This past year has been a powerful reminder of why community matters — especially in the energy industry. Serving and supporting Women’s Energy Network (WEN) events has been more than event planning. It has been about creating spaces where women connect, grow, lead, and thrive.

I had the honor and privilege as serving as the WEN Wellness Chair for the past three years. From professional development workshops to outdoor adventures and elegant celebrations, each WEN gathering strengthened relationships and reinforced the importance of leadership, resilience, and authentic connection in our industry.

Below is a look back at the incredible WEN moments that made this year unforgettable.

Leadership & Professional Development

• Rebecca (Corvin) Ashby kicked off the year with inspiration and meaningful dialogue around leadership, influence, and professional growth. Hearing Rebecca’s journey and insights sparked powerful conversations about navigating the energy industry with confidence and authenticity.
  
• Financial literacy workshop with Devin Kelley of Merrill Lynch. This workshop equipped attendees with practical strategies for building wealth, planning for the future, and making empowered financial decisions. The room was filled with ambition, curiosity, and a shared commitment to long-term success.
• And we ended the wellness series for the year in November with a webinar with Christina Sims. Innovation continues to shape the future of energy. This forward-thinking webinar explored how artificial intelligence is transforming the workplace and how women leaders can stay ahead of the curve. It was insightful, energizing, and incredibly relevant to where our industry is headed.

Wellness, Confidence & Personal Growth

• In the Self-Defense Class we learned that confidence begins with capability. This empowering session provided practical tools for personal safety while strengthening both physical presence and mental resilience.
• We hosted a Mid-Year Reset at CNX with Ellie Curry halfway through a fast-paced year. This event created space to pause, reflect, and refocus. Through intentional conversation and guided exercises, attendees realigned their goals and renewed their energy.
  
• Participating in the second annual WEN in the Wild & Wellness Retreat in Deep Creek, MD. There is something powerful about stepping outside the boardroom and into nature. This retreat blended leadership development with intentional wellness practices, fostering deep connection and restoration.

Connection Through Experience

• The Galentine's Day Soiree at Franklin on Penn was our largest gathering! Celebrating friendship and professional sisterhood, Galentine's was a joyful reminder that strong networks are built on genuine relationships.
  
• Supporting our MEN of WEN group with a Fishing Event sponsored by Octane Environmental gave chance for us to gain a new perspective. This unique gathering brought us together in a relaxed, hands-on environment that encouraged learning, laughter, and shared experience.
  
• The Cooking Class allowed for collaboration in the kitchen, mirroring collaboration in leadership. This interactive event blended creativity, teamwork, and community.

Celebrating Excellence & Impact

• We had several members participate in the Pittsburgh Marathon with a Relay Team. This event showcased endurance, collaboration, and the strength of women supporting one another toward a common goal.
  
• And of course, my favorite event of the year - The Annual Gala! An elegant celebration of leadership and achievement, the Gala honored the remarkable women shaping the future of energy. It was a night of recognition, reflection, and inspiration.
  
• Lastly the WEN Fashion Show allowed confidence to take center stage. The Fashion Show celebrated individuality, style, and the power of showing up boldly — both personally and professionally - while contributing to the wonderful efforts of Dress for Success.

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Three Years of Service, Countless Moments of Impact. Though the year flew by, the impact of these events will last far beyond a calendar cycle. Over the past three years, serving WEN has been an honor — not simply because of the events themselves, but because of the women behind them.

Each workshop strengthened leadership.

Each retreat deepened resilience.

Each celebration reinforced community.

Women in energy are not just building careers — they are building networks, industries, and futures.
And being part of that journey has been one of the greatest privileges of all. I love being a part of this amazing industry and the WEN organization in particular for providing so many opportunities for personal growth, interpersonal connections, and overall wellbeing.

​Personal Branding is no longer Optional. It’s Your Competitive Advantage.
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Too often, talented, high-performing women:

• Work hard but go unnoticed
• Deliver results but don’t get credit
• Wait to be recognized instead of positioning themselves strategically

This is the power of personal branding for women, especially those in leadership. You have the ability to be intentional about your brand, contribute to the narrative, and have a say in telling the world who you are and how you want to be perceived.

Personal branding is the alignment between:

• Your values
• Your expertise
• Your visual presence
• Your communication style
• Your digital footprint​​​

​In today’s oversaturated online space, your personal brand is not a luxury. It’s not vanity. And it’s certainly not optional. Your personal brand is the perception people have of you when you’re not in the room. A new way of simply saying your reputation, yet it is so much more. It’s the emotional and professional imprint you leave behind. It’s how you’re described in leadership meetings. It’s the difference between being considered and being chosen.

It’s not about being flashy. It’s about being clear.

• Clear about what you stand for.
• Clear about what you offer.
• Clear about the impact you make.

Also, keep in mind, everyone has a personal brand, whether you like it or not. When you make the effort to be intentional about it, building your brand will help you stand out even more when you are climbing the corporate ladder, building a business, or stepping into executive leadership. How you show up matters. Otherwise, when you are not intentional or decide not to put in the effort, you are allowing others to fill the gaps for you and make assumptions about you (not that they won't anyway, but at least you have the option of showing them who you truly are.

It is simple Marketing 101: A strong personal brand ensures that:

• Your expertise is visible
• Your voice is heard
• Your leadership is recognized

Understanding the importance of this concept inspired the course we offer at MRC:
​Engaged and Empowered: Elevate Your Personal Brand to Elevate Your Professional Presence.

This is a professional development course specifically designed to empower women to confidently take on leadership roles. We focus on four lessons:

✨ Personal Branding - Build a personal brand that aligns with your professional goals and sets you apart in your industry.

✨ Communication & Visual Authority - Master effective communication techniques, understand body language, and develop a strong visual presence that reinforces credibility.

✨ Online Reputation - Develop and refine your online presence to promote your brand, skills, and expertise strategically.

✨ Emotional Intelligence & Self-Management - Learn to manage your emotions, maintain a positive mindset, and reinforce the image of the leader you are becoming.

Being intentional and going through these lessons help you move from being capable… to being recognized as capable. Leadership isn’t just about what you know — it’s about how you’re perceived.

When clarity meets confidence, influence follows.

If you have questions or are ready to make an impact, book a discovery call or sign up for the course!

I am SO thrilled that you are here!

I have officially launched Meagan Reed Consulting full time as of Saturday, March 22, 2025! I wanted to take some time for my first blog post to tell you a little more about what we offer at MRC:

Marketing & Social Media Engagement
This has been a dream of mine for nearly 15 years. I started MRC fresh out of graduate school from The University of Texas where I got my master's degree in advertising. A pizza shop owner that I used to sell advertising to for the college newspaper asked me if I was available to assist with marketing, and the rest was history! I have since assisted nearly 30 social media accounts in one way or another, from a yoga studio, CBD company, chiropractor, plumber, and so many more.

So of course, Social Media Marketing is one of the services that I offer. I also teach others the specific strategy that I use to show them how to grow their social media audience and engagement, and consult and coach individuals and teams on managing their social media accounts. 

Leadership Education
Next up is leadership education. This has also been a lifelong love of mine. Since my undergraduate days at Slippery Rock University where I was involved in the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership as a First Seminar participant, peer mentor, and marketing intern throughout my four years there. I was overly involved early on, holding presidency for two student organization (Green & White Society and Zeta Phi Eta), serving as a head lifeguard at the rec center on campus, the advertising manager at the newspaper, and a few other things along the way. 

All of these experiences gave me a phenomenal foundation and leadership education has always held a huge place in my heart because of it. I have since been able to expand my personal knowledge and understanding in order to teach others about  how people interact and engage, how to stand out and excel in life and your career, and how the Power of Saying Yes to Opportunities will open so many doors throughout your life.

I co-created a leadership development course in 2024 called Engaged & Empowered: Embrace your Personal Brand to Elevate your Professional Presence. I truly believe this is a great course for anyone looking to establish their leadership presence or uplevel their skills and take it to the next level. 

I also created a personal development workbook that I believe is also very beneficial in leadership development. Because to be a good leader, you must uncover and address many of your own issues and insecurities to better understand yourself and lead from a place of self-belief and confidence. 

In addition, I've taken on several coaching clients, which I absolutely love!! Some have been a one off strategy session and for others, we meet weekly to discuss starting a business: walking through creating the brand (logo, colors), website and social media plan, pricing and offerings, and more. I would love to expand this area of the business in the future.

Lastly, I have been blessed with several chances to speak, lead, and present at conferences and workshops, sharing my perspective and theories developed over the years. 

Corporate Events
For the third pillar, I love planning, executing, and promoting corporate and wellness events. My first opportunity to plan a corporate event was actually in college as a co-host for a tri-state regional advancement and leadership conference. More recently, I assisted with The EmpowerHER Summit as well an upcoming Financial Advisor Growth workshop. 

Over the past three years, I've been the wellness chair for a local industry association where I've planned nearly 30 in person events and virtual webinars on various topics. 

What's Next
I am so grateful for getting to this place that I've wanted to be for so long. I'm going to give it my all, as I always do. I'm excited to see what God has in store for this business. 

I'm not sure what this blog is going to be, but I am hoping to share valuable insights and information in some way. At the very least, it will be interesting. If you know me, you know that is certain!

Thank you for following along with my journey. I am forever grateful for you!