The Importance of Networking & Curiosity in Business with Leslie Bailey

In this episode, Leslie Bailey, co-founder and CEO of Indie Maven and Maven Space, shares her entrepreneurial journey and her work in creating spaces for women to connect, collaborate, and grow. 

She discusses the importance of having a supportive partner in both personal and professional life. 

Leslie highlights the significance of creating systems and sourcing information from others to strengthen the infrastructure of your business. 

She talks about her innovative approach in setting up a successful co-working space with amenities including a cafe, fitness center, mother's room, lending library, and more. The importance of adaptability and flexibility in business is also a core theme discussed in the episode. 

Colleen and Cheryl praise Leslie for her strategic approach in problem-solving and commend her for the initiative to include fitness and other lifestyle amenities in a co-working space. Leslie mentions her plans of writing a book and her curiosity about what the future holds for her and Maven Space. She emphasizes the importance of networking and mentions how it can be a game-changer for the professional journey of individuals. Leslie encourages listeners to explore networking opportunities, whether in Indianapolis or by finding similar spaces locally.

ABOUT INDY MAVEN AND MAVEN SPACE

About Indy Maven:

Indy Maven is a lifestyle media company dedicated to uplifting women’s voices. Offerings include an engaging website with free editorial content and a free, award-winning weekly newsletter. 

Indy Maven Website: indymaven.com 

About Maven Space: 

Maven Space is a coworking space, social club, and event venue designed with women in mind. Located in downtown Indianapolis, the 15,000-square-foot location includes a cafe, gym, lending library, and event space, as well as the support and tools women need to achieve their goals.

Maven Space Website: mavenspace.co 

SOCIAL LINKS

Instagram: 

@Lesalina 

@indymaven 

@mymavenspace

Transcript

Leslie Bailey: 0:00

my husband also has traveled for a lot of his roles too, and it's like, well, then I had to get up and I'm like, oh, is it so hard sleeping in a hotel room bed by yourself? Uninterrupted sleep? Was that horrible? I feel for you.

Cheryl: 0:49

Hello. Welcome back everybody. Hi, Colleen.

Colleen: 0:54

Hi.

Cheryl: 0:55

today you guys we're gonna get right to it because we have a lot to talk about. We have Leslie Bailey with us. Leslie is the Co-founder and CEO of Indie Maven, a lifestyle media company for women and Maven Space, a female forward co-working in event space in downtown Indianapolis. Previously, Leslie worked as a freelance writer and editor and held roles including managing editor of AAA Crossroads Magazine, lifestyle editor at Indianapolis Monthly Magazine. The adventurous columnist at Indianapolis Star. She has been featured on the Forbes Next 1000 list, named as one of Indiana's 250 most influential leaders, and was the recipient of the National Associate Association of Women-owned Businesses, Nabo, Indianapolis Rising Entrepreneur Award. Leslie served as a longstanding board member at Coburn Place where she remains a volunteer and a founding member of the Indianapolis Museum of Arts Fashion Arts. Society. She's currently lives on the northwest side of Indianapolis with her husband, five-year-old, and three-year-old and a 14-year-old bonus son with two slobbery mastiffs. love it.

Leslie Bailey: 2:04

It's my life.

Cheryl: 2:05

it so much.

Colleen: 2:06

Yay, Leslie, I'm so glad you're here.

Leslie Bailey: 2:10

Thank you.

Colleen: 2:11

obviously very selfishly wanted Leslie to come on because I think she's just like the coolest, most awesome woman entrepreneur in in Indianapolis. Honestly, like you're doing so many cool things and when I moved here. Indie Maven was one of the first things that I was like, kind of attracted to because I felt like it gave, it gave me like, like where are the cool ladies? Where's the cool stuff? What should I know about and what should I be doing? And the, here's a little funny story, Cheryl, that I'll tell you about. The first time that I met Leslie somehow happened upon. In in Maven space, which had like just launched, like I think I went and toured it like before you guys even opened and I had just moved to indie. And Leslie's like touring me through this space and it's so beautiful. Like if you are in Indianapolis, you need to go see it. And then we sat, sat down and started chatting and I started to cry because I was like, I'm just so proud of you. Never met her before in my life. I'm like, I just think what you're doing is so amazing and I'm so of you so embarrassed that I'm crying. And like that was the first time that I met Leslie and she didn't think that I was a total weirdo. So here we are many years.

Cheryl: 3:28

on your sleeve, girl,

Colleen: 3:30

It was so cool.

Leslie Bailey: 3:32

So.

Cheryl: 3:33

women, period. Let's go.

Colleen: 3:36

was so inspiring and I was just, and then I, afterwards I was like. God damnit, like, why didn't I think of this? Like, it's it's a genius idea and place. So Leslie, talk to us about kind of your story, like your evolution from all of the previous writing and and publishing that you're doing, and like, where did Indie Maven come from and kind of take us through that entrepreneurial journey you had.

Leslie Bailey: 4:04

Yeah. Well, to be fair, I didn't think of this either, right? I didn't come up with a concept of a female forward coworking space by any means, but one of. Since I moved to Indianapolis, maybe, oh gosh. Oh, I don't know. Oh, that's, oh my. So I'm gonna turn 40 next month. I'm just doing that math, which I'm not great at. But I moved the month before I turned 21. I've been telling people I've lived here like 16 years, but it has been longer. So after a little stint in California, um, right outta high school, I moved here and I was. I always saw the cool parts of the city and, but also I had lived other places. I traveled a lot and, and I always just thought like it could be better and I think this was my contribution to trying to make indie. Better, but also slash highlight the cool things that are here, which I think the rest of the country is coming around to. We're making all the lists for all the things, and when I say indie, I mean Greater Indianapolis, central Indiana.'cause it's just not known as like the sexiest cool place. But the truth is there's, there's so much great stuff happening here. And so I think I figured, well, as long as I'm gonna be here, I want it to have the things I want it to have. Right? Like, and this was one of those things. So selfishly I wanted this and I figured other women would too. So that's for Maven Space, the coworking side of things. But the story was the same for Indie Maven. I, it was when like Daily Candy, which was out New York right. Had launched in. Media products for women nationally, but I, you know, they're often talking about like a little boutique in soho. And I was like, but what about the little boutiques in SoBro, which is, SoBro is also in Indianapolis, not, not New York. So it was like, how do I bring the things that I wanna see that I know other women would like to see here to our community? And so that's kind of how it got started conceptually.

Colleen: 6:10

I remember getting daily candy for Los Angeles, like when I lived in LA and it was like the coolest newsletter. Remember the sketch? sketch of a woman and like a cool lady. Did. Cheryl, did you ever get daily candy?

Cheryl: 6:26

Although I am in California, I also am kind of in the middle of nowhere. Which it's a secret that I'm okay keeping not as a realtor, but as a person who resides here. Like, no, no, don't find out about us. But as a realtor, I'm like, please, would you like to relocate to San Luis Obispo County, California? Be happy to help you. But yeah, as a resident, I'm like, sh, don't tell people how great it is.

Colleen: 6:50

And I think, to be honest, like I think that's Indianapolis and I have said since I moved here doing the pr, doing the PR for Carmel is doing a good job. Carmel makes all the national lists, but I would say like whoever's doing the overall pr, like, sorry, they're just not doing a good job for, for central Indiana because. I tell people this all the time, and to your point, Leslie, I'm like, there's so much cool stuff here going on, but nobody else in the in the country knows about it.

Leslie Bailey: 7:28

I think you're battling like there is this city and there is central Indiana that is very different than the rest of the state.

Colleen: 7:38

Correct. Correct.

Leslie Bailey: 7:40

Yeah, I think there are people who, you know, there are people who live in Indiana who don't even identify necessarily, like quote unquote as Hoosiers because they live so much closer to Chicago. They're in the region or wherever. Which I understand is how maps and geography work. But I, but I will also say I think Indiana has a unique, you know, Boston might not be that entirely different from the state of Massachusetts. And I'm not just speaking politically, but like the vibe is very different in downtown Indianapolis than it might be in other parts of the state.

Colleen: 8:14

Fair enough.

Leslie Bailey: 8:15

And that is what I will say on that matter.

Cheryl: 8:20

I

Colleen: 8:22

So you took Indie Maven. You created Indy Maven, which was like, is a newsletter. For lack of like, is that we consider it?

Leslie Bailey: 8:32

well it was actually launched as a like a directory. It was like a, like a directory website that had a newsletter. That's how it was. That's how the website was built. And then like very close to before launching, we were like, wow, directories are like a huge pain. I mean, maybe we had even launched with the directory and I was like, I don't even, why am I doing that? That's not what I do. I'm a storyteller. Like I write stories. So it very quickly focused on the newsletter. Weeks before launch, we added the membership component because Word had gotten out that we were starting this publication, website, newsletter, et cetera, and all these women were asking us to join, like, how do they join? How do I join? And I was like, whatcha talking about you? Just sign up for the newsletter. And I realized that they were asking, they wanted to like be a part of this thing. And so we just like threw up a membership. Thing was like, okay, it was super cheap, like it was way underpriced early on. And, and then, you know, it just, it grew. So that's the huge, the community. Now I look at it the other way around, right? Like it's a community that has a website and a newsletter, et cetera, et cetera, versus the other way around, which is how.

Cheryl: 9:54

So if we're gonna take this back to vision to reality, the, the podcast we did about like achieving goals, this is that portion of like. Constantly being flexible and pivoting as things present themselves and like there's a better idea. And we talked a lot too, like if you had this great idea, this thing you were chasing and you love it, you'll only fail if you stop. But if you don't love it anymore, by all means stop. So it's like you decided, okay, I actually don't really like a directory that's kind of lay and boring and hard. So let's pivot and you know, also hearing the whisperings and the options. So like, Just outta curiosity. I'm not like in this publication world really, how do you, how were you planning to monetize the directory and website and then did, what was the pivot like into, okay, wait a minute. This is better. This is a better model.

Leslie Bailey: 10:48

My background was right print journalism. Well, I say print, right? It was digital at that point, but it was a hybrid. But traditional advertising, like I was like, that's how it works. You tell stories, people pay for the ads and that's what you do. This was a really interesting time to launch, you know, a completely digital publication, especially here again, because that's not right. We weren't exactly at the forefront. But I was at. My, my previous roles were at really interesting times because I gotta be at the newspaper as it was really starting to move to digital. And as it was starting to take the idea of reporters and journalists as personalities and so sort of like getting up. So I kind of gotta experience behind the scenes how that worked and what that looked like, and starting to experiment with partnerships and different forms of revenue. So that was always gonna be the primary driver. It was then just supplemented by the membership revenue. And now they kind of just work really nicely together. So, so as far as revenue goes, it's across the board. So we do straight up advertising, we have longer term partnerships, we have the membership fees we have now with the physical space, we have events. So they're just like, we've got multiple lines going versus what I would, you know, originally envisioned was like, yeah, you run an ad. But even just the way that display ads have changed now on websites.

Cheryl: 12:20

That's so interesting. I also wanna take a moment to talk about the fact that like, I'm sure you launched this because you were passionate about it and it like fueled your soul and it was like you saw a hole and like you wanted to fill it for people. almost like an altruistic. Goal, if you will. But then let's talk about the reality of we have bills to pay. And like, those things need to be monetized. So like, for instance, Colleen and I have started this podcast as a passion project and like as a place to flush out ideas and it's like really filling our soul and that's great, but it is taking up several hours of our time each week. And so like now we're having to like look at the business model and figure out how does that get monetized? And I wanna take away the, Like, money's not evil. Chasing money is not evil. Like it's a necessary thing that we all have to do. We all, like, I can't send pg e our electric company, like an episode of my podcast and be like, look what I'm doing for the world. Would you please take$1,000 off my bill? Like, not accepted. So like, I wanna kind of talk about like the altruistic vision, but then normalizing like, oh, we have bills to pay. have thoughts on that?

Colleen: 13:27

Well, you know, so I am transparently a partner with Indie Maven and Maven Space. Like that was something that I, I. One, I saw the value one, I just fell in love with Leslie and like I'm obsessed And then I really loved what she was doing for, women and for equity and inclusion, diversity in Indianapolis, small businesses. And I was like, this is something that I would like to be a part of. And this is also, you know, my demographic. These are the women that I wanna work with. These are the people that I wanna work with. So. I pay to advertise and market. But what I will say is like that membership, what I feel like I would say in 2023, Leslie, maybe I haven't told you this. It was probably the, the, the biggest game changer in my business, to be honest. Because it put me in front of people that I wouldn't have been put in front of before. And so think. This idea of like, yes, it's, there's paid partnerships. Yes, there's advertising, yes. But I think Leslie does a really amazing job, and I think this is something we can take a note from of finding partners who align with their brand, right? Your brand, and finding people who want to contribute to the community in the same way that the community contributes to them. And I think that that has made, you know. The partnership, like a real partnership versus just like me putting my name on a or something like that. Like, that's been an a really amazing and fulfilling relationship.

Leslie Bailey: 15:16

Oh, that's so nice to hear Colleen. Truly like there have, I have, and this just took time, right? It was experience and. We don't just partner with anyone. We are selective about who we partner with as well. Because anytime I have tried to make things a fit, I end up, I feel like I'm the one who ends up paying for it, right? Like it's just so much more work or they're not happy because it was just not the right fit. And now not in the right fit doesn't have to mean like, oh, it's a product for women, right? Like one of our. Very first partners who are still a partner today is Hope Plumbing. It's a local plumber, right? They have, they're excellent partners. They get it. They also understand marketing, right? They understand how all of this works. We've partnered in the past with other people who just didn't have the capacity or didn't understand marketing or don't, didn't understand what this was like. This was all kind of new to them, right? And realizing, this is a big play, right? Right. You're, you're trying to reach people in multiple different ways. When we, when we talk about sales now, right? Like getting onto the business side of things, right? Those touch points that used to be Southern are now 21, so you're working three times. That means you need to be in their inbox and add events in front of them, right? And so you kind of, it's, you can, I now am very. In that I can quickly see who gets it and who doesn't and who is gonna be a right because it, it goes both ways. It's two-way street, as you said, and it has to work for, for both parties. But I think to your original question, something that I'm very passionate about, being transparent about and that I wasn't good at, I didn't pay myself first, and the only reason that I was able to get through a lot.

Colleen: 17:00

Hmm.

Leslie Bailey: 17:02

I. But a hundred percent I was only able to do this because he had a great job and I was able to not pay myself from time to time or, or for a long time. And, and, and it really was just a passion project, right? And the money that I was bringing in was just to pay other people and. WordPress and all things, right? These things don't run for free, and I think that's the thing people don't understand is like what the number people. The revenue was getting eaten up really quickly. There wasn't a lot left for me. So when people are like, thank you for what you did for, you know, what you've done for women, I'm like, yeah, well that was really made possible by, and my husband be the first to joke like by a white man, you know, brought to you by, by a white man in because possible necessarily, but. You know, a husband or if that's even, you know, a family member, if you're a parent or, or having your parent. I mean, just, we don't do this. There's no woman on earth who is doing this on her own successfully, right? Like we can't, we were not built to be. You know, alone in silos, very much a village situation. And then even today, it was him. Plus then putting together a team of people who also were better at x, y, Z than I was. And you know, I mean, I, I learned a lot about, I do, I did not go to business school, right? This was very much all self-taught. I learned, learned the hard way sometimes. Got lucky a lot. Busted my ass, but also had somebody who financially was supporting me through it.

Cheryl: 19:03

Well, Colleen and I talked a lot because, you know, we both in the last years went out on our own, like left the corporate comfortable income and our husband's salary was, you know, way that. We were able to do it comfortably. And know, I think we both have endeavors of like growing to a place where, okay, we can now re repay the favor say like, if you no longer would like to do what you're doing for work, here's the opportunity to stop something that does fill your soul, preferably with health benefits.

Leslie Bailey: 19:38

Amen.

Cheryl: 19:39

that would be nice. a match 401k. That's just all for added comfort, but. It's like I couldn't do this alone. I mean, so much in life I couldn't do alone. Like I look back to 11 years ago when I met Alex, I was diagnosed with a kidney disease and I had to go on undergo treatment and thank god Alex signed up to like be my partner in that, because otherwise I just look back at my life, I would've had to move home. Like there's no way. I would've had to, at 25 years old, I owned a condo. I would've had to be like, mom, dad, come get me. I'm moving back in. You know, like, I don't, yeah, we're not meant to do anything alone. We, we are villagers, by his historical biological matters. So I, yeah,

Leslie Bailey: 20:27

And there wouldn't have been shame in that though.

Colleen: 20:30

no.

Leslie Bailey: 20:31

Where the shame would've come in is trying to do it alone, I think. Right? Like, but I just, I also think we do not just women, but we do people, but specifically women a disservice when we don't share those things. Because, you know, we live in that culture of like, well, but it doesn't look that way on Instagram. It looks like she did it all by herself and she's, you have no idea. Right. People, we just know what is happening behind the.

Cheryl: 20:57

Well, I started recording people look at me and they're like, how do you do it all? And I'm very quick to say, I pay someone to clean my house. I have 45 hours of childcare every week, regardless of what's going. Like I, I have a team of people that help me run my home, I lean on a community to help me run my businesses. I can't wait to start paying people to help me run my businesses. That's the next leveling up. That's coming, but. not there yet.

Colleen: 21:26

I think there's something to be said about like. You have the, you, we all, the three of us, not everybody, but the three of us all have a person behind us who is financially and also emotionally and mentally, and all those things supporting us. But we also made a really good decision in that partner, right? Like, and you make a really, when you're making good decisions about who your, who, your support systems are and who you're with, that's how you succeed. Right. Cheryl has set herself up where she has an au pair who's there for 45 hours a week. And she's not lucky that she has that. She set that up intentionally. Right. And you know, like I have my husband, who I very intentionally picked many, many years ago in high school, spotted him right across the football field. But also like very intentionally, I've worked on that relationship so that we are in a place where. We do support each other in those things. And I also set up, you know, like support systems or have removed myself from spaces that weren't supportive. so that's also the work that goes into building a business that No, that we don't talk about, right. Is like you have to one, have, you have a partner, they have to be somebody who's gonna support you. Like it just doesn't work otherwise. Like, it, it, I guess it could, but it's so, so hard. And two, like what are the systems? You know, Cheryl loves a system on a process, and our friend Susie loves a system on a process. But what are the systems and the processes or the people that we're and setting up so that we can succeed, right? Like I come to do, you know, my class that I taught at Maven Space, which was so fun and so amazing, but what that took was. Uh, my husband had to be home from work to watch the kids. Like he had to set that up way prior. We had to make sure everybody got to the events that they had to get to so that what I was doing wasn't affecting everybody else. And I think that's part of the entrepreneurial spirit, that's part of being an entrepreneur is not only do you have to produce a really great product that everybody thinks is easy and smooth, but you have to set up all the things behind the scenes. We a friend of mine and I talk a lot about being a swan, a swan looks like really beautiful when it's sitting on the water, but its feet are just like fucking going constantly like the craziest way. And that's such a big part of this. I think that, that nobody's talking about.

Leslie Bailey: 24:07

It's a two way street. You know, my ass has definitely sacrificed a lot of stuff for him too, at different parks. Right. It's such a give and take. It's such a give and take, like, because arguably, well, my business could be in a different place if I also hadn't been, you know, the primary parent and et cetera, et cetera. Right. So

Colleen: 24:27

Yeah.

Leslie Bailey: 24:28

it's, it's, it's.

Colleen: 24:29

Yeah. It's the very famous quote that I've told a lot of people, and David hates it, but loves it when he come. When he said to me like, all I do is go to work and come home. I said, what a nice fucking life I made for you, man. And he was like, Ugh. But it's that, it's that partnership and whether you have, I guess the point is that like we give, we give, and I think it's, we talk a lot about how much as women we give to our partner and how much we do as moms and how much we do, we've also set that up and they've give, they give to us and they set that up for us too. So it definitely is a. It's a two way street, but you gotta be so smart about who that person is. Like that's also part of it.

Leslie Bailey: 25:15

Oh yeah.

Colleen: 25:15

gonna make this a relationship talk show. If anybody wants to just chime in.

Leslie Bailey: 25:22

Yes.

Cheryl: 25:22

also think there's some developing the partner to be that person because Alex's default was that I was gonna be primary parent always, and I pretty much am, but like he knows when I ask you better draw. What you're doing and show up for me because I'm dropping what I'm doing constantly to show up for you. So it's that give and take too. But it has been developed over time. Like at first he would've been like, what? No, like I really think it took him till our third child for his life to change. It was because like I was at a breaking point. I'm like, um, I'm way outnumbered here, buddy. You take two, I've got one on the Tet over here. You handle those other two. we've got our, We've, our second colic child. You go ahead and take those two and I'll just sit back here with earbuds and whine while I just bounce this child for three hours every night.

Leslie Bailey: 26:10

Yeah. Then there,

Cheryl: 26:12

I miss them.

Leslie Bailey: 26:15

yep.

Cheryl: 26:15

Yeah,

Colleen: 26:16

Yeah.

Cheryl: 26:17

don't have any time. All I do is like, it was kind of the same thing. All I do is like go to work, and then I come home and I'm with the family. I'm like, well, welcome to the fucking party, bro. since August was born. Like, thanks for

Leslie Bailey: 26:30

Yeah, and then like, and my husband also has traveled for a lot of his roles too, and it's like, well, then I had to get up and I'm like, oh, is it so hard sleeping in a hotel room bed by yourself? Uninterrupted sleep? Was that horrible? I feel for you. Yeah.

Colleen: 26:46

Yeah, you're like, that's actually my dream. life's goal now is to

Leslie Bailey: 26:51

I'm like, that's weird. That's what I asked for for my birthday.

Colleen: 26:54

Yeah. Uh, yeah.

Cheryl: 26:58

show up at 6:30 AM with the kids. I don't give a shit if I slept a solid six hours at night. I'm like a different person.

Colleen: 27:06

Yeah. Alright. Well tell us about how the evolution of Maven space happened. Like that's a big deal. Like now you've taken on like a physical location overhead, like that's a big jump from. Or is it, or was a big jump from, you know, having a media based publication that's online, a digital based publication online to like a physical space that now you have to like manage the physical space and like, did you feel like that was a huge evolution or jump in your business? Or was it pretty natural?

Leslie Bailey: 27:45

Yes and no. It depends. It depended on the parts. So for exa, I have worked in hospitality. So that part,'cause that's really what a coworking space is, right? Is hospitality. I had not, and I have worked in restaurants, but I never as, as a server or a manager or anything like that. And I say that because we have a cafe on site, which is great, but you know that, that element of like customer service, but. That was her world. And so she can rock that side of things. But on the other part of the, the part that didn't feel like a stretch was like it was a community. I already had a community and we want, and we were already with like covid aside, you know, intending to gather in person. It was just gonna be at places all around the city versus now we have one home. So parts of it felt very natural. I think I was fortunate in that I've always been a little bit interested in a lot of things. So like I went to real estate school, so when I was looking, you know, it's all those life experiences that added up to like none of this was a huge stretch because I know a little bit about real estate and I know a little bit about hospitality and I know a little bit about building communities. So it all sort of came together in a. I definitely did not know everything. I still do not know everything, and I had to learn a bunch along the way, but that's where I sought out other communities. So I joined a coworking, like I got a coworking coach and joined a coworking community and attend conferences and you know, kind of then found the communities that I needed to be able to operate. I have never in my life had that was at the level this That's a big, but we're doing.

Colleen: 29:30

Yeah. Yeah, I, well, what I love that I. About what you're saying, and we, we talked about this in a previous podcast, is like this non-linear path towards things, right? Like everybody has, like, not everybody, there are a lot of women now who have a kind of non-linear path. Like yeah, you went to real estate school. Yes. You worked in hospitality. Yes, you worked in news newspapers and you know, print and things like that. But, but you're taking all of that experience and pulling it together, but. Here's the thing that I think people need to realize is like, you don't, you're, you weren't the expert in all of those things, right? But you could take that knowledge, know enough about it, it out, seek out more information, but then also seek out the people who are professionals in those areas, right? Like, I'm sure you didn't write your own leasing contract for your space, right? Like you found somebody to do that. And I think that's a big barrier, especially for is we think we have to be. Be expert in something where

Leslie Bailey: 30:38

to be a curious person for sure. And it's helpful to be a people person. Have that network. There's also a lot of privilege in that to be able to find right, the right real estate broker, whatever, whatever it is that you need, right? Attorney. But that's also why I wanted to have this space so that it made it easier for women. Right? Men have had gathering spaces just for men for thousands of years, and while women have gathered, they were gathering, doing things like. While they were cooking or while they were looking after kids. Right. Not just gathering for the sake of gathering. Yeah. Weaving baskets, et cetera, et cetera. Yeah.

Colleen: 31:23

clothes and

Leslie Bailey: 31:24

Yeah. And so for women to have a space, it was funny when we first moved in, this guy came and was doing, it was like doing some electric work. It was like, what is this space? And I.

Colleen: 31:45

Yeah. It's called Every club that was ever. Made country club, every private club, every ma you know, like every other club that ever

Leslie Bailey: 31:54

Right,

Cheryl: 31:54

Club Mason's, Elks

Colleen: 31:57

Yeah.

Cheryl: 32:00

bars that don't have windows.

Colleen: 32:03

I don't know.

Cheryl: 32:04

those

Leslie Bailey: 32:04

All of those things. So we have big, big windows with beautiful, bright, natural light, and lots of plants and wine and NA wine and all the things that women could want right now. And it's.

Cheryl: 32:21

think something really important you said was that you sought out a community. So that you could learn more and like you found the people that already knew and were already working with what you were doing, because it's highly unlikely that any of us are doing something brand new that's never been done before. You know, we're of course gonna put our own spin on it. But like there's a, there's a model somewhere in this world and looking for it. So you don't have to reinvent the wheel. Like you don't have to start from the beginning, find the resources and use them and build the community and have people that you can bounce things off of. We're gonna go back to vision to reality here, but one of the steps is crowdsourcing. And I think that's so valuable and you've done it a lot, like with your very intentional partnerships that you've talked about, is. the expert in this and finding the expert in that so that you don't have to be the expert in it, you know enough to be dangerous. then you find the right people to implement it. And I keep thinking, like as we're talking about this, the saying about like, and I'm gonna botch it, but like we are the sum of like the six people we surround or whatever it is, like we, and. I, I'm seeing you and I'm seeing Colleen, and I know I'm doing it. It's like we're seeking out very intentionally, high level people to surround ourselves with so that we can level up and like be the best in what we're gonna do. I just keep hearing that theme through what you're talking about and I'm with it a lot.

Leslie Bailey: 33:52

I'm a big of the personal advisory board, but I also feel like I've expanded it beyond just like my six people. I.

Cheryl: 34:01

Right.

Leslie Bailey: 34:03

I'd say like the guy, except it's usually a woman, right? The the person who knows the things and that you can just call on. So fortunate it also work, right? Don't first time, but to be able to find that person. Who is the expert and knows the things and can make your life easier, which is why I always go on the fence a little bit about the, the rec, the pick your brain requests. Right. Because I think that those can be so valuable and, and you can save someone so much time and heartbreak and energy and money, but I think on the flip side, people are. Can I pick your brain? But they don't even have their questions ready. They don't even know, like, and I'll get, I, I remember once getting on a call with someone once and thank goodness it was a 15 minute phone call and that's all it was. She was like, just curious, like what you do and how, I was like, I'm curious how we got on this call because I'm set systems and processes up in place that this shouldn't be in.

Cheryl: 35:02

I have lately been very intentional, like when I'm setting up those conversations, like, yes, please have all your questions ready, and like, I've got this window of time

Leslie Bailey: 35:13

yeah.

Cheryl: 35:13

happy to share my knowledge and information with you, but I am out here trying to build an empire and I need every possible minute. I'm away from my children to do that. And so like be prepared when we get on the

Leslie Bailey: 35:24

Mm-Hmm. Calendly required forms, answers on Calendly. I like to use all the tools for all the things.

Colleen: 35:33

your Calendly is cool. It was the first one where it was like you asked like, how do we, what are the questions you have your it's like how do each other? Or like, and then it was like. What about? Basically, it, it's something to

Leslie Bailey: 35:51

I would.

Colleen: 35:52

and I was like, like, oh, oh, okay, I better get my shit together. Like I, I know you, I promise.

Cheryl: 36:00

Well, good that it's because your time is valuable and people better have their shit together if they want to take some of it.

Leslie Bailey: 36:06

It's kind of, I, I'll say this, without shame, I was so sick of getting on calls, like sick of my on my end, right? Who are you? Why are we talking? Because my brain just couldn't track. And I kept forgetting like how I was connected with people. And you know when you set up a call and it's like six weeks away, I don't remember what this was supposed to be. And it was like, so I wanna also say the other person, because I was spending the first five minutes, reminds me and how do we know? What are we talking about? This way I can come prepared to make the most of. Both of our time. And that is such, I.

Colleen: 36:46

I love it. I wish I had that for phone calls. I had a 25 minute phone call the other day with someone and I didn't know who it was until 15 minutes in. Had no idea. knew I knew them, I knew their voice, but know exactly who it was. my friend BNA was like, you could do that because you're so friendly with so many

Leslie Bailey: 37:15

I.

Colleen: 37:15

like. You're like, you're like, you're halfway through and you're like, oh, hey, hey girl. friend.

Leslie Bailey: 37:23

Okay, so you can, you can schedule, use Calendly to schedule phone calls. So I have it where you can choose, is it a Zoom or a phone call? And if it's a phone call, you still have the same, and so then, oh, well

Colleen: 37:36

Like

Cheryl: 37:37

the nerve. The nerve of that person to just use.

Colleen: 37:42

you have to, you have as a realtor, you always have to answer your phone.

Leslie Bailey: 37:45

who does that?

Cheryl: 37:46

we get a lot calls from don't have saved.

Leslie Bailey: 37:49

That's fair. Okay.

Colleen: 37:50

and it was just like, and I, because I do so much networking and I ended up halfway through who it was, but like was just like, oh, okay. Oh, okay.

Leslie Bailey: 38:01

Well, good. You, I probably would've been.

Colleen: 38:06

yeah. I don't know if you're And I, it was too deep. I was, and she said my name. She's like, Hey, Colleen, blah, blah, blah. And then she like dove right into being like, I'd like to, you know, we're thinking about buying something. And I'm like, I'm too deep. You're too deep at that point to be like, and you are. And we, how do I know you again? So here's the lesson. When you're.

Cheryl: 38:28

a lesson for our listeners. As a courtesy, when you call someone who may not have your number saved in their phone, assume. They don't, and remind them like, Hey this is Cheryl. We recently met at X, Y, and Z and we were interested in, like, that should be the first 15 seconds of your conversation when you call someone, like give them, and even like when you run into someone in public that may know you, let me please encourage you to, to remind them. Be like you. I'm Cheryl, like, I'm sure you don't remember my name. Like, just let'em off you guys. Our brains are full. Everybody's brain is full. It's not just yours. Let people off the hook and give'em a hint.

Leslie Bailey: 39:05

A great networking tip. Or just like life tip in general.

Colleen: 39:10

Life tip, life hacks.

Cheryl: 39:12

it's completely fine to say like, remind me of yours. I'm so sorry. Like, I haven't slept in six years. I have kids.

Colleen: 39:20

Yeah, you could definitely do that. I think it's easier to do that in person though then.

Cheryl: 39:26

I think on the phone you say, I'm sorry, I must not have saved your number. Who am I talking to?

Colleen: 39:31

God,

Leslie Bailey: 39:31

Well, and I also, I'm just so transparent now. I'm just like, I'm sorry. How do, who, how did we get, I forget who introduced us. I just, I have to, I'd rather, and I, on the other end, would rather someone say, can you remind me than them, you know, like, yeah, keep fake something to a point, but. I, my dad's that guy. I, I like, he always, I can tell when he's faking and he doesn't grosses me, you.

Colleen: 40:00

Oh yeah, I'm good at it. I'm good at it, but, it's a learned skill. It is not, you know, like it's a learned skill, but,

Cheryl: 40:09

wanna another life hack that Leslie Bailey has introduced to me. even know you introduced this to me, but you sent over your toolkit soles, like prior to recording with any podcast guests. We get their bio, obviously I stumbled through them at the beginning of every podcast. We get a headshot from them and we just want, like, what are your credentials? Where am I gonna like, send people to in our show notes? And so we always send those requests out. Leslie, you guys, she has just a document ready to like send to anybody, and I'm sure this is your media training and the fact that you are like and doing these things a lot, but it's like, wow, I need that. We all need this. You guys, we all need a toolkit with just this information.

Colleen: 40:50

Tell our people what? What's on the toolkit?

Leslie Bailey: 40:53

Well, so secret. I've never had media training. I just figured this all out.'cause basically whatever. Would make my life easier. And after realizing over and over again, I was answering the same questions, I was like, oh, this, it's all just system. It's what you were talking about earlier. It's just systems. So I have a link, a shareable Google Drive link that is a Word document, and it's my short bio. Uh, which is like right two, three sentences. And then there's a long bio, and then in that Google Doc there is a link to other drive folders, which has my headshot. So there's individual, there's ones with my Co-founder and Amanda Kingsbury. So there's some with me and my family, right, because I've done more like lifestyle things. Then also making sure that you credit each of the, like, so I name the photos like Leslie Bailey, Amy Maven, you know, credit, Paulina Ra or Faith Blackwell, whoever took the photo too. So then that's always just, it stays with the photo, even if it gets forwarded. And then, you know, all my social media handles the links to all the websites, because that's the other thing too, right? To make somebody go hunt down, like Maven, space a.co and Maven is a.com. That gets mixed up if you don't have the, you know, and so providing things just make everybody's life easier. And so if you're someone who does regular. Things like that. It's all just there and one easy link.

Colleen: 42:13

It's such a good tool, like for anybody who has. A business or as an entrepreneur or is doing interviews or wants to be interviewed, to have that ready to go is now what I will be doing,

Leslie Bailey: 42:30

Mm-Hmm.

Colleen: 42:31

is

Cheryl: 42:32

block 15 minutes of your day today to do this. Please make my system process brain happy.

Colleen: 42:37

well, and things that are important to have, which I don't know that everybody has, is like your bio, it's so awkward to write your bio, but like just have it done. Like take. Now with Chet BT, it's like a lot easier to do, but like, have your bio, have a short bio and a long bio. I love that. You know, like have all that stuff ready to go

Leslie Bailey: 43:02

Well side note, according to chat, GPT, I'm a James Beard Award winner. I am not sad, but also just be sure to check GT bios. Side note.

Colleen: 43:14

Yeah. Feed it info

Leslie Bailey: 43:18

I just asked it to tell like.

Colleen: 43:21

who is

Leslie Bailey: 43:21

Bailey in Indianapolis. And it got it mostly right, but it also like said I was an editor of a publication that doesn't even exist. Like it made up a lot of stuff too. But it was helpful and a fun exercise to see. And then as someone who reads a lot of bios, I will also say just brevity and like make, like really get to just the very important information because those long, long bios, and especially if you're on a panel, I beg of you two sentences. Like 10 sentences, about four people on a panel. Oh, I have so many. I, I could turn this into a whole conversation just about panel tips. I'll not, but if you have questions about how to be a good panel guest, I can also share on that, because that's a big hot topic for me.

Colleen: 44:09

Yeah. I love that.

Cheryl: 44:11

What's next for you?

Leslie Bailey: 44:14

My word of the year is curious. So I am curious what's next? I, I feel like this year could just go so many different ways. And so I am cur, but, but. I won't know until just different series of things happens and that I'm not being like vague. I just, it's, it's a whole series of things. So for example it's no secret my sublease on this space that we're currently in for Maven space ends at the end of 2024. So do I stay in this space? Do we, do we go somewhere else? Like, I don't know, there's just gonna be a lot. So I'm in information gathering stage and then also. 40 next month. So it's also that what do I want the next part of my life? And I, Colleen, you were so sweet on Instagram to be like, it really does start at 40. I posted something in my stories, you know, the whole life begins at 40, which I very much am excited about this birthday. I'm not a, I'm not, I think when you look at the women, right, who have launched their careers post 40, Julie Child, Martha Stewart, I think even Oprah.

Colleen: 45:24

Yeah, there's that whole list.

Leslie Bailey: 45:25

There's that whole list that's real. There is something to this. Right? So I'm excited. I just, yeah, I don't, I really don't know. I think I have a book in my future. That's one thing I can, which again, feels a little cliche, but I, I've got a book or two brewing. I dunno, I'm just, I, I'm curious to see, I don't know. We'll have to all wait and see

Cheryl: 45:51

I'm excited. I'm gonna have to follow along on Instagram, which by the way, where do we find you? How do we connect with you?

Leslie Bailey: 45:58

on Instagram. I'm Les Alina, which is L-E-S-A-L-I-M-A, and that is just a testament to, you know, when we were just starting out in social media and you thought, this isn't the thing that's gonna be with me for 20 years, and it's your friend's nickname. When you're out at the clubs. Clubs, and then suddenly it becomes something you're saying on podcasts maven space.co, indie maven.com, my Maven, space on social, indie, maven on social, all the places, they're all connected. So if you stumble on any one of those, I, I hang out mostly on Instagram these days-ish dabble in LinkedIn.

Colleen: 46:38

LinkedIn is a whole different world. I will tell anybody locally like women, I. Men if you want to, but if you are looking for a coworking space and you're looking for a really amazing community, you have like Maven Space needs to be like number one on your list. I don't even care where you're coming from, like North Side, south side, wherever. It's so centrally located and it's the coolest space. And often am like, am I, should I just be working there all the time?

Leslie Bailey: 47:12

Is yes.

Colleen: 47:13

Answer is yes. I mean, what we're gonna be curious about in 2024 is, you know, lots of big changes for everybody. But man, it is Cheryl, I wish. Or when you come out, we'll we'll go and you can see it.'cause it's because Tell us quickly, I know we have to wrap it up, but like it's a coworking space, but there's also a cafe and there's a membership and there's like all stuff right.

Leslie Bailey: 47:36

So Maven space is 15,000 square feet. We have a podcast studio, a cafe, a fitness center three private phone booths. A lot of like open and airy coworking space. We have a lending library, a meditation room, a mother's room. A private fitness studio. We have a new fitness trainer starting doing small group private and group fitness classes and starting in February, oh my, it just goes on. We have a large event space too. So everything from sales kickoffs to bridal showers we kind of do it all here.

Cheryl: 48:11

Do you have a locker room or like a

Leslie Bailey: 48:13

We do.

Cheryl: 48:13

showers?

Leslie Bailey: 48:14

We have two two restroom locker rooms with showers and all the hair getting ready tools, dry shampoo, hair ties, all

Cheryl: 48:22

Uh.

Leslie Bailey: 48:23

mouthwash, deodorant, individual sample.

Cheryl: 48:26

That's what's missing in my world. I live 25 minutes from my office and I really work 25 minutes from my office too generally, or from my house, and I'm like, when I'm out and about, I would just love to be able to have somewhere where I can like go get myself back together, like so I could exercise in the middle of the day. Like it's a really big hurdle that I just out how to overcome.

Leslie Bailey: 48:45

Well, that was kind of the dream concept, right? Is that women are so busy and we're doing so many things and we have to be so many different places that you can come here. So I, I am the, the per the market. I came here this morning, I got my juice. We have a black woman owned local juicer in right now. So I tried a new juice. This morning I did a media interview. I brought my workout clothes, TBD, if I make it over there into the gym, right? Sitting recording this podcast grabbed lunch with someone in the cafe, met our new intern, like, I'm getting, you know, and I don't have to drive around town. I'm not driving to like three different coffee shops. And then the gym, I could just do it all here. I can print the kids forms for school on the printer, right? Like, it's just, I don't mess, do work. I. So it's all here. And it's like we worry about the printer here. We worry about the ink. You don't have to worry about your printer not working or you're not gonna get a healthy luncheon today. I had this most amazing salad at lunch. I loved it. It was so delicious. But like, if I were at home, I would not be eating a delicious, healthy salad. I assure you. I would be eating a frozen Costco Ramen bowl,

Colleen: 49:50

air fryer like I

Leslie Bailey: 49:51

ITTO the.

Cheryl: 49:56

Oh, I love that. I'm really envious. I can't wait for you to franchise this

Leslie Bailey: 50:02

Uh, there are some, there are some spaces in other cities who are, that are franchising. You know, I think that I would, maybe I've, I've, again, who knows? I'm curious about the year. I like to say in the Midwest, I mean, there are so many, and that's the other thing too. If you're listening to this and you're not here, there go. Come here. Yeah. But like just there, I'm in that the luminary out New coworking. But we, I was just on a call today with half dozen to dozen other spaces that are in Franklin, Tennessee and in Florida and in Connecticut. I mean, they're all over. We are all over the country now. So if you think this doesn't exist near you, it, it might not, but it. There are probably, there are more than I think people realize and they're all, we're all very similar in that, you know, our mission and, and very different in offerings necessarily. You're not gonna have all the same things. I think we're pretty unique in that just by size and scale, but, but I definitely encourage people to check out and see what's available in your area because it's, it can just be such a game changer for, you know, we're all. The loneliness epidemic element, right. Just the, the physical fitness, the health, personal, professional development, relationships. It's just, there's so much value to it. And so I, I mean, and that sounds like I'm doing a sales pitch, but I really believe it. I, you know, I experience it every day. Yeah.

Colleen: 51:32

And just the relationships that you build, the business relationships, the friendships that you build in a space like that. Like, and you're with a group of women who want to be doing that, right? Like that's the common thread where I used to work at a coworking space and no one wanted to talk to me. I was like, okay. I, I.

Leslie Bailey: 51:53

Diverse, diverse, not the same women that you, you're seeing at every, at, at school function or at your church, right? You're, there are women from all over the city that are coming here, so you're, you're getting outside maybe your comfort zone sometimes, which can be hard, especially for shy, if you're shy or introverts. But I think that we've always gotten nice feedback in that, you know, not just our team, but the members here make it feel welcoming and approachable and hopefully not that intimidating and.

Cheryl: 52:24

Awesome. Well, I would like to talk to you for 17,000 more hours,

Leslie Bailey: 52:28

Aw, you too. Thank you. This was great.

Cheryl: 52:32

you so, so much for joining us today and. I just look forward to the next time. Do you wanna go to Taylor Swift with me and Colleen in November

Leslie Bailey: 52:40

Uh, yeah.

Cheryl: 52:42

she's coming to your city?

Leslie Bailey: 52:44

it's, it's a big deal. We've got the solar eclipse, we've got Taylor Swift, we've got the Allstar game. We.

Colleen: 52:49

really big. 24 is a big year for Indy. There's so much happening here. Everyone should buy an Airbnb.

Leslie Bailey: 52:56

Yeah. Yes. Wait, after I buy an Airbnb,

Colleen: 53:00

after you. Bye. We've got the swimming, Olympic swimming trials here. The NBA Allstar game is here. We've, I mean, like there's February NBA Allstar game is in February. The

Leslie Bailey: 53:12

all Stars is February.

Colleen: 53:13

are. Yeah,

Leslie Bailey: 53:16

or July.

Colleen: 53:17

swimming Olympic trials June, I think. Yeah, something like that. So everyone should just move here. I don't know. I'm just saying

Leslie Bailey: 53:26

Something to consider.

Cheryl: 53:29

Thank you. Thank you, and we will see you next time.

Colleen: 53:32

Thanks, Leslie.