Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Leslie Bailey. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Leslie, thanks for joining us today. One of our favorite things to brainstorm about with friends who’ve built something entrepreneurial is what they would do differently if they were to start over today. Surely, there are things you’ve learned that would allow you to do it over faster, more efficiently. We’d love to hear how you would go about setting things up if you were starting over today, knowing everything that you already know.

I would have done a few things differently if I were starting over today. I would have fired faster and hired slower. I would have trusted my own abilities more. I was scrappy regarding capital but in my second business (Maven Space, the coworking space), I overspent on the branding. I would have invested more in marketing in the beginning for both businesses.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I started my career in journalism. My cofounder, who had been my editor in one of my jobs, and I identified there was a major gap in our market for telling women’s stories. We created Indy Maven to fill that gap. What we didn’t expect was that before we even launched, a community of women was forming around the idea. Today, I consider us a community that’s supported by a media product vs the other way around. We help women be more connected to one another and more informed about what’s going on in their community and offer ways they can grow in their personal and professional lives.

Shortly after launching Indy Maven, COVID hit. I realized that women would need a space, safer and more thoughtful than ever, to create their next chapter, so I opened Maven Space 2 1/12 years ago.

Both of these businesses and my personal brand are dedicated to uplifting women’s voices. We do this through storytelling, events, and community, but it goes beyond that. Studies show that when women thrive, entire communities benefit—from better school attendance for children to more money donated back to charity. So it’s not just the women in our community who thrive—it expands to the rest of Central Indiana.

Does your business have multiple or supplementary revenue streams (like a ATM machine at a barbershop, etc)?

Both of my businesses have multiple revenue streams.
Indy Maven: Membership community, advertising, sponsorships, and events.
Maven Space: Event venue rental, coworking Memberships, cafe/food and alcohol sales, sponsorships, and advertising. Next chapter will include private office rental. This is unique in the coworking industry though I think it’s the future.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Early on, I was willing to try anything, and my career as a journalist allowed me to build a personal brand in the market and capture an audience. My belief in collaboration over competition has positioned me and my brands as someone who plays well with others. Now, it’s transitioned from doing anything and everything to ensuring we do things that are the right fit, and I always try to think about things from a customer-first perspective. Is this collaboration something they’re interested in? Does this advertiser truly align with our values and mission? I make sure these are at the forefront, and I think that’s helped us build a reliable and trustworthy brand.

Contact Info:

• Website: indymaven.com | mavenspace.co
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/lesalina
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslieabailey/

Image Credits
Polina Osherov

Images with Leslie in red dress – Kelly Klemmensen