Today we’d like to introduce you to Gina Alagata.
Hi Gina, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Wink, Women Inkorporated® launched in San Diego in April of 2010, with a vision for making women’s business networking better, more effective and of higher integrity for all women in business. Since that time, we have impacted thousands of women in business. Wink is a fun, welcoming, professional environment for women in business.
Wink offers local networking events with professional business insights, ideas, relevant topics, interaction and referrals with other women in business. This non-exclusive networking is for women that are professionals, entrepreneurs, business owners, independent contractor, and consultants.
A little back story, we closed our events in the summer of 2020, not planning to reopen as our events were in-person and at the time, no one had space open. Unbeknownst to me just 2-years later, my life would take a dramatic turn of events. My older brother Darin Umbarger passed away unexpectedly in July of 2022. We were very close and losing him took a big toll on me and my perspective of life, family, friends, and my faith in God.
Wink was inspired by my older brother. He was the original inspiration behind Wink and the reason why Wink was launched in the first place. I remember having a conversation with him several years ago when he told me, “Gina, I see you as owning your own business or being a CEO of a company.” I thought he was crazy, there was no way I could own my own company, or so I thought. His belief in me is what gave me the confidence to open my own business several years ago. He always believed so much in other people, encouraged them, and even invested in some small businesses. He never knew a stranger!
So, in honor of my brother Darin, I relaunched Wink in January of 2023. My goal is to impact as many women in business to go after their dreams in life and business as they borrow my belief in them, as I did my brothers belief in me. You can do it; I believe in you! Have faith in others and be open to where God wants to take you in life.
Now after a year and a half of being reopened we are impacting more women in life and business. We have become the supportive tribe, sisterhood if you will, that we never knew we needed, but God knew. So I invite you to come meet us, be it in-person or online, we are here for you. Wink is the Link to Women’s Business Networking!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. There have been some bumps in the road, especially when Wink closed in 2020 and then with the loss of my brother in 2022. But through it all, I can look back and see it was all a part of God’s plan for my life, a true learning experience and testimonial of his faithfulness to me.
So if I can just say this, enjoy the journey and where life takes you, sometimes the struggles become your biggest story or testimonial in life. And you just never know who you will impact through those challenges. It hasn’t been easy and there have been times, many times since my brother past that I’ve wanted to give up and go another way, but I truly believe this is where I’m supposed to be. And seeing the women that I’ve met, the stories we’ve shared along this journey in life together, helps me realize that life is meant to be lived WITH one another, and that includes the ups and downs. Life is sweeter with other people in it!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Wink, Women Inkorporated®?
Wink, Women Inkorporated® is a women’s business networking organization based in San Diego, CA. We offer both in-person and virtual networking for women in business.
We have monthly in-person business luncheons with speakers on various topics related to women in business. We also have monthly business mixers at women-owned locations in the San Diego area. Our virtual networking offers a platform for women all over the United States to connect and grow with us in business.
What sets us apart is the warm, welcoming environment that we offer for women to do business networking. The women have stated that from their very first event they feel like they belong in our community. There’s no drama, cattiness, or competition, just a sincere desire to help other women in life and business. I love that about the Wink sisterhood. As we say, Wink is the Link to Businesswomen’s Networking!
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I’d love to have more women connect with us at our events, online and in-person. We are always looking for fabulous speakers on various topics related to women in business. And if you own a local woman-owned business in San Diego, we’d love for you to host one (or more) of our events at your place of business. We will also be opening more Wink chapters throughout the United States so if you are a woman in business interested in leading a chapter, and earning some extra income with it as well, please reach out to us at our contact information below.
We are always looking for women that want to collaborate with us through social media as well. And we do offer an affiliate commission to women in business that are a part of our community. Email us for details: hello@wink2link.com
Pricing:
- $25 for online membership
- $75 for in-person + online membership
Contact Info:
- Website: https://wink2link.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wink2link/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Wink2Link/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/3632994/admin/dashboard/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Wink2Link
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/wink2link-san-diego-3
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wink2link
Image Credits
Guided by Imagination Photography & Videography
