Launching Mad Genius Studios with an intent to help individuals unlock their own mad genius through creativity, imagination, and turning dreams into reality for business growth, Founder Shawndra Russell felt a need to support women in the business community.

In her role as Vice President at HarmonyAVL+media, Russell has noticed the construction industry is composed of only about 10% women. Understanding studies that demonstrate female leadership in companies leads to increased success, and when women in the community are able to earn more money entire communities are healthier, she focused the mission of Mad Genius on supporting women in the Asheville area.

“I know it sounds corny to say ‘women are the answer,’ but by supporting women, I believe in what will happen when there are more wealthy women and more women with more free time,” Russell said. “There are all of these research-backed positives that then ripple out to everyone.”

Russell also hopes to help women build in more time for creativity. Bringing out creativity and purpose can allow women to do meaningful work and unlock their fullest potential. Playful activities like talks, workshops, and brunches can create more fun in the process of building business, and Mad Genius Studios offers many of these types of events every month.

Since opening in January of 2024, Russell and her team strive to help women entrepreneurs with every step and aspect of their journey with traditional and non-traditional learning and networking events. Lunch & Learns offer opportunities for women in the business community to share their own stories of leadership and success in a casual environment. Wellness Wednesdays have taught techniques like breathwork and meditation, emphasizing the importance of self care. 

“We’re curating groups of women coming to the table and talking about issues in our community, and it’s not necessarily determining solutions, just offering the space to have those conversations,” Russell said. “It’s a group of like-minded women, and everyone can ask questions and speak their mind. We are also seeing what people are doing in the community; it’s kind of like an idea incubator.”

Russell has seen introductions and ideas come out of these events. There have been collaborations and women presenting talks, workshops, or other ideas for the first time. Attendees know this is a professional-yet-casual space, and they can try things without feeling silly or vulnerable.

“That’s the dream —  to offer a space where people can think about anything they want to host here, as long as it supports women in business in some way,” Russell said. “And we have just scratched the surface of what’s possible.”

Guests interested in talks for specific topics or industries can gain insightful information in a low-pressure environment, which is mutually beneficial for attendees and hosts. Those offering workshops offer value while spreading the word about their own businesses, and since audiences are already interested in those topics, the potential to gain new clients or partnerships is clear.

“If you offer a free workshop related to your field of business and 10 people show up, they may become customers for life because you offered them value,” Russell said. “Rather than the pressure to go big or go viral, it’s an opportunity to form circles, share resources, and lean on each other. It’s like going back to the ‘main street’ or ‘village’ idea of individual experts, like going to your butcher or your baker in your own neighborhood.”

Creating these circles of business owners also creates communities. Rather than being isolated behind a computer screen, these women are banding together. Business owners are often pillars in the community, and by coming together, these groups can be powerful and make real, positive changes and help shape the entire community.

Along with Mad Genius participants, Russell keeps her ear to the ground to learn what people are looking for in the business world. Her goal is to not only offer events and resources to support that, but also facilitate what individual business owners may need. Her ultimate goal is to be a one-stop shop for people to call, email, or stop in to talk about a needed connection, find a solution to an issue, or uncover resources specific to certain needs.

“It’s hard enough owning a business and being a professional, so if we can save you a few steps or keep someone from going down the wrong rabbit holes, that’s incredible, right?” Russell said. “You can Google search pretty much anything you need to learn, but it’s much more helpful to hear it from someone in your circle who has actually had that experience locally, and be able to actually brainstorm with people like that. With all of these events, resources, and connections, we can focus on offering all the things that make an impact for the person, the business, and the community.”