BY Laura Burdick Sherman Special Correspondent
South Florida Sun - Sentinel - Fort Lauderdale, Fl
April 30, 2006

Somewhere between doing laundry, cooking, schoolwork and chauffeuring her kids around, Barbara Theodosiou wanted more out of life.

Four years and a lot of hard work later, the 40-something Davie mother of four children, ages 5 to 17, held the first monthly Mommy Mentors Inc. Moms Business Mastermind Group meeting.

Theodosiou said she came up with the idea because of her personal struggles in raising children and keeping up with career goals.

"I felt isolated. Simple things were really difficult, even to set up a Web site," she said. "I was always raising children and wanted to connect with other women."
Theodosiou, who is completing a master's degree in family therapy at Nova Southeastern University, pitched her idea for a women's networking group to anyone who would listen.

One of those who listened was Nicole Sandler, a partner in the Moms Business Mastermind Group.

"What we realized was we both have strengths in different areas and that by bringing women together who have strengths, we can best help one another. That's really the premise of this group," Sandler said.

Theodosiou eventually formed Mommy Mentors, partnering with the David Posnack Jewish Community Center and Gilda's Club. Together, they sponsored "Inspirations, a woman's event" in September, which more than 200 attended.

Encouraged by the response, Theodosiou planned the group's first monthly meeting. About two dozen women, ages 20 to 70, came from Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.

During the meeting, women took the microphone to tell their personal stories.
"I have a lot of high hopes for it. I've been telling a lot of other people," said Teri Kaye, a Cooper City mother of three and partner in Friedman, Cohen, Taubman & Co.

She told the group how she helped her husband build his business before going after her dream as a full-time accountant.

"I thought it was very interesting. It was an eclectic group of women. It's exciting to get in on the ground floor," Kaye said.

For Bobbi Monte of Boca Raton, it was the first time she had used a microphone to address a group.

"The women were very bright and I was very impressed," she said. "I truly believe what you put in your head, you accomplish."

The group's Web site www.mommymentors.com lists future meetings, stories, contacts and sign-up opportunities.

Membership is free. Meetings cost $5. For information about Mommy Mentors, call 954-309-0992 or e-mail barbara@mommymentors.com.

[Barbara Theodosiou] eventually formed Mommy Mentors, partnering with the David Posnack Jewish Community Center and Gilda's Club. Together, they sponsored "Inspirations, a woman's event" in September, which more than 200 attended.