember most is loving the process of having a goal ($ for stickers), working with my bestie to figure out a creative plan to get what we wanted, and to inspire others to join us for a fun time. And still to this day, I love being a creative developer. I thrive at opportunities where I can empower/enable others to elevate their game by intentionally coming together in community.