Our Founder

Our Founder | Tara Lorigan MNZM

The driving force behind Co.OfWomen, Tara pursued her own entrepreneurial ventures after a successful career in tech marketing in the UK and Aotearoa, leading the country's top tech incubator and developing its award-winning growth program.

Tara discovered a gap in the market when it came to women in business and combined her own passion for business and the science of human performance to create a practical offering to champion the success of women. She launched Co.OfWomen in March 2012, creating a world-class, comprehensive eco-system based offering that is still unparalleled globally.

Tara's business qualification is from the University of Auckland and she is a trained Neuroscience-based high-performance Coach.

In recognition of her contributions to Women and Business, in 2016 Tara was honoured as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.


Dr Lee Mathias ONZM

Serial Entrepreneur - Founding Chair, Patron

Being successful is the most exciting part but it can also be a slow, tough road and, at times, a truly lonely one.

I initially joined Co.OfWomen as I could see that this organisation was meeting a real and previously unmet need for female entrepreneurs, offering relevant support I would have been very grateful to have at different points in my own entrepreneurial journey.

Being entrepreneurial is about being innovative, doing business in different ways to get and maintain the competitive advantage that will ensure sustainability, and all the benefits success brings with it. Women often have compelling ideas about doing things differently but can get stifled by the traditional framework of business as well as by our own distinctive Achilles heels.

As New Zealands leading female business brand I'm proud of how far we've come since tara and I sat down over a cup of tea all those years ago to discuss this idea of hers, it is making a big difference for many women.

I invite you to join us and take advantage of the myriad of resources developed with your success in mind.

>> Lee is the founder of Birthcare, Labtests and is a director and shareholder of Pictor - she is a significant leader in the healthcare sector and one of the country's most experienced and respected governors

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where are you on your success journey?

calling women at every stage of success


Our membership serves Employed Leaders and Business owners

We serve women at every stage of success from fledgling to executive

Our focus is the practical tools and thinking that empowers success in any domain

Our3-Pillars Model reflects deep expertise in Gender, Science and Business contexts

Our promise - we've got your back - and it will be our honour to prove that to you.


What we care about - for profit, for good

For ourselves

Women rising powerfully

The collective socialisation of women is that my job is not me, it's everyone else and the resulting disconnection from my-self and what I need is at the heart of why women often shrink instead of rising.

Co.OfWomen have spent a decade and a half serving women, getting to the heart of what propels or holds us back and built a an unparalleled world-class ecosystem. Our commitment is that any of the 52% of humanity that women represent who become members have the very best support and resources to see them rise.

For ourselves

People at the core

There is a bright side to women's socialisation - the extent to which we are connected to and will prioritise the wellbeing of others. We know that when harnessed powerfully, that capacity makes women epic leaders and happy people, make for profitable businesses.

So it's essential that we commit to fully understanding and internalising that everyone and everything I care about will do better when I ensure I have what I need. If I do not, burnout is a foregone conclusion with no winners. Co.OfWomen's model is built to ensure this.

For ourselves

World-Class Ecosystem

Since 2009, as a founder led organisation, we've brought a driven, passionate commitment to building the world-class model that women deserve. As at 2023 our model is still unparalleled globally because building a support model for a person who doesn't ask for herself is tricky.

Every member has their own Membership Facilitator. Her job is to ensure that whatever is important for her to achieve through membership is supported by a tailored blend of Coaching, Mentoring, Peer Group, Development options and Events for her.

We're a community of thousands of women

We're here to receive what we need and activate our influence for each other

  • we’re a diverse range of business owners, across many industries
  • others of us work inside organisations we’re passionate about, innovating from the inside
  • we think big from the outset – risk-takers, we’re leaders, driven by our values first and foremost
  • we’re building talented, passionate teams to realise our vision & goals
  • many have global reach in view, others already there, their impact steadily growing
  • a number are innovating at the forefront of industries and markets – creating movements
  • most are mothers so our time is uniquely challenged and at an absolute premium
  • we struggle most often with balance; many, with confidence
  • what drives most is the opportunity to win at the game we chose, or created
  • for most winning means is about impact beyond our own lives - a better world for all
  • so the job at hand for each, is becoming the person who can deliver that…
  • it requires expanded resilience, self-belief, skill and abilities at each new level to realise the success we see
  • We are a founder led organisation with one mission only - for women to have what they need to rise powerfully
  • We exist to connect, equip & champion these women and we’re fanatical in our commitment to this
  • We live by the promise we make to every member, sister - we’ve got your back!

Tara Lorigan, Founder