It’s proving to be a momentous year for one of Devon’s Work Hubs.
The Tribe coworking space for female entrepreneurs moved to new premises in Berry Pomeroy in July but its owner and founder Stacey Sheppard isn’t putting her feet up in her new surroundings. Instead, she’s now also launched an online publication designed specifically to support and empower female business owners across the region.
When Stacey opened The Tribe in Totnes in January 2020, she wanted to create a safe space for women in business to find a community in which to connect and collaborate. It is one of 24 coworking spaces within the Devon Work Hubs network, all of which are independently run and designed to offer flexible ways of working.
Stacey’s mission has been to help women overcome the main barriers that they face in starting and growing businesses, which the Tribe has helped to achieve over the past four years. The Tribe has received advice and support from the Heart of the South West Growth Hub as the business has developed and it’s continuing to thrive and grow at its new location.
The Tribe’s new flexible office space provides desks for hire in its main room, which is a communal open-plan office. There are also meeting rooms which can be booked by those who need privacy for a workshop, client or team meeting, Zoom calls or simply for undisturbed focus time.
Stacey said: “When my business was homeless for the first six months of 2024 following the sale of the building we were previously occupying, I was absolutely delighted to find a new home for our coworking community in a beautiful, converted barn in Berry Pomeroy. It has proven to be a huge hit with local women who snapped up the new membership tariffs immediately and has led to us having to expand within just two months of re-opening. As of October, we will also occupy a second space in the building which will be used for workshops, networking events, women’s circles, yoga and hopefully many more holistic activities as well as coworking.”
Whilst this expansion is a huge step forward, Stacey still has bigger plans for her coworking space.
She says: “Ever since establishing The Tribe, I’ve been asked by women around Devon to open more work hubs in other areas. Whilst this is on the cards, it is still a while off.
“In the meantime, I’ve been running pop-up coworking sessions at work hubs in Devon Libraries. However, I still want to reach more women to provide them with this support.”
This is where Athena Magazine comes in and the digital publication, which is free to read, is the brainchild of both Stacey and fellow entrepreneur Fran Minifie, a local photographer and marketing consultant.
The project came about in March after Stacey shared an Instagram story featuring images of paper samples and a comment that said one day she will launch her own publication. Fran responded immediately.
Fran says: “I too had noticed that women have specific barriers and challenges in business, so when I saw Stacey mention a magazine it was obvious to me what the topic would be, and I knew that I had a lot of knowledge and skills that I could bring to the publication.”
Athena Magazine can continue the growth of the community that has developed from The Tribe work hub.
The aim is for the digital magazine to be a resource for female entrepreneurs in Devon, providing them with the tools, inspiration, and community they need to thrive while helping to raise awareness of all the free and funded business support that is on offer locally in Devon.
“There is so much support available,” says Stacey. “But what I find is that most women aren’t aware of it and struggle on alone.”
It will also showcase what local women in business are achieving, inspiring not only current business owners but also the next generation of female leaders.
“Women need relatable role models and how much more relatable can you get than a woman just like you, who lives where you live, doing what you want to do,” says Fran. “I try to share my knowledge and experience whenever possible because I know how hard it can be to start and grow a business.
“I know that Athena magazine is going to be such a great resource for local women who are on that journey.”
The magazine will be available online for free and you can sign up for the first issue here. Plans for future print editions are in the works, with a goal to make the magazine accessible in libraries, schools, and other community spaces across Devon.
"A fabulously stylish space which smacks of contemporary creative muses, coupled with all the comforts an office should have - coffee, tea, fridge, WiFi and a working printer. Its a warm, light space in a delightful part of the village with plenty of space in the car parks and very easy to travel to."
