The six women of The Lemonade Network have never met in person. We hope to meet on The Oprah Show one day (we are applying the Law of Attraction) to tell the world about our story and how we came together to create this company and write a book.

   Each of us brings years of experience in various counseling and coaching fields. We have a desire to make a significant impact on others’ lives. Our own experiences and awareness of the physical impacts of stress led each of us to learn more about the specialized area of health coaching.  That is where we met. We all took the same course which was facilitated over the phone and the internet.

   In an effort to help one another, we created a mastermind group. We met twice a month and discussed various topics. On one conference call, we were brainstorming about how we could incorporate a group coaching program that would help people emotionally recover from the economic crisis.

   As the conversation continued, we quickly realized that this topic was a much bigger project. Within one week, we decided to write a book. Then we started a company.

   In defining our mission, the well-known Dale Carnegie phrase “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade” kept surfacing. It seemed natural our name should be The Lemonade Network.

   There are links to each of our biographies (Andrea C. Skelly, Ph.D., MPH; Catherine Lidster, GCFP; Danny Fitzpatrick, MPA; Jeanette Carter; Kathy Pandich; Marsha Stopa, APP) and you will see how we have a passion for helping others. We live in six different states from coast to coast and we look forward to the day when we can finally meet in person. If anyone reading this knows Oprah, please send her our link.

   In our more than 300 total years of life, the group has navigated a vast range of challenges and experiences that provide a collaborative wisdom from which we draw.  

   As a group, we have survived many things including: eight job firings or layoffs, seven bankruptcies or severe financial difficulties, five tax liens or audits, one foreclosure and one mortgage default, seven divorces, six losses of assets through poor decisions or misguided investments, five failed businesses, the loss of 19 close loved ones, eight unexpected instances of significantly reduced income, the raising of nine children, six serious life-changing illnesses for ourselves or close family, five ”bosses from hell,” one home lost to fire and an average loss of more than 50 percent of life savings and investments in the current economic downturn.

   All of us have come through with a new knowledge of ourselves, a new level of confidence and a deep desire to help guide others through the maze from victim to victor.      

   It is our hope you will find a safe haven within our network where we can learn from each other and live happier, healthier lives.