Welcome to
Woman in Progress
Take control of your circumstances
Sound finances • Meaningful work • Wellbeing
A ‘how to and who can help’ resource for taking control of your stressful, messy, full-on life, one small step at a time.
A place to connect with trustworthy, top-quality service providers who’ll help you get your finances in shape, figure out and find work you love, navigate legal issues, and feel good in your skin.
A community primarily (but not exclusively) for Melbourne single mothers who can say, hand on heart, ‘I am ready to live well on my terms.
"Life is an arm wrestle. But if a woman can come at it with confidence and commitment to working on herself and a community that’s got her back, she can win hands down."
Rita Montalto
Founder, Woman in Progress
Meet our service providers
Find businesses and organisations that feel, look, and sound right for you, and we'll put you in touch.
Hello, I'm Rita
Founder of Woman in Progress
Single full-time working mum of two gorgeous humans
In 2011, John, their dad, my first love, was diagnosed with Huntington's Disease, a degenerative neurological illness. In 2014 on the day we were handed the keys to our new house, John lost his job.
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I was now our sole income provider. Our youngest child was a year old. I had to find full-time work, So I did. My salary (around half of what John had earned) had to cover everything, including the mortgage and childcare.
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Four years later, John's illness had progressed to the point where we needed to place him in full-time care. I was well and truly on my own. Cue five-plus years of hand-to-mouth existence. until I got fed up with having zero petrol in my physical and emotional tanks and decided to change how I felt about myself and how I lived.
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Slowly but conscientiously, I started to research and read and learn how to do things differently to take control of my circumstances, starting with finances and fitness.
So ladies, here we are ...
Me
A Woman in Progress, taking charge, pretty good in my skin, but with many things I still want and need to work on. I’m all about gradual betterment, that’s the essence of being a Woman in Progress.
You
Wondering if you've rocked up to the right place at the right time.
If you're looking for people and places to help you trade overwhelm and exhaustion for taking slow but certain charge of your life.......you've found it.
The Woman in Progress Community
Launching in the spring - Waitlist now open
Workshops
Suss out our service providers
Connect with our most sought-after service providers in 'hands-on, ‘how to,’ workshops. They showcase their services and cred. You get to find your 'best fit' businesses.
Forums & fun stuff
Connect with lovely, likeminded women
Safe places for sharing, ‘social-ing,’ asking and answering. We'll start with these three:
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I am ready to be financial
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I am up for good and great work
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I am here for fierce self-care
And add new forums as we need them.
Small steps nights
Practice a single good thing
Spend a focused but fun evening busting overwhelm and building confidence and smarts. Think nailing job interviews, swapping, and styling your wardrobe, or spreadsheeting your budget.
