A year after Plexpod unveiled its Herspace concept at Westport Commons, a womxn-centric community and networking organization is partnering with the coworking leader to provide reinvigorated programming and support for startup leaders, Lauren Conaway said.
“We’re really excited to show off this beautiful gathering place that the Plexpod team has created,” said Conaway, founder and CEO of InnovateHER KC, a membership-based group that aims to connect and empower womxn leaders in the city. “This partnership allows us to provide our members access to a physical space that not only provides affordable, useful amenities for womxn who need office space and meeting rooms, but prioritizes them and their unique journey into entrepreneurship and leadership development. We’re also really psyched to see the InnovateHER KC logo incorporated around Plexpod in such a meaningful way.”
Click here to read more about the 2018 debut of Herspace at Plexpod.
Click here to read more about Conaway’s full-time launch of InnovateHER KC.
InnovateHER is expected to transition to a new paid membership structure in January, Conaway previewed as part of the move into the Plexpod space, which already has begun.
The group’s Facebook community and monthly happy hours/coffees will always be free, she said, but the new membership structure will curate additional perks for paid members, such as discounts on premium events and merchandise, the Womxn Card, a loyalty card with a selection of discounts on womxn-led products and services, mentorship and mastermind programs and a private Slack channel for members.
“Our entry level monthly membership rate will be low, in the $20 to $25 range and we’ll be offering membership perks as a base tier and as a value add to our Plexpod IHKC community members,” Conaway said. “Our goal is to ensure that the amenities and benefits outpace any cost of membership.”
Stephanie Medina, Plexpod director of operations
More than 250 member-companies now office at Plexpod locations, said Stephanie Medina, Plexpod director of operations, noting womxn already in the coworking network will automatically be a member of InnovateHER and have access to all InnovateHER programs and amenities.
“The goal is to lower the barrier-to-entry and provide a price-point that is doable for everyone,” Medina said. “In addition to this, we are partnering with sponsors to provide scholarships for under-optimized womxn that may not yet have the means for membership.”
“Too many womxn’s organizations are exclusive and target only a certain group of womxn,” she added. “We want to eliminate all barriers for all womxn who want to participate. InnovateHER is for all womxn.”
Medina was an early adopter of InnovateHER, she and Conaway said, joining in the organization’s first outings when it was known as “Startup Sheroes” because she admired Conaway’s passion for womxn’s equity.
“Our mission with Herspace was to create a women-centric space within Plexpod, with an emphasis on inviting organizations already providing programming to inspire, engage, build community and promote discovery for womxn across the metro,” she said. “What Lauren has launched and created with InnovateHER not only aligns with our original intent and mission, we are confident InnovateHER is the best opportunity to empower womxn across the metro. They also needed a home, and we thought, ‘Why not? Let’s make Herspace available to InnovateHER in a big way.’ What better way than to make Herspace InnovateHER’s space?”
The spaces set aside within Plexpod Westport Commons include InnovateHER’s office space, meeting rooms, open desking, and other amenities. As with all Plexpod memberships, tiered options for growth in office size are available, Medina said.
Newly rebranded, the InnovateHER KC space carries the same wow factor as the Herspace Medina originally created, Conaway said.
“When we invite womxn in for events and gatherings, there’s always this collective intake of breath when they see the space for the first time and it will be great to see our members get to enjoy that luxurious-homey environment,” she said. “The space is striking and inspirational, which is a fantastic thing if you’re a cost-conscious founder wanting to make an impression on potential clients, funders, or partners as you’re leading a meeting or looking to spark some creativity as you work.”
Click here for more information on InnovateHER KC.
