In my small corner of the world, I know lots of women who are DOING things—writing, designing, blogging, wedding photography, planning events, you name it. About a year ago, most of us were doing it alone and fine with that. But after talking with some of these gals, I came to the realization that regardless of what creative pursuit we were working out in our own mind or hands, it’s going to turn out better if it’s shared with others. Everyone’s good at something, but no one is good at everything. When we share what we’re pursuing with others around us, I believe it takes a deeper root in the world. Besides, what’s better than someone cheering us on, asking how it’s going, and offering the support that we might not always recognize we need?

From these thoughts and conversations is where Hatch Creatives began. It was words exchanged amongst friends and prayers to God. Please, please hear me when I say that Hatch is a genuinely welcoming community for all women, and I believe that this dream and community originates from the heart of God and His love for the women He created.

Our first event was case-in-point to the need for this community. I told a friend that I wanted to start a meetup for creative women, and she told me to set a date on the calendar. And thus, the encouraging accountability for Hatch was born! Starting out with no money and great people to ask for help, our inaugural event was held in a friend’s backyard adorned with warm lights, surrounded by a group of 30 gal pals. On that January evening, I shared this dream of mine that they were a part of. Our first speaker, Jennie Reynolds (who you’ll hear from soon on the blog!) affirmed in us what it meant to be creative—that we each have something unique to bring into the world, and without each of us, it wouldn’t exist. The conversations and warmth around those tables of women is something I’ll always remember, and I think it’s a uniqueness that’s been carried throughout all of this past year’s Hatch gatherings.

Very quickly after Hatch launched, our leadership team grew from a ‘me’ to a ‘we,’ and as a collective team we realized there was so much more to offer than our monthly events. The “more” doesn’t come from the four of us behind the scenes planning but from the community of women that make up Hatch Creatives. Hatch is made up of young women who are just starting out and dreaming of what their future could look like and gals who are 10 plus years into their career and realizing they have new passions and dreams that are far different than what they’re doing now. There are also working and stay-at-home moms who have wisdom and experience we continue to learn and grow from about the beauty and messiness of those seasons. At the end of the day, each of us has a story to tell. We’ve all walked a path loaded with good, bad, and something in between that wasn’t meant for just us to carry alone. It was meant to be shared for the sake of encouragement. Because you never know how a, “Hey, you too?” could help lead the way for gals following after you.

We launched Hatch Creatives with the hope of starting something meaningful and practical—and the same goal applies for this blog. Our events have a central theme each month and our blog will follow suit. This month, we’re all about celebration and new beginnings! We look back at the past year with thankfulness for what we’ve learned and how we’ve grown and look ahead to the possibilities and newness around the corner.

We’ve got some incredible women contributing to this blog, and I’m excited to have their voices heard by us all. As we walk into this new year together, may I encourage you to make that the first small step? Say yes even when it’s scary and choose the best things for your life and for those you love. Happy 2019, Hatch gals!