Samalid Hogan has invested her career in making Springfield, Massachusetts an economically healthy and diverse city. Working in Economic Development for the third largest city in Massachusetts means she is constantly on the lookout for ways to assist small business owners and entrepreneurs who want to start and grow enterprises that are vital to the local economy.
She is the woman behind the new initiative CoWorkSpringfield!. Its mission is to build a diverse peer support network of entrepreneurs in the Pioneer Valley and its vision is to offer a professional and modern coworking space in downtown Springfield where entrepreneurs can meet, connect, and succeed.
“The idea of starting the CoWorkSpringfield! initiative first came to me after attending one of Lioness Magazine’s 5 Talks. I heard five amazing and inspiring stories from entrepreneurs. The stories were very different but in essence the message was the same … each one of the entrepreneurs had eventually built a support network and were surrounded by people who believed in them and were readily available to help,” Hogan explained.
During her many years assisting small businesses she observed that many entrepreneurs were severely isolated, without a support network and lacked knowledge about the many local support services available to them. Many of these entrepreneurs were people of color and women who had not been in business for a long time and for some English was not their first language.
Hogan went out and sought partners to help her bring her idea to fruition, including the Young Professionals Society of Greater Springfield, Lioness Magazine and DevelopSpringfield.
“I envision building a coworking space where diversity is fully embraced and everyone feels welcomed. This is why I will be hosting Meet & Greet events in October for all interested entrepreneurs who want to be in a professional space where they can feel energized, motivated, meet clients and connect with others entrepreneurs,” Hogan said.
Hogan will be hosting a series of Meet & Greets for the coworksing space that will begin at the end of October 2014. Attendance is by invitation only. Anyone interested in participating and/or finding out more details can contact Hogan at CoWorkSpringfieldMA@gmail.com.
About Samalid Hogan
Samalid Hogan was born and raised in Puerto Rico. She moved to Springfield at the age of 14 with her mother and two siblings. Hogan attended the High School of Science and Technology and earned her bachelors in Economics from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 2003. In 2013, she earned her Masters in Business Administration from Bay Path University in Longmeadow, Massachusetts. She presently works at the Springfield Office of Planning and Economic Development as the Senior Project Manager.
Hogan is a recipient of the Business West 2013 “40 under 40” award due to her leadership in the community and critical involvement in many organizations. She presently serves as Treasurer of the New England Public Radio Foundation, Treasurer of the Young Professionals of Greater Springfield, Trustee for the Pioneer Valley Plan for Progress, and Trustee for the Horace Smith Fund. Hogan is a firm believer in the well-known concept that “collaboration leads to innovation” but she also believes that to achieve this ideal diversity is a requirement and the key to the economic revitalization of the City of Springfield and the Pioneer Valley region.
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