This week, Queen Bee Melissa Alam cut the ribbon to her new office, a coworking space designed for lady bosses keen to find a collaborative and supportive place to build their digital empires. 
A chic set up of 900-square-feet of Old City real estate, The Hive seems a natural progression in Melissa’s pursuit to foster mentorship and empowerment between driven women; in addition to her work as a strategic brand developer, she is also Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Femme & Fortune, an online magazine and community for aspiring ladies.
Not only will The Hive be open to members M-F, but this low-commitment, high-ambition office space will host night and weekend hours as well as innovative networking events and workshops set to be held monthly. We caught up with Melissa to hear about her experiences as an entrepreneur, and to give us some further insights into this venue that has Philly buzzing!
PPRG: When and how did you first decide to make the switch from working at an agency to doing freelance full-time?
Melissa Alam: It was probably when I started to feel a lack of creativity. The routine of my 9-6 job really got to me, and I decided to quit in August of 2012. I’m obsessed with being busy and thinking outside of the box, and the constraints of working at a company wasn’t how I envisioned my life. I wanted to create my dream job and the lifestyle I wanted to live, so I did just that. It took a lot of risk and random side jobs to help pay rent, but I was never afraid of the impossible. There’s a solution (or a plan B) for everything!
PPRG: While freelancing jobs offer women plenty of freedom – to pursue their own interests, create their own directives, and work on their own terms – doing so also comes with plenty of risks. Why do you believe over half of today’s professionals are leaving static positions to work as freelancers?
Melissa Alam: Freedom, freedom, freedom. There’s a great quote by Tony Gaskins that explains it all – “If you don’t build your dream, someone will hire you to help you build theirs.” The economy is changing and more and more freelancers and side projects are emerging – all of which is so awesome. It’s time we start building our own careers and turning our dreams into realities. I’m so pro-entrepreneurship; so if anyone needs a pep talk about quitting his/her 9-5, call me.
PPRG: What inspired you to create The Hive? When did you first decide to put this dream into action?
Melissa Alam: The Hive was created from the need of finding a consistent workspace for my business. I was working out of another co-working space, coffee shops, and my apartment for the past two years, and I felt like my life was all over the place. I wanted to take my businesses seriously, and I knew I needed an actual office or workspace. The opportunity presented itself to me one day this August when my mentor, Antoinette Johnson of At Media, told me that she’s moving her office to Midtown. I jumped when I heard because her prior office was gorgeous, and immediately came up with The Hive – a co-working space for other women like me. The rest they say…is history.
PPRG: Can you describe your new office space? How many Queen Bees does it house, and what amenities does it provide?
Melissa Alam: The Hive is located in a gorgeous part of Philadelphia – Old City! We’re right on Race Street in between 2nd and Race, and it’s a very quiet little area with available parking (a huge plus for drivers like me). We currently have 9 members signed up for the month of November, but I’m always looking for more to fill up the space! Amenities include free printing and scanning, healthy snacks, tea and coffee, a beautiful conference room for client meetings, free workshops, and a kickass community of fellow ambitious women here in Philly.
PPRG: What types of events do you picture hosting at The Hive, and who will be able to host and attend?
Melissa Alam: I plan on hosting a wide arrange of events through The Hive in the coming months. For starters, I’m working with a few members and local professionals to host some workshops in the space, as well as some mixers and networking hours for the ladies of Philly. I also want to aim to host a yearly retreat with the members, headshot happy hours, a running and book club, and so much more! The sky’s our limit here at The Hive.
PPRG: Tell us about your plans for FemmeCon!
Melissa Alam: FemmeCon is in the works, I promise! It was an idea that my mentor Antoinette Johnson and I came up with to help the divide between female entrepreneurs and female CEOs. We want to bring both demographics of women into one space and encourage mentorship, education and growth through our one day conference here in Philly. Right now we’re working on gaining some sponsorships, launching our website, and confirming speakers. We hope to host this amazing conference in March or April of 2015, so stay tuned!
PPRG: What have you found to be the most challenging aspect (so far) of developing your own co-working space?
Melissa Alam: Financials have been pretty crazy since this is pretty much a self-funded idea (along with some major help from the original lady boss, my mother). Starting a business means wearing a ton of hats – everything from being in charge of branding, marketing, sales, accounting, legal, etc. My best advice is to hire or trade services with friends or actual professionals who specialize in things you don’t do. I’ve been using up a lot of favors with my network of friends to help launch The Hive – everything from friends helping me paint the space to friends doing my PR. Be good to people, and they’ll be good to you.
PPRG: After The Hive is up and running, what other fun projects or ideas do you have that you’d like to set in motion at Femme & Fortune?
Melissa Alam: Oh so many! I’m in the works of growing Femme & Fortune to be a stronger and more consistent digital magazine and resource for women across the country. I’m looking to bring on a full team to help support the mission, so I’m extremely excited about all of the applicants who’ve expressed interest in joining so far. Other than that, all I can say is stay tuned for some serious #girlboss action here.
The Hive is having its official launch party tonight from 7 to 10 p.m.! RSVP here to check out this incredible new space. For more information on becoming an official Queen Bee at The Hive, visit the website at http://thehivephilly.com/ and follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
