Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather Gregory.
Hi Heather, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My career path is a pretty winding one. My degree is in Architecture and I worked in that field for about 6 years during college and after. I got out of that industry because I was feeling called to do more community based work. This led me into non-profit management, program development, and event production. I worked at some really cool environmentally focused non-profits in Colorado and Oregon. In Oregon, my partner at the time and I decided we wanted to try something bold and we started a food truck. I was 28 and it was my first ever business to start and it was so fun to go through that process and learning how to get something like that up and running and making it something that could sustain my life. I didn’t love the food service world, but was hooked on entrepreneurship. Since then, I’ve started or run a number of small businesses, either as my full time gig or as a side hustle.
Almost a decade ago the City of Denton was starting a coworking space with programs, events and support for entrepreneurs and startups and I got the job. It was a role that called for all of these skills and experience that I’d gained so it felt like a perfect fit. I have loved getting to design spaces, produce events, develop programs and partnerships, and building community around entrepreneurship. It started as a job, and became the business that I own.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely had struggles along the way. Since we have a partnership with the City of Denton, early on the challenges were around proving the value of our programming and the impact that it could have. Since building businesses and community takes time, it felt important to do as much good as quickly and visibly as possible to prove it was a good investment of tax payer dollars.
Then of course there was COVID. When it hit in March of 2020, we had just hired a third team member (making our largest team ever) to handle events and programs. Then we had to figure out how to make all of our events virtual. It completely changed how we handled the day to day operations of our space as well. It was a challenge to figure out authentic ways to keep people connected and provide helpful resources in a real time of crisis. Revenue cut in half between March and May of that year – so it was a huge hit to our business financially as well.
We’ve recovered from both of those big challenges and have built something really strong and sustainable that I’m so proud of.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Stoke is a membership based coworking space and entrepreneur hub in Denton, TX. We help entrepreneurs connect with professional space to work and meet – as well as access to education, mentors, resources, and a community of peers. We just expanded this year and now we operate 12,000 sq ft of space which includes 28 private offices, 30 dedicated desks, 3 conference rooms, and a large community room to run our events and programs out of. Memberships are as low as $85/month to be a member of our community and we love having a really affordable option.
We are a woman + queer owned and operated business and we are super proud of the diverse and inclusive community we’ve built. We support entrepreneurs of all kinds; marketers, sales people, web developers, designers, project managers, videographers, writers, lawyers, bookkeepers, counselors, engineers, and so many more.
I think that what sets Stoke apart from others in our industry is the emphasis we have on being a part of and serving our community. We are a double bottom line business (meaning doing good work is as important as making money) and work every day to have a positive impact on the culture and economy of Denton. We do this through programs that focus on supporting women and minorities, developing content around what the community is asking for, and supporting organizations that have aligned visions.
Any big plans?
We just expanded our space in September. We went from 9,000 sq ft to 12,000; adding 8 private offices, gender neutral restrooms, an improved mail/printer area, and our community room. That was exciting and fun to choose finishes, make design decisions, and get a private space larger than our conference rooms to hold the growing demands of our programs and events. This year we also grew our team and we currently have 4 full time staff which is huge for us.
This growth has been strategic because the big change coming up is that I’m planning to take a sabbatical in early 2026. After almost a decade of leading this business and supporting hundreds of entrepreneurs, I can feel the need to take a big break. It is a bit scary, but mostly exciting. I think that building a business that has a strong enough brand, foundation, team, and systems for the owner to step away is a testament to its stability and sustainability.
Pricing:
- Community Membership $85/month
- Coworking Membership $225/month
- Dedicated Desk $350/month
- Private Offices starting at $450/month
- Conference rooms $30-$50/hour
Contact Info:
- Website: https://stokedenton.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stokedenton/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stokedenton/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stokedenton/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@stokedenton/featured
Image Credits
I’ve indicated this on all photos file titles. Some go to Saint Butcher, most go to Will Milne.
