The HUB Studio

Role: Founder & Operations Director

Founded, rebranded, and operated a minority-owned creative studio in Springfield, MA from the ground up. Managed a physical space, a staff of young creatives, and a client base of nearly 1,000 across a four-year run — including through a full relocation and the operational disruptions of the pandemic.

Responsibilities

• Oversaw all day-to-day studio operations — scheduling, staffing, vendor coordination, and client intake

• Led the rebranding and physical relocation from an 8,000 sq ft facility (Studio 235) to a downtown Springfield space with a broader community reach

• Managed a team of young, minority employees — structured their roles, created growth paths, and connected them to external opportunities

• Maintained client communication across all booking, production, and delivery touchpoints

• Implemented COVID safety protocols to keep operations running without shutting down

• Represented the studio externally — culminating in a Massachusetts Senate Citation

Challenges

Scaling a creative studio while simultaneously rebranding it, relocating it, and maintaining client trust — all without external funding. Then keeping it operational through the pandemic with safety measures in place while competitors went dark. Staff were young and largely inexperienced, requiring active mentorship on top of day-to-day management. Every operational decision had a direct impact on the community the studio served.

Outcome

Served nearly 1,000 clients across four years with zero external investors. Successfully executed a full rebrand and location move without losing momentum. Built a team of emerging creatives who went on to professional careers in the industry. Received a Massachusetts Senate Citation for community impact. Transitioned to a virtual model post-closure to maintain resource access for the community. Zero projects abandoned mid-run.