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As the founder of HIVE, I’m often asked, “How did you develop this idea?” It feels fitting that my first blog post discusses my journey from being an overwhelmed, anxious new mom and a full-time COO of a tech company to becoming a confident, open-minded, and passionate entrepreneur.
Let’s rewind to a time many would rather forget—2020. I had just given birth to my daughter in November 2019 and was blindsided by the cataclysmic life shift of new motherhood. I struggled significantly (and quietly) with postpartum depression and anxiety, and I felt it very difficult to find my identity through the process. By March 2020, I was starting to find my rhythm as a new mom, but then, on March 15, the world shut down due to the pandemic. This added a layer of loneliness that felt insurmountable, even as we cherished our little bubble of three.
Five months later, I was promoted to COO of my software consulting firm. Although this was a significant career milestone, I was terrified and struggled with imposter syndrome deeply. My daughter had severe sleep issues, which meant I got very little sleep for months on end. Over the next several months, I worked tirelessly to prove that I could excel in my new role and be a perfect mother. My anxiety was thriving inside me, and despite having a loving family and a successful career, I felt miserable.
For nearly two years, I navigated my career and motherhood by people-pleasing and running on just four hours of sleep each night. I ignored my postpartum depression and anxiety until I had a major breakdown when my daughter turned three. Panic attacks became frequent, and one week I woke up with severe hives all over my body and face, leading to a scary emergency room visit. That was my breaking point. We hired a sleep consultant, I started setting more boundaries at work, and began taking serious steps to break free of anxiety and getting honest about the toll it was taking on me.
By 2024, I started to regain my spark. In February, I had a tiny idea to start a group for professional women and business owners. After working remotely for eight years and enduring some of the most challenging years of my life, I felt a profound lack of community. I wanted to connect with other driven women who loved their jobs and whom I could learn from. If I desired this, I knew other women did too. And so, HIVE was born. It is a bit ironic that HIVE was born out of my body literally breaking out in hives from stress – proof that out of the most challenging times, beautiful things can happen.
This blog post focuses on the power of letting go because, in the beginning, HIVE was entirely different from what it is today. My need for control had always soothed my anxiety (so I thought), and I initially tried to project-plan my way to creating the perfect women’s business group. However, HIVE had other plans. It wasn’t until I let go of my rigid expectations and allowed things to flow naturally that Hive became what it is today. Through this process, I found that letting go actually FREED me from the anxiety that had controlled my life; I’d had it wrong the entire time. HIVE was initially a side project—a community I couldn’t find for myself, so I created it to support my career. But when our launch party sold out in just 72 hours, I realized this ‘idea’ had taken on a life of its own. HIVE was its own entity, and I was simply a vessel.
Fast forward to today, and HIVE has 115 members, with multiple women interested in starting chapters in other cities. I am genuinely blown away by the growth and support HIVE has received. This experience has changed my life in more ways than I can express, and I will always be grateful to the Asheville community for embracing and supporting my vision.
HIVE wouldn’t be what it is today if I had forced it into the box I initially envisioned. Letting go and allowing HIVE to evolve organically was challenging—especially as an Enneagram Type 1—but it was the best decision I’ve ever made. For entrepreneurs, I advise looking at your business and identifying where you’re forcing things and where you’re allowing them to evolve. There is immense power in letting go, and even more freedom.
Asheville women, thank you for helping HIVE grow into the powerhouse it is today. Through HIVE, I feel so aligned with my life’s purpose, and it’s a fantastic feeling. We’re just getting started—big things are coming in 2025, and I can’t wait to share this journey with all of you.
Hive is a membership-based community built on the belief that true success comes from balancing business growth with personal well-being. We offer real-time collaboration through our online platform, virtual expert training, and supportive networking focusing on the whole woman, not just one part.
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