When long-time friends Haley Westfall and Stephanie Hendrick pivoted from successful corporate jobs to the world of entrepreneurship, they realized the importance of putting yourself in the company of those who encourage you to be better.
"We thought it would be amazing if the West Valley had a space for female entrepreneurs and professionals to learn and grow their businesses, receive education and tactical tools, and form genuine and purposeful relationships," says Hendrick.
Westfall agrees. "We wanted to preserve the great things we experienced in other groups but add the missing components we wished were there and put it in our geographic area."
With that concept in mind, they launched Collab Culture (CollabCulture.co) and have watched it explode in North Peoria.
You Don't Have to Go It Alone
Westfall and Hendrick saw a need for a collaborative organization that encouraged women and gave them the tools they needed to succeed in business and life. The monthly subscription-based community draws from the North Peoria community and surrounding cities.
Collab Culture lives by its "community over competition" mindset. They provide a space where women can be vulnerable, share openly, and co-exist even with women in the same industry without the scarcity mindset of them being competition.
"We foster a culture where women can come together," explains Hendrick. "We wanted to find a good balance of skills and relationship building. It is a way to equip these ladies with ways to move the needle in their business, create genuine relationships, and hold each other accountable."
A Safe Space Close to Home
Collab Culture provides a safe space where all can co-exist and find immense value, whether someone is envisioning a new business or a long-time business owner.
"It creates deeper relationships," says Westfall. "We know it's working when we see people in the wild—outside of a Collab-facilitated function—at lunch together, having coffee, coworking, at the parks with their kids. We created the container and are fostering the culture, but our members are taking it to other facets of their lives. That's why the geographic component is so crucial."
Foster a Servant Mindset to Reap the Rewards
With a mix of in-person meetings, workshops, virtual meetings, and online support, the focus is on finding ways for the community to serve members and reciprocate by giving to others.
Hendrick says the process works incredibly well. "The key is showing up, serving, helping people when they're stuck, and asking for help when you need it. It works when you network this way."