I am all about learning from other people who excel at business. This week, I'm bringing you behind the scenes of Hera Hub, an amazing co-working and business accelerator space for women. I had the pleasure of speaking with Felena Hanson, owner and founder of Hera Hub. Read more for a very exciting Q&A all about growing a business and transitioning from fear to future. I'm very excited to be partnering with Hera Hub to bring you this post plus a big announcement below!
I have heard about Hera Hub over the last few years but hadn't had the chance to come in for a visit till last week. I have been to a few co-working places and have always enjoyed the concept. Working together with other likeminded individuals while growing a business and collaborating with others has always been exciting to me. This place is unique in that it is designed for women who not only want to work in a shared office space, but also want to support each other and thrive. I love that it is also within a spa-like environment. This is very "me". I fell right into place within my first visit. There are three locations in San Diego: Sorrento Valley, Mission Valley and Carlsbad. They also have spaces in Washington D.C., Sweden, Phoenix, Orange County and more coming soon.
I've only been here a few times now and I can already feel the sense of community. I've been to a business booster on google analytics, spoken with a cause marketing guru and had several conversations with regular members. Their membership packages are very affordable and range from $80- $389 per month. The levels are based on amount of hours, room bookings, intern strategy coaching and more.
I am very excited to be a member of Hera Hub and will be hosting my next 3 workshops here! This place is very well laid out with that awesome spa like feel which will be perfect for the next workshop. I'm finalizing the details and will have more for you on that soon!
The best part about collaborating with other businesses is the chance to hear their stories. I spoke with Felena about Hera Hub and found her story to be very inspiring.
Q&A with Felena Hanson, Hera Hub, Founder
- How do you support 20,000 women? We are supporting women through our Hera Hub locations, our Business Accelerator program (Hera Labs), our annual conference (Hera Venture Summit) and through my book, "Flight Club - Rebel, Reinvent, and Thrive: How to Launch Your Dream Business" - Available on Amazon... http://amzn.com/0692674691.
- What does a typical day look like for you?I get up at 7am, run with my two rambunctious mutt pups, and then head into Hera Hub around 9am. Every day is almost entirely different… I work from our various San Diego locations and do everything from member relations, teaching workshops to doing media interviews. I love that every day is entirely different and brings a new challenge. I often attend an evening event in our space or out in the community. A 12-hour workday is not unusual for me, but since I absolutely love what I do it doesn’t usually feel like “work”. 🙂
- What keeps you moving forward? Seeing and hearing the stories of our 300+ members. They are building, growing, and collaborating at each of our Hubs.
- Do you have a daily self-care practice? Running during the week, yoga on the weekends… definitely take time to relax with friends over wine, a hike, or tennis.
- What does it mean to lean out? The term “lean out” came as a response to Sheryl Sandberg's book, “Lean In”, where she encourages women to “take a seat at the table” and dig into corporate politics. I’m suggesting just the opposite… instead of fighting for a seat at someone else’s table why build our own dreams… launch our own business.
- How do you make the transition from fear to future? Fear is “imagining” what might happen in the future. It’s trying to predict the future. Since we cannot accurate predict the future, fear is futile. Why not live in what is and cross that bridge when you reach it? In the current landscape of layoffs, mergers, and acquisitions there is no guarantee that you’ll have a job tomorrow. In fact the only sure-fire way to ensure you’ll always have a way to make a living is by learning how to launch a business. See video https://youtu.be/Nq4uWszmTdI.
Word of caution: You become who you surround yourself with. This goes double when you are flying even a little outside of the everyday box. Your success as an entrepreneur can grow exponentially by being selective about who you interact with, understanding and using the power of networks, and actively pursuing the many avenues to connecting with others of “like mind.”Entrepreneurship is on the rise, and women are leading the pack. Finding and engaging with female entrepreneurs needs to be in the top five “to-dos” of preparation, ongoing support, and growth. Begin with any women already in your network or social circle who are successful entrepreneurs. Also, seek out Meetup groups, women-owned business groups within your local SBA, mastermind groups, etc. When you are actively looking for these resources and asking questions, it will be surprising how many you will find. I was lucky enough to “stumble” on to Hera Hub, where all of this, and more, is supported at the highest level.
- How did you discover your life purpose and how do you help others do this? “Your time is limited; so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma—which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.” - Steve JobsI think each of us must come to terms with the importance of living every day to the fullest, taking risks and following our hearts. Anything less than living our true life’s purpose—to its fullest potential—is simply not good enough anymore. For me that was true after facing a life-threatening car accident at age 22. I was struck by a fire truck at the end of the 8 freeway in San Diego. I broke 27 bones in my arms, legs, and face. I was in the hospital for over a month and in a wheelchair for 3 months. After that experience I knew I needed to figure out why I was still alive and what I was meant to be and do. While it took me another decade to put the pieces together, I’m proud to say I took the time to listen to what made my heart sing.
It was, and still is, giving myself the opportunity to listen… giving myself time to pay attention to what I get lost in for hours. What do I want to do when I sit on the couch in the evening with my laptop and glass of wine? For me that was researching and providing information on business launch and growth. It was sharing my experience and providing a space for others to do the same. It all came together when I really allowed myself to explore and listen… it came together in Hera Hub. More about my background and story at https://herahub.com/felena-hanson-story/
I really loved learning more about Hera Hub and Felena's story. I hope you did too! Keep an eye out for more local spotlight stories as well as the upcoming workshop dates!
This post is sponsored by Hera Hub. Photos are from Hera Hub locations. All opinions are my own.
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