Speak Easy :: Julie Heath in the Momlight
After 4 long years of working from home/coffee shops/our business laptops/etc. one of the ways theCityMoms knew we had become 'offish' was when we signed a contract with a local co-working space. While we call The Hatch of Broad Ripple home, we've long admired the platform pioneered by the Speak Easy of SoBro, even holding some of our past events or meetings there as well. So when a nomination arose to feature the Speak Easy's Executive Director Julie Heath in the Momlight, we jumped. Read on, reader...
When Julie Heath relocated to Indiana, she asked the only person she knew in Indianapolis for help. “I said, ‘You don’t want to be my only friend. How do we fix that?’” and he recommended the Speak Easy. That singular tip led Julie on a professional journey that ultimately resulted in her talking the helm of this very unique, community focused, non-profit co-working space.
Located in South Broad Ripple, the Speak Easy made a name for itself in 2012 as the first collaborative co-working space in Central Indiana. More than just a place to plug in and host meetings, the Speak Easy prides itself on being a modern, comfortable, convertible environment in which professionals from a wide range of industries and experiences can engage in cooperative partnerships while chatting over a coffee or a beer.
When Julie talks about the Speak Easy you can hear her passion for innovation, small business, and the entrepreneurial spirit. She credits her experience as a member of the Speak Easy for making Indianapolis ‘sticky’ for her. “Having only known one person here, I needed friends, I needed to figure out how to professionally connect,” she explained. “There’s something special about the Midwest, and in particular, Indianapolis. I think of it as a Venn Diagram: one circle is an impulse towards neighborliness; one is the Goldilocks scale of a mid-sized city; and the third is the hard-work ethos.” She initially joined while maintaining a consulting business and through her contacts in the organization Julie found became the first employee of Indy tech startup, Boardable.
Since assuming the helm of the Speak Easy in 2018, Julie has embraced the Circle City and gains inspiration by the deep impact local businesses are having on our community. “Communities need a healthy economy to flourish,” she said. Data shows young companies comprise a mere three percent of total jobs, but 20 percent of new job creation. As small businesses connect and cross collaborate through the Speak Easy, they create opportunities for more and improved job opportunities for Hoosiers across central Indiana.
LAST MONTH WE SPILLED ON SONJA OVERHEISER FROM A COUPLE COOKS.
And we totally heart her in the #Momlight too.
She attributes her success transitioning to Executive Director of the Speak Easy to her experience first as a member. “I understood the needs of the different audiences we serve,” she said. “Knowing them informed my impression about how to best serve the community.” In her first year Julie worked to streamline operations and improve member services. She’s also proud to celebrate the unique programs offered through the Speak Easy such as Smartups, 1 Million Cups, PitchFeast, and the New To Indy meetup. Julie is eagerly looking to the future for the Speak Easy and its impact on the Indianapolis community. “Our entrepreneurs get traction when they interact with established companies that value innovation, with entrepreneurs in other industries, and with our remote workers who have deep subject matter expertise.” The Speak Easy team is exploring ways to create greater access between entrepreneurs and amplify the frequency and impact of those interactions. As for budding entrepreneurs, Julie recommends reading Clay Christensen's Jobs to be Done articles and his book, Competing Against Luck. Before jumping into a new business venture, spend time knowing the unmet needs of your customers and how you’ll solve them, understand why your customers are coming to you, and then you can determine market fit. And, of course, she advises finding opportunities for collaboration with other area businesses and experts. Overwhelmingly, the greatest tool Julie can recommend to a startup is the support and advancement that comes from professional connections and experiences.
Who can work from Speak Easy?
“Our North star is community and economic development and we consider ourselves successful when members go from ‘I have an idea’ to ‘I have customers,’” said Julie. “We do this by lowering the barrier of entry to entrepreneurship. Our memberships are $75 per month. At that you can get a lot of advice from other members, and get pretty far in starting whatever it is you want to start.” Visit https://speakeasyindy.com for more information.
