About Flourish
flourish v. — To grow well or luxuriantly; thrive, do well.
Flourish was created in 2007 by Nancy Thompson as a way to Connect, Inspire and Empower women by bringing together interesting people and inspiring events that help participants grow, thrive...Flourish! Nancy combines her creative talents, event planning skills and strong desire to be a catalyst for personal growth to create a unique business that is focused on inspiring and connecting women. The goal of Flourish is to create a community of women who value the opportunity to take time from their hectic lives to relax in the company of other women, explore new things, and share ideas in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. Through her own experience as a wife, mother, worker, volunteer and friend, Nancy knows how easy it can be to lose our “self” in the busy-ness of life. Flourish's mission is to offer events that will create wonderful opportunities to re-connect and celebrate who we are as women.
About Salons
Flourish offers monthly events called Salons inspired by the Grand Salons held in 17th and 18th century France, when women held get togethers in their drawing rooms. Participants at these historical events “gathered to increase their knowledge through conversation and readings [aiming] to please and educate.” Flourish Salons feature a variety of interesting speakers and inspiring topics. These events are hosted in an intimate, comfortable environment created to connect, inspire and empower women.
Our Story
Before creating Flourish, founder Nancy Thompson enjoyed a long and successful career in the corporate sector managing corporate meetings, events and travel. Nancy also worked in commercial real estate for several years while she was a single mom raising two wonderful children. A move to Portland in the late 1980's gave her an opportunity to change careers, leverage her nickname from friends as the "Party Planning Queen" and create a business utilizing her creative event planning skills. She founded Entertaining Solutions and produced many large corporate events in the Portland area for companies like Coca Cola and Intel which led to a ten year stint managing meetings, press tours and marketing events for Mentor Graphics Corp. Currently Nancy manages corporate travel for a conglomerate of companies focused on trade show and event marketing.
Nancy is a resident of Portland, OR. She has always been involved in her community and causes that support women and children. In 2005, determined to move into the next chapter of her life as a strong, fit and fabulous woman, Nancy realized she would have to learn new diet and exercise habits. With the help of a personal trainer she did just that. Excited by her own success, Nancy trained to become a certified fitness professional so she could help other women. Working with women as a trainer led Nancy to realize that fitness was not just strong abs and flexible joints, it was about the whole person and empowering our mind, body and spirit. She has a grand vision to grow Flourish into women's well-being and lifestyle centers designed specifically for the unique needs and interests of women in as they transition in life.
Nancy's Manifesto
manifesto n. — A public declaration of principles, policies, or intentions.
I love to learn and explore new ideas. I love to bring people together. I love to entertain and be the hostess. I love to share things and learn with other people. I want to be fit and fabulous well past 50! I want to use my experience and expertise to make a difference in the lives of women all over the world. I love cooking...and eating! I explore natural medicine and healthy foods. I am strong, and my body is fit and flexible. I practice meditation (still learning!), Tai Chi, Chi Gung, Nia, kickboxing and yoga. I believe in the power of intention. I want to be a world traveler and explore how women in other cultures live and express their creativity. I believe that wellness lies in the perfect connection of mind, body and spirit. I value my friendships with other women and believe that community is of great importance.(Photo of Nancy at age 8 — the last time she had a photo taken that she actually liked!)