In The Parlay Effect: How Female Connection Can Change the World, Anne Devereux-Mills uses her insights as Founder of Parlay House to show how small actions can result in a meaningful boost in self-awareness, confidence and vision.

A former advertising agency CEO, Devereux-Mills tells the inspiring story of how, just short of her 50th birthday, she lost her health to cancer, her last child to college and her job to the recession. Stripped of everything that had been her identity, she set out on a path to rediscover herself and recreate her life.

Recognizing that she was missing authentic relationships that were not based on what she "did" for a living, but what she cared about as a person, in 2012 she founded Parlay House, a now-international series of salons that bring diverse groups of women together in cities around the world to connect based on topics they care about. As the gatherings grew, she saw that they triggered a series of micro-actions among the participants that resulted in waves of connection, support and strength beyond the gatherings. She dubbed that cascade "The Parlay Effect." Woven through the book are the findings of research that Devereux-Mills conducted in collaboration with Serena Chen, PhD, a tenured Professor of Social Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley that investigated the social science behind "The Parlay Effect."

Through a combination of scientific research and personal stories, The Parlay Effect offers a blueprint for anyone who is going through a life transition who wants to find and create communities that have a positive and multiplying effect in their impact. The stories and science will help you reframe your relationships and in turn:

• Feel stronger in your ability to help others
• Feel empowered at a time when many of us feel helpless