Mommy Mentors founder Barbara Theodosiou featured in the Nov. - Dec. edition of Positive Thinking Magazine

Barbara Theodosiou relishes every second of her life as a stay-at-home mom. Her four kids make sure it's never dull. But a few years ago, she noticed that she was losing touch with the outside world. "I so'metimes felt very isolated," she says. "When you're not in a business environment, something as simple as setting up an email address can be a challenge." Knowing she wasn't the only one who felt that way, Barbara began reaching out to other women. In 2004, Barbara started mommy mentors.com, a website where women can connect with others, where mothers can share their talents, passions and ideas and plan in-person gatherings. "Every woman has a story that can inspire someone else," Barbara says.

The site has been a catalyst not only for friendships but also for business connections and book ideas. ''We keep our meetings very personal," Barbara says. "We don't hand out business cards. We stand up and talk about what we're doing." Mommy Mentors success stories include a woman who started her own consulting business, and a Hurricane Katrina evacuee who built a new life in Fort Lauderdale, the group's hub. Barbara hopes to include a mentoring program for teenage girls, to prepare them for the world that awaits them. "Many young women don't think very much of themselves. There are so many different pressures. But they can learn about themselves through other people's experiences," says Barbara, whose own teenage daughter has already become involved in event planning.

Next year, Mommy Mentors plans to release Letters to Our Younger Selves, .a collection of stories from. members, geared toward inspiring younger women. "It will touch on everything from dealing with divorce, to going back to school, to changing jobs," says Barbara. In the meantime, she and the rest of the group members will continue to live by the Mommy Mentors' motto: "You are special. You really really are!" -JM