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What is The Bird & Bear Collective, anyways???

I get this question so frequently, that I figure I should just write a blog post to try to explain. Part of the problem is - The Bird & Bear Collective is so many things that it makes it hard to explain. Erin Defoyd of Medway is the owner of The Bird & Bear Collective and she just has this way of bringing people together and making connections. Officially, the Bird & Bear Collective is a place to Nest, Rest, Explore and Soar (just like Birds & Bears do). How you accomplish that, is totally up to you. I've been going to their downtown shop since 2020 when we were still wearing masks inside. I stepped in one day for a Productivity Power Hour, which has transformed since then into regular co-working space. I'm not going to lie - I didn't know anything about the collective at this time, and it was way out of my comfort zone to walk into a space where I didn't know anyone to work on my photography business. My nerves were immediately squashed as I stepped foot into a warm, welcoming space, that always has an oil diffuser going and smells amazing & makes you immediately feel connected to something.

Since that day back in 2020, I've been involved in so many different things with The Bird & Bear Collective. I have attended mindfulness & movement workshops, where I 100% wasn't in my comfort zone, but had more fun that I ever imaged. I've attended productivity workshops, where I've learned tips and tricks to help me be more productive in both my professional & personal live. I've attended backyard mingles at the downtown shop, where I've met new local people & made friends that have supported me since then. I have photographed birthday parties that were hosted at the shop, where families & friends were able to gather together & celebrate something awesome. I've hosted family photo sessions at the Backyard Barn in Medway, MA, where I've photographed so many amazing families. I've hosted Headshot Sessions at the downtown shop, where I've helped many awesome people update their Headshots for their new business or next steps in life. I've done co-working in the space consistently throughout the year, and have a bunch of supportive "co-workers" who I can bounce ideas off of and get feedback from. I've attended social media info sessions where I learned about different social media platforms and how to properly use them to maximize my reach. I've attended book club at the shop, where we had time to mingle, actually talk about the book we read & have mini book tastings to select out next book. I shop at the collective for gifts, because they support so many local vendors and I love giving local gifts. This is just a fraction of the things that you can do at The Bird & Bear Collective.

This past weekend, The Bird & Bear Collective did something amazing. They had a grand re-opening event that lasted THREE days and it was truly amazing. I watched Erin bring so many members of our community together this past weekend and was so happy to be a part of it. From the ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday - an all day party that included special treats from local vendors & lots of shopping... to the pop up Tap Room with Rushford & Son's brewery on Friday night (which I sadly didn't get to attend, but heard it was awesome)... to the Outdoor Market on Saturday where I was lucky enough to be a vendor. There was live music, food trucks, a VW bus with balloons, picnic blankets, local vendors, adorable puppies that stopped to visit & great weather! Our Holliston Community was here for all of it and wants more of it.

The connections I've made since walking into that space for the first time are with some of the best people I've met & am so grateful to have in my life. I continue to host headshot sessions at the downtown shop on a (mostly) monthly basis & I host family photo sessions each fall at the backyard barn in Medway! If you are wanting your family photos, headshots, branding or senior portraits done at the backyard barn or the downtown shop, let's chat and get something on the calendar! If you don't need photos, you can join me for co-working on Wednesdays & Thursdays (I'm usually there at least one of those days each week) or just pop in to the shop to treat yourself to something special.


If you haven't stepped into the downtown Holliston shop, make a point to do that over the next week. I promise you won't be disappointed. If you'd like to learn more about what goes on at the collective, check out their newly launched website here and come #beapartofit!


Thanks for reading!


~so~




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