It’s safe to say that the Connection Breakfasts at Her Connection Hub are unlike any other networking event I’ve ever been to—and not just because all the attendees are women. There are no awkward introductions or forced exchanging of business cards. Rather, participants engage in genuine conversations about their lives as both professionals and as people.
“We just really try to provide this container for … all of the other things that make us up as a person,” Founder Heather Simpson says. “And then, of course, the professional background comes into that too. We have over 60 different industries as part of our membership here.”
Photo by Kelsey Kurtis Photography
Simpson began offering these monthly Connection Breakfasts in 2018, and they proved to be the catalyst for something much bigger. As a business owner and strategist herself, Simpson is passionate about creating safe, collaborative spaces for female-identifying professionals to come together. The events resonated deeply with attendees, who then voiced their desire for a physical coworking space—and so Simpson turned that dream into a reality with Her Connection Hub.
Her Connection Hub is a female-focused, gender-inclusive coworking community, but coworking isn’t all it has to offer. The space allows women to build professional connections and friendships in an environment that’s both inclusive and inspiring. It opened to the public in 2021, but since then, Simpson says her business has already been through major changes.
“We’ve moved locations, we’ve grown our community, we’ve added new offerings,” Simpson says. “The membership [gives] people the opportunity to learn and grow whether they work for somebody else or they work for themselves—and then also be able to just continue to build relationships.”
Photo by Kelsey Kurtis Photography
Members come to the space for different reasons, but all are united by a desire for community, especially following the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, Simpson says that her members’ diverse professions create plenty of opportunities for collaboration and growth.
“If you need somebody for something, we probably have that connection, and so that has been a very valuable thing for everybody here,” Simpson says. “It’s great to be able to offer opportunities [and] to say, ‘Hey, do you want to teach about what you do? Do you want an opportunity to get in front of people and share about a passion project, or career, or a side hustle?’ You can open the doors in so many different ways.”
Her Connection’s new space also includes amenities for a variety of professions and projects, from private offices to Zoom rooms and a soon-to-be-opened podcast studio. Other membership perks include special pricing and VIP access to classes, events, and—of course—the Connection Breakfasts that started it all.
The most valuable perk, however, is the opportunity to build community with like-minded women. Simpson notes that many members aren’t just running businesses; they’re running households and wearing many hats on a daily basis. Having a designated space to work in solidarity with others allows them to focus, recharge, and be productive sans distractions.
Photo by Kelsey Kurtis Photography
Above all, Simpson wants would-be members to know that “there is a place for you here.” Curious about coworking? Her Connection offers free day passes for those who’d like to try it out, and info on membership pricing can be found online.
“We’re on a mission to help people from where they’re at,” Simpson says. “We don’t have an agenda. … It’s just like, who are you? What do we have here that can get you plugged in? We’d love to be able to have those conversations and opportunities to connect with the awesome women of our community.” 315 Lakeway Dr., Bellingham, 360.526.0131, herconnectionhub.com
