Self-proclaimed Sparkologist Katie Sandoe, 2025 Evening of Empowerment Speaker
By Katie Johnsen, Events Coordinator, GRCA
“What a nice girl.”
When I was younger, there was nothing I wanted more than to be called “nice.” It’s a people pleasing attitude that I’m even now trying to unlearn (with a lot of encouragement from my Lean In Circle – check out our info session on Aug. 26!).
“But why wouldn’t you want to be nice?” I hear you ask. Great question! And there are a lot of answers.
For one, being “nice” is more about being polite. I can very nicely criticize someone for petty reasons in front of a crowd of people. In instances like that, I’d prefer to be kind.
Brutal honesty is another thing that’s become culturally acceptable (aka “nice”) while still being unkind. As one meme put it: Where’s your clever honesty? Your compassionate honesty? Your insightful honesty? Uplifting? Poetic? Empowering? People who say they’re “brutally honest” are more interested in the brutality than the honesty.
And most importantly: nice is yet another box that women are supposed to check off, holding us back from owning our power.
On Thursday, Oct. 9, Women2Women’s Evening of Empowerment will host SparkologistTM Katie Sandoe as she presents “Do No Harm, Take No Crap, Own Your Power.” When I heard the title of Sandoe’s talk, I felt that little spark in my chest that happens when someone puts into words exactly what you’ve been trying to figure out.
Because here’s the thing: empowerment isn’t about becoming someone else. It’s about peeling away the labels, the boxes, the “shoulds” and remembering that you already have everything you need to stand tall. It’s about learning to lead with kindness without being walked over and about holding your boundaries without losing your humanity.
That’s what Women2Women is all about—creating spaces where we can have hard conversations, cheer for each other’s wins and push each other to grow into the most authentic version of ourselves. Sandoe is bringing her energy, her wisdom, and yes, her spark, to help us do just that.
I can’t wait to be in that room—surrounded by women who are done being “nice” at the expense of their power, ready to replace it with something stronger, braver and far more real.
Don’t forget to save your spot for Thursday, Oct. 9 because your power isn’t going to claim itself.