Member Spotlight: Evelyn
“Think of it as an invisible shield of power that knows that women are exceptional leaders because we show up as our complete selves”
At Peer Advisory Group, we are proud to highlight the incredible women who make up our community—leaders, strategists, and change-makers who bring depth and experience to our discussions. One of our longest-standing members, Evelyn Wolf, has been part of Peer Advisory Group since 2015. Her journey from running a boutique agency to stepping into a leadership role as Chief of Staff at Phorest, an international SaaS company, reflects the evolution of many of our members—navigating business ownership, leadership challenges, and career transitions with resilience.
Evelyn is a fixer, strategist, and operational leader who supports executive strategy development and ensures execution across multiple teams. With over 15 years in marketing, her career has spanned agency leadership, corporate marketing, and entrepreneurship. Through every stage of her journey, Peer Advisory Group has been a source of insight, support, and honest conversations.
In this feature, Evelyn shares how Peer Advisory Group became her trusted sounding board, how it shaped some of her most difficult career decisions, and why having a community of like-minded women is a powerful asset in leadership and business.
Read on to hear Evelyn’s experience in her own words.
Can you share a little about your professional background?
I am currently working as a Chief of Staff to a regional manager in an international SaaS business. This means, I support my exec in developing strategy and am ultimately responsible for the operationalising of those strategies across our teams.
I like to think of myself as a fixer who can parachute into any issue. I’m a support to our 6 department heads.
Prior to this, I worked in marketing for over 15 years. I'm one of the lucky ones who still got to produce TV and radio ads, while being right there when digital marketing took off and inbound marketing was formed. I led teams, worked as a senior individual contributor, client and agency side, and I even ran my own agency with my former business partner - she's also part of Peer Advisory Group!
What inspired you to join Peer Advisory Group, and what were you hoping to get out of it?
That was back in 2015. Myself and my business partner were about to kickstart our own boutique inbound marketing agency. We had great ideas and no clients. Neither of us had been self-employed before, so what do you do? How do you get support? Where do you find sounding boards? Usually you have a whole business with different opinions, when suddenly there are only two of you...where do you turn for candid, kind, professional and open advice and unwavering support? That's what I found in the Peer Advisory Group.
As my career progressed and I went back in-house, Peer Advisory evolved with me. The challenges are not the same but very similar. Imagine, you are joining a room with smart business women. You can candidly speak about your challenges - personal and professional. Because we know that we show up as a whole person, whether at work or at home. And this group hears you. They support you. They get you. That's Peer Advisory Group.
Can you share a specific insight, strategy, or connection from Peer Advisory Group that has impacted your business, leadership or life?
One of the most difficult decisions in my career was to go back in-house and close our agency. Something we discussed at length in the group. Looking back, I made the wrong choice in the company I chose initially. Faced with months of bullying, exclusion and undermining, I was left questioning my worth and whether it was all "just me". The Peer Advisory Group caught me as I was falling into a very dark space. These incredibly smart business women were not afraid to find me in the dark space and supported me in finding my way out. From discovering whether a legal option was a route worth taking, getting my CV ready and simply building my confidence to go out there. I'm 4 years in my current company with a big promotion there along the way. Without their support, I don't think I would have even applied for the role.
The connections are honest, candid and kind. We laugh, cry and have built friendships. The more you pour into Peer Advisory Group, the more you will get out of it.
How has being part of Peer Advisory Group changed the way you approach challenges in your business or career?
Women in business, whether in leadership or in business for themselves, must often display strength, assertiveness and certainty to prove time and again that we have a right to be at the table. Displaying or questioning anything that could be seen as weak, puts many of us still on the back foot. Realising you have an independent sounding board that knows you and has your best interests at heart, is a massive support. Think of it as an invisible shield of power that knows that women are exceptional leaders because we show up as our complete selves. And that shield of power is right behind you.
