I’m a former Events Director and mum to twin boys Gus and Jude, who are Autistic. Having children with a disability left me struggling to go back to my former career, and I needed to find a way to work flexibly around their needs. Back in 2016, I started my first business, Social Mama Hertford, creating events, workshops and a shitload of fun for women in my Hertfordshire home town who, like me, were desperate to get out of the house to meet other local mums for a glass of wine and a conversation in peace. No kids allowed. Social Mama was a roaring success, with over 50 sold-out events over three years. 

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It was through Social Mama that I met a huge number of women like me, who’d started their own businesses after having kids and wanting a better balance, or who were freelancers loving the flexibility they needed in their lives, and women who’d started a side-hustle so they could explore their passions in a way that was missing from their day job. 

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So far so good, right? But the reality of working for yourself is that it can be really lonely. 

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Working (mainly) solo from your kitchen table, on a limited start-up budget, and having to be every department in one isn’t always fun. We were all missing having a team to bounce ideas off, keep us going during the tough days, and celebrate the wins with.

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And so in 2018, The Hive was born as a supportive and inclusive community for women who run their own business and want to connect with other inspiring entrepreneurs, who believe in the strength of collaboration, and who want to build a business that works on their terms. And fun. Because we're all about bringing the fun back into running your own business.