Over 100 women (and a few men and supportive hubbies) gathered last month for The Chamber ALX’s Coffee & Connections, presented by The Landing Alexandria, hosted by Cowo & Creche. Pronounced COE-WOE, short for co-working, the space located in Carlyle, illustrated why it’s so important to network – our professional and personal connections fuel our growth. 

I’ve attended two of these networking events before and while they always attract a great crowd, this was by far the most well-attended I’ve seen. Maria Ciarrocchi, Chief Operating Officer at the Chamber, introduced Niki Montgomery as the 2024 Chair of the Chamber ALX’s Professional Women’s Network. Niki, amazing in her own right, is a “mamapreneur” who never seems to sit still and is always sharing great advice, both professional and personal. Just follow her Instagram for a daily boost. Might I add, Niki was also featured in Stylebook’s Street Style, nominated by Dr. Shara Posner for her impeccable look and business savvy.

We were introduced to Shamena Nurse-Kingsley, the founder of Cowo & Creche, whose daughter was tight on her heels. Shamena laughed, “and this is why I needed a space like this.”  She was real, transparent, and engaging as she shared her own challenges with balancing marriage, parenting and working full-time. I instantly connected with her, and I could see so many other women in the room did, too.

Born in Guyana, Shamena grew up in New York. “We did like most Guyanese do when we look at the map – we choose Brooklyn or Florida. I’m a Brooklyn girl, I love that.” With 19 years spent between the Air Force and her federal career, which included the Secret Service, Shamena ventured out on her own post-pandemic into entrepreneurship. “I created something that didn’t exist, a co-working space with childcare, an amenity not commonly found.”

Working from home during the pandemic brought many things to light. “When you’re remote, you have flexibility, but there are also many things you miss out on.” At home, she said she was the end-all, be-all. “My husband would be like, “How ya doin? Are you going to change out of your pajamas? And my kids would drop into the background of my conference call, ‘Mommy, wipe my butt,’ because you know they were potty-training. I saw the beauty of being around them all the time, but also needed focus time. I didn’t want to be interrupted or embarrassed on calls.”

Niki added, “Working and parenting don’t have to be mutually exclusive. I’m also a former government worker and felt that your kids aren’t to be seen. I had to fight for time to express breast milk…Covid indirectly helped evolve this.” 

Shamena said, “I had to ask, things weren’t offered to me. Three million women have left the workforce. There’s a reason why. I didn’t see a model that would work for me, so I built it. I pushed for that evolution.” 

This conversation was super timely and relatable, and illustrated how our needs as working women are constantly evolving and most importantly: to speak up and share our experiences. What I love about these events is saying hello to women I know and meeting women I haven't met before. This time that included Julie Duszak, a Money & Mindset Coach for FundYourJoy; Olia Legoshina of Gemba Finance; Abby Francis of Alloy Personal Training; Marilyn Patterson of Joyous Events, whose company recently organized Alexandria’s First Night New Year’s Eve celebration; and the warm, friendly woman sitting next to me: Dr. Eve Taylor of Discover Your Why Leadership Ministries, who shared as a widower she’s making a concerted effort to get out and be social again. I’m so grateful to have met all of them, and only wish there was more time in the day to meet everyone in the room. (I think we need a speed networking event soon, okay Tony? :)

Next up at the Chamber ALX: The Women’s Leadership Forum on Friday, March 8, International Women’s Day, at the Westin Alexandria. I hope to see you there!

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