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Published December 17, 2019

As Jess Hopp embarks on a new venture, it is really just an extension of what she already believes and knows.

Hopp founded an event planning company, The Planner Collective while living in Minneapolis. What she learned in logging over 10,000 hours in her business is that the human side of planning is often overlooked in the hustle and bustle of putting an event together. She also discovered a passion for empowering women to find a community and gain support.

"Go fast, go alone. Go far, go together," became a mantra.

While she continues to excel at her business, now located in Green Bay, she is part of a big initiative to do something practical by helping entrepreneurs, especially females, to connect.

Because Hopp had started The Planner Collective in her home, she understood the seclusion often felt by solopreneurs. To counter that, she visited various coworking spaces in the Minneapolis area and experienced everything from mediocre to exceptional. Once she relocated to the Green Bay area, she again sought out coworking spaces and felt there was a need for a new type of space.

"We looked at all of the other coworking spaces in the area so we knew the landscape," Hopp said. "We wanted a space that felt really comfortable and almost like a home with plants, couches, rugs, and a warmth."

In creating that vision, The Nest was designed in Green Bay’s Broadway District. The opening is planned for Jan. 1, 2020.

With partners Alex VandeHei, Kaela Gedda, and Sonny Hennessy, the group became convinced of the demand after starting a Facebook group, Women in Entrepreneurship-Northeast Wisconsin.

"After moving back home (in 2016), I needed to find other female entrepreneurs. We quickly learned that this movement for women is really kind of underground," Hopp said. "There was no place where women could connect with other like-minded business owners. When we started the Facebook group, I thought it would be incredible if we could get 100 members. Now we have over 600."

That led to the plan to create The Nest (www.thenestcc.com), and education for Hopp. She said she quickly learned the value of relying on others. As a marketing expert, there were areas where she had no experience. So, she leaned on her partners and their skills were utilized.

Hennessy, who owns The Exchange Coffee, Mercantile & Eatery in De Pere, was familiar with building bricks and mortar locations and was instrumental in helping find a space, doing design and buildout, and negotiating a lease. Other partners contributed to the business plan and assisted with financial projections. The services of a lawyer were also retained.

The partners understood that they could accomplish much more together than alone.

"It goes back to that sense of community," Hopp said. "We are trying to flip what coworking is — many people think it’s a place to sit and work on a laptop. It is that, but it is so much more. It is building a whole community for you to grow your business and be a cheerleader and advocate for each other."

So much more includes 12 benefits of joining. There are a variety of membership options including open space and booths for privacy. Members can utilize a conference room, host special events, record a webinar or podcast, host a workshop, journal, read or work. And there is also an ongoing list of special events.

Events will be educational and social, ranging from an upcoming holiday market to learn how to make a vision board. A launch party is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Jan. 18.

"The events are our signature way to let people know about us," Hopp said.

But she is hoping that members of the Facebook group and networking with the partners will also help spread the word. Hopp and the other owners think they are building something special and that female entrepreneur (men are also welcome) will find it as special of a place as they do.

"Isolation is the biggest challenge when working at home," Hopp said. "When you are here, there is the knowledge that someone else is experiencing the same struggles and you have a place to connect. This is a place for people to come together and build the life of their dreams and get support."

Tina Dettman-Bielefeldt is co-owner of DB Commercial Real Estate in Green Bay and past district director for SCORE, Wisconsin.