Networking for Women: 'The Stack' Launches 'The Stack World'

Pledging to put community first in the name of networking (while also honouring female entrepreneurs and the next generation of talent), Sharmadean Reid's inclusive platform The Stack has just launched The Stack World, along with a new membership offer for its readers and The Stack World app.

With articles that span from 'First Mistakes You Won't Want To Make During A Pitch', to 'Conversations With My Sex Therapist, Am I A Madonna or A Whore?', The Stack World covers every topic imaginable, even their 'Wellness' section is split into different subdivisions that see news pieces covering: Anxiety Management, The Self, Relationships, Sex and Hormones. Consider it a spiritual guide for business-driven women (and like-minded others) who don't want to choose between having a career or a social life or between a career and a family. While indulging in secret insider business tips to writing about global matters that aren't just affecting western women and mindsets (see their latest article: 'Fighting For Their Lives - What is Happening to the Women of Afghanistan'), The Stack World offers a new perspective on beauty, the business of beauty, and everyday life, while providing a not only a virtual community but a physical one too, all in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The launch of The Stack World also sees a variety of memberships for its readers, ranging from a modest £1 per month subscription for a basic membership, to £9.99 per month, (Premium membership offer). Members will have access to broadsheet-style editorials, members events and a 'next-generation members directory', connecting members with fellow changemakers. The launch is supported by a creative campaign that will star across London, shining spotlight on many of The Stack's acclaimed users and members including Grace Ladoja and Ciara Madden. The campaign - shot by Danika Magdelena - communicates how community and networking is paramount within growth, finding future investment opportunities, starting new career paths and beyond. By bringing people together, the new membership packages will help re-build the physical communities that became virtual and the safe spaces that have been destroyed due to the pandemic.

Founder of The Stack World, Sharmadean Reid, said in a statement:

'Most people familiar with my work would consider me synonymous with ‘community’ - but there’s a real difference between ‘community’ and ‘network’, for me. The network is all about tangible, practical tools. It’s the domain we typically think of as male, whilst women are left with emotional support only from their peers. At The Stack, we don’t want to lead women to believe that hustle, that incredibly hard work, is the only route to economic success. Where are the stories for women on smart investments, or timely tax returns...? The past decade has shown women how to work for their money - we want to ensure the next decade shows women how to make their money work for them.'

What sets The Stack World apart from other publications is that it's there to actively help its readers, not just ply them with articles that hold little to no substance; instead, they start conversations that matter. They address the critical discussion surrounding the pay imbalance time and time again, feature honest accounts from writers about what it's like to deal with anxiety and ADHD, and also continue to discuss the discourse that surrounds the roles of gender and why we often submit to the patriarchy as women: 'Why Do So Many Women Still Change Their Last Name When They Marry?'

Last month, having followed The Stack for a while on Instagram, editorial assistant Christina Donoghue decided to interview Sharmadean Reid after being inspired by many of the sometimes-humbling-sometimes-motivating articles the platform has published. Wondering how The Stack World came to be, Donoghue directly asked Reid, 'Where did the idea come from to start The Stack World?' Reid's response resonates:

'The more I consumed (media), the more I realised how full my newsfeed was of, at best, takedowns of female CEOs and, at worst, issues that had nothing to do with women. I wanted to build a platform where front-page headlines were conversations about childcare policies or female VC funding rather than the colour of Theresa May's shoes. Crucially, The Stack is not just content for women; it's a community for women in a post-pandemic world.'