Meet Megan Donovan

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Megan Donovan a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Megan , we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?

So much of my confidence and self-esteem has grown out of challenging myself, being vulnerable, and taking risks. By leaning into discomfort and daring to do the things that feel scary and outside of my typical comfort zone, I have experienced successes and failures. Of course, the successes provide gratification and boost self-esteem. But it’s by trying and failing that I’ve learned that I can handle failure and do not have to be so scared of it the next time a new opportunity or challenge presents itself. Knowing that I will likely succeed and will find a way to be ok if I do not is a confidence that has grown over time and which serves me so well as an entrepreneur. It is also a privilege; I am fortunate to have resources, strategies cultivated over time and with various investments, and a network of friends and family to support me.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am a mom of 2 who trained as a lawyer and built a successful and busy career in the field of women’s reproductive health and rights. In 2021, I was burnt out and struggling to find a non-profit environment that succeeded to “walk the walk” when it came to supporting and respecting its employees in line with the values it promoted externally. Meanwhile, even with access to regular childcare, I was frustrated with the challenges facing parents trying to juggle work and caregiving in the U.S.

I knew there had to be another way to support families. Not everyone needs, has access to, or can afford full-time childcare, but we all need time to get things done. Covid exacerbated many problems related to caregiving and work, but the truth is our systems had been failing families for long before the pandemic.

One day the idea for a co-working space with onsite babysitting options came to me. My partner and I immediately got excited. Over the coming months, I couldn’t let the idea go. I knew I had to go for it. I quit my full-time job and threw myself into researching what it would take to open a family-friendly co-working space. One year later, I opened SHIFT Work + Play in Frederick, MD.

SHIFT offers staffed play sessions for children, so parents can work while their kids play. It is a part-time, flexible solution for parents juggling professional lives and parenting responsibilities. Our members can sign their kids into a 3-hour play session and power through their to-do list in our beautiful, spacious and modern co-working space. Play sessions are booked as needed and members only pay for the sessions they use. We have private offices, dedicated desks, flex desks, phone booths and meeting rooms. Everything you need for a professional workspace, with onsite babysitting and a community of other parents and professionals built in!

SHIFT Work + Play was born out of my experience as a mother with a busy career and it is an honor and a privilege to build a business that reflects my values and plays a role in supporting our community. I turn up every day excited to grow our membership and find new ways to help parents and families thrive.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Public speaking and networking skills helped me build a buzz around my business before we even opened. I joined the local Chamber of Commerce and other networking groups and began building a drumbeat. To this day, networking and speaking at events and conferences is one the primary ways I spread the word about my business and stay relevant in the community. It’s also where I meet and talk with other business owners and community members and develop the relationships that lead to new opportunities and partnerships. To anyone just getting started, I would say find a few initial groups or opportunities that feel aligned with your vision and values, turn up, and practice telling people who you are, what you do, and why it matters. If this feels scary, develop a short pitch and concise answers to a few common questions and practice them with family and friends first. It may feel silly, but having some clear, concise language that you can deliver with confidence is hugely effective as you begin promoting your brand.

Writing skills have also helped me at every step of the way. I had to develop a compelling business plan, apply for loans and grants, write copy for my website and promotional materials and develop talking points for presentations and events. These days, AI can be a great resource but it’s important to always personalize and build upon the content it generates. Make sure your voice and your brand identity come through in everything you write!

Lastly, get good at identifying what you don’t know and seeking out help. If you are starting a new business, seek out coaching from organizations like SCORE. Here in Frederick, I was able to receive free coaching from the Maryland Women’s Business Center. This was a critical resource as I developed a business plan, applied for a SBA loan, looked for commercial office space and got ready to open. Business coaches can help you think through plans, identify needs and connect with a broader world of resources.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

There is a large, active homeschooling community in Frederick County, MD, and surrounding areas. I would love to build new connections with parents and educators in the homeschooling space to see if/how our location could support their families. Anyone interested in discussing this more with me can reach out through our social media accounts or by emailing [email protected].

Contact Info:

Image Credits

AK’s Grafix & Photo

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