Today, we delve into Stephanie Tsuru’s entrepreneurial journey as the founder of SheSpace, a workspace dedicated to women. In this episode of ‘Her Money Moves,’ Stephanie shares her insights on creating a supportive network for women in Houston, the importance of staying connected with clients to understand their needs, and how to deliver services to fill those gaps.
Stephanie Tsuru, the founder of SheSpace, shares her leadership expertise and how her commitment to female empowerment has strategically led to the creation of functional workspaces tailored to her clients’ needs. Based in Houston, SheSpace serves as a workplace and gathering hub where women can find a community to amplify their vision and navigate towards their goals.
Stephanie’s Entrepreneurial Journey:
How did the idea for SheSpace come about?
Inspired by a collaborative group of Palestinian and Israeli women, Stephanie and her daughter-in-law Katie strategically planned and constructed SheSpace. They focused on the building’s location, selecting a commercial space that would allow members to conveniently fulfill their daily activities. Additionally, their vision led them to work with an all-female planning team, ensuring that everything from construction to technology was designed by women, for women.
How does SheSpace support women on both personal and professional levels?
SheSpace offers an exclusive space for women that caters to their personal and professional needs. The facility provides amenities and hosts events tailored to professional mothers, including a private lactation room and quarterly birthday or baby shower celebrations. Professionally, SheSpace organizes frequent workshops and learning activities for members to acquire new skills and collaborate with one another.
What are SheSpace’s future goals?
Looking ahead, Stephanie is eager to expand SheSpace and consider a second location. With the current building at full capacity, Stephanie and her business partner Katie are actively seeking a new site. “More SheSpaces are on the way, which means we will double, triple, quadruple the impact. For every woman we touch, there are others who will benefit,” she explains.
Key Insights for Entrepreneurs:
Here are the key takeaways from this ‘Her Money Moves’ conversation to guide you on your entrepreneurial journey:
“I had a moment of clarity that everyone talks about … I said, ‘I’m going to find a place and bring women together.’”
“I didn’t have much business experience, but my daughter-in-law has a background in finance, so we partnered up and both started ‘SheSpace.’”
“What makes us unique is that we’re more like a school. Everyone knows each other. We’re much more than just a workspace. Our concept is very much like a family.”
“Another way we’re different is that we’re not in an office environment; we’re surrounded by key businesses. My problem to solve was the lack of time. That’s why the building had to be on the bus route and right next to the interstate; all the planning of the location was very strategic, even before we started building the space.”
“Just because you’ve created a system, it doesn’t mean it’s there forever. You have to listen, you have to be willing to experiment with it, and you have to keep working on it until it works for most people.”
WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE:
