Gather

Gather Co. Events is an event company specializing in gatherings that connect you to community, clients, and colleagues.

We support female entrepreneurs through three main channels: funding (10-99 opportunities, personal and professional development scholarships), access to subject matter experts (mentors, programming, and workshops), and we also provide our community with an inspiring space to cowork and collaborate with like-minded women.

About Our Founder, Michelle.

Hi. I’m Michelle Carmack and I’m the founder, event planner, and community manager of Gather Co. Events.As a first-generation American born and raised in Hawaii, I’ve experienced the beauty and price of living in paradise.

I’m uniquely qualified for this challenge because I’ve grown this community from 7 paying members to +100 members during a global pandemic with no paid ads and a very inconsistent marketing plan. 85% of our members were referred to us and the reset was just luck thanks to Instagram's algorithm. 

But most importantly, I qualify because I share the same battle as an entrepreneur and woman living in Hawaii. This is my home and I’m gonna fight and find opportunities that allow me to live in Hawaii comfortably and raise a family with the same (if not better) memories I had growing up.

Now imagine what we can do together with more financial resources and a larger platform to create opportunities for women just like me.

A quick success story

We have a member who lost her job during the pandemic. She recently moved to Hawaii with her youngest daughter, husband and dog. Because she was new to the island, the only people she knew outside of her family were from her previous employer. She joined our community. But she saw the importance of community and connections. And that’s when she started partnering with us to host paid member-led workshops to connect her with clients, and engage with our members regularly. 

One day, a member in our community shared an opportunity at the Marriott Hotel. They were looking for vendors for an upcoming night market. She applied and got a response she wasn’t expecting. Rather than becoming a vendor, she became a contractor for regular paint parties at the hotel. She doubled her income from the job she lost. Just in time before her husband lost his job. And today, not only is she the primary source of income, she’s also doing work she loves.
 

OUR CHALLENGE

It’s expensive to live here and it’s not like we can drive to a big city for a higher paying job. But what’s interesting is we have a population of 1.4M residents and more than 10M visitors a year.

So you would think Hawaii would be a great place to start a business, right?

Wrong. According to a recent study conducted by CNBC. Based on 85 different metrics in 10 key categories of competitiveness, Hawaii ranked 49 out of 50. Primarily due to the cost of living, cost of doing business, access to capital, and our economy. This shows in the numbers.

According to Hawaii’s Small Business Profile constructed by the SBA, we lack growth in small businesses and new job opportunities because we have just as many businesses exiting as we do entering. In 2017, 908 establishments launched, creating +5000 new job opportunities. But within the same year, 820 establishments left, resulting in +2500 jobs that were lost.

OUR SOLUTION

The success stories we hear today happened by simply creating a container where women feel safe to share about their ambitions to a supportive community. We give them paid opportunities that fund their businesses while getting them in front of potential clients. And now we’re building a physical space where all of this can happen quicker and more efficiently.

It's time to gather and grow with like-minded women.

Gather is a space where you're unapologetic about your big dreams. You'll unite all aspects of your life by:

• connecting with a community that strives for positive impact,
• taking care of your well-being,
• collaborate to find creative solutions both personally and professionally, all while
• creating an abundant life for yourself and inner circle.

Life is full of transitions, discovery, and growth. We've created a safe space where you'll feel supported, understood, and empowered.

THE SPACE

The space is located on the ground floor of the Hawaii Kai Executive Plaza. Local banks, eateries, and coffee shops are all within walking distance from Gather. And with nearby hikes and ocean activities, you’ll experience group self-care activities with other like-minded entrepreneurs both indoors and out. 

The space is 1,300 sq/ft, including private offices, dedicated desks, a conference room, a comfortable coworking lounge area, and spacious event space. Our lounge area is used for regular accountability meetings, book clubs, and intentional coworking discussions. 

The conference room walls are designed with retractable folding glass walls making it flexible to accommodate various events like morning group yoga flows, guided meditation, and regular panel discussions. 

Our dedicated desks and private offices include mail and cleaning services. And with a private entrance and a noise-dampening design, you’ll feel like the CEO you truly are.

THE MEMBERSHIP

All membership include:

• Co-working between 7:00a - 7:00pm
• Weekly kid-friendly networking events to connect with community in a comfortable environment
• Monthly Mentor Workshops to start, grow, and scale profitable businesses
• Quarterly Panel Discussions to inspire and motivate you on this journey.

Exclusive event marketing services for our members include:

• Weekly workshop to develop engaging (and profitable) events
• Ticket pricing strategy consultation 
• Social media marketing to promote your event
• Onsite photography and social media exposure

Additional Perks:

• Kid-friendly coworking and events on scheduled days
• Accountability groups
• Weekday morning wellness classes
• Saturday popup marketplace inclusion
• Onsite Women-Owned Shop inclusion
• Book club and more!

Why Crowdfunding?

Community is the heart and soul of Oak + Pine. Our members are the secret to success. This is why crowdfunding is so crucial as we embark on this new chapter. Crowdfunding allows us to remain the decision-makers of our growing community.