Today we’d like to introduce you to Alicia Driskill.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Alicia. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was born to travel the world. Literally. Originally born in Southern Illinois, my dad was in the Air Force so we were able to live and see the world from the cockpit of a cargo jet. By the age of 6, I had visited and lived in countries such as Israel, Germany and Turkey before settling in Louisville, KY. My mom worked in the school system so she spent most of her days there, but she always had side businesses (or side hustles as we call them now) she worked on at night. She had an excitement for these passion projects that was contagious and I often found myself learning new skills as a result. Looking back, my travels and “new” hobbies laid the foundation for my life – of course, I did not realize this until decades later.
I started my career in web design and quickly moved to Los Angeles after graduating from college. Kentucky was home, but I felt the desire for something “more.” I lived the LA-starving-artist-dream; you know the kind where they are broke but it’s okay because they are surrounded by cool people and sunshine? I started my own web design company in LA, but also worked 4 other jobs to make ends meet. I loved LA, but something was still missing, so I continued my search for something “more.” I visited Chicago on a weekend and fell in love. The energy was contagious, the people were friendly and I could sense the opportunity that awaited me despite not knowing anyone in the city.
I moved to Chicago and started working at a digital media agency. I was a nerd at heart and loved having the opportunity to expand my web design skillset into a broader application. This was the beginning of an amazing career in media. I spent my days, nights and weekends learning the ins and outs of digital media while making lifelong friends along the way. I spent 17 years working in entertainment and media at companies including E! Online, PEOPLE, Live Nation & WME|IMG. While I loved what I was doing, I was outsourcing my entire life and didn’t feel fulfilled.
I’ve always been a strong advocate for women so I decided to evolve my career and focus on the next chapter of my life on empowering women and girls. I worked on the founding team of the Together Live Tour and led business development for Pearl xChange, a women’s empowerment event co-founded by Nicole Richie & Ramey Warren. I’m also actively involved in Step Up, a non-profit organization that helps girls fulfill their potential. The transition was exactly what I needed… I had the flexibility to spend more time with my two kids + husband and I was finally spending more days at home than in another city.
After a couple of years consulting on women’s events and detoxing from corporate, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I wanted to create a hub to unite women and support each other in every aspect of life. Over the past year, we had talked about business development, growth, integration of family and daily practices to restore our focus. So, why not create a space dedicated to providing these resources to women in a community-driven ecosystem.
In January 2018, I opened EvolveHer, a creative workspace for women in River North.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
There’s no such thing as a smooth road… at least not on my journey. There were too many challenges and bumps to begin to list, but I like to say they “build character”. As a business owner and mother of two, I am faced weekly (if not daily) with difficult decisions, but at the end of the day, YOU are the only person who can decide what is right for you.
I’ve always believed in making bold decisions. You can’t let fear stand in the way of what you want. Believe in yourself enough to know that you are resourceful and have the ability to handle whatever comes your way.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into EvolveHer story. Tell us more about the business.
I am the Founder & CEO of EvolveHer, a creative workspace evolving the way women connect, cultivate and collaborate. We provide women with the resources and connections to curate a life they love – both on a professional and personal level. We have an amazing community of members from a variety of industries which fuels our ecosystem. Women connect on multiple levels and refer business to one another.
I am seven months into space and my heart is so full. I’ve grown more in the past year than I did the past ten. I’ve realized the true value of a tribe and the importance of allowing yourself the freedom to evolve (pun intended). When you surround yourself with women who are curious, positive, ambitious and collaborative – magic happens. We harness the energy from the collective group to fuel our passions. Like the famous saying goes, “together we rise,” and change happens when there is unity in a tribe. Every day, there’s a new story. Not a day goes by that I am not blown away by the strength of the women I meet. Women who have battled through illness; women who have risen from adversity; women who have made the courageous choice to step into their greatness by following their heart and living a full life.
Our differentiator is truly in the ecosystem we’ve created and how we connect women. We are very intentional in our “Together We Rise” approach which is apparent in the amount of business we refer to each other.
I also have an amazing team. These women worked for companies like Yahoo, Amobee, Pandora, Vevo and managed Fortune 100 clients for decades so they have a wealth of knowledge. We offer business development services and leverage our ecosystem (a.k.a. – members’ services) to deliver on our clients’ consulting projects.
What do you feel are the biggest barriers today to female leadership, in your industry or generally?
Unconscious bias and microaggressions are huge issues. I’ve seen women get overlooked for a promotion because they were out on maternity leave and their boss assumed they wouldn’t be up for the role upon return. I’ve seen senior women get called girls and asked to take notes, along with the invisible woman scenario where no one acknowledges that she’s in the room. The saddest part is that both men and women are treating women this way. It is essential that we stand up for our sisters and partner with our male allies who are dedicated to creating a true cultural shift to drive gender equity.
Pricing:
- Memberships: Starting at $100/mo
- Event Space Rental: Starting at $125/hr
- Business Development Consulting: Custom Pricing
Contact Info:
- Address: 358 W. Ontario St. #3W
Chicago, IL 60654 - Website: www.evolveher.community
- Phone: 312-766-3492
- Email: hello@evolveher.community
- Instagram: @alicia_driskill & @evolveher
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/evolveHer/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/evolveher
Image Credit:
Rose Photo, Anna Zajac
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
