Sandra GonzalezÂ
Owner and CEO of Fem Kollabs
Located at 342 Cooley Street
Hours of operation: Monday – Saturday 10 am to 6 pm (Sandra says most days she stays later to accommodate people that get off work after 6 pm)
Sandra was born in New York and moved to Springfield as a young child. She graduated from Central High School class of 2001.
Once Sandra graduated from high school, she did many different jobs in customer service; she eventually went into insurance for about seven years.
Sandra always knew she wanted to own her own business one day; she did not know what kind of business.
She was trying to find herself and determine what her skill sets were. But, falling upon bereaving times, she never gave up hope, and she prayed that God would give her something.
Helping people came naturally to Sandra, so she decided to figure out how to incorporate her passion for helping others into a business. Eventually, she started a hair salon with her cousin, then realized that was not for her. So she began researching enterprises to find a need that she could fulfill.
Fem Kollabs came out of nowhere. Sandra had a few friends who started their businesses, and she heard about their struggles. So she began researching female entrepreneurs and the companies they began. She also joined several Facebook groups. Sandra learned about the struggles women faced when going into business. Sandra thought she could find a location where other women could find support in a stranger they did not find in family and friends. So Sandra started posting on Facebook, describing her vision. She got a lot of responses, more than she ever envisioned.
Finding a location was not easy. Sandra knew the site was everything. She wanted a place that anyone could see even if they did not see the store was there. Once she found a location that met her vision, she invited women to check it out. To her surprise, only the first seven women checked out the site; all the other women joined the location unseen.
She knew a couple of the women beforehand, most she did not know. Forty women are a part of this collaboration. The business has grown faster than she anticipated. Women from across the country and Puerto Rico want to be a part of this fantastic concept. Sandra has women calling asking her if she will be bringing the idea to their state.
When I asked what advice she would give to others looking to start their own business, whether it be in retail or something else, she stated, “Just go for it, no matter what others say.” Sandra faced many negative comments about her idea, like “it was not a good idea” or “that it wouldn’t work,” however, she went ahead and did it anyway!
 I also asked about the old saying that some of us grew up hearing that women cannot get along. Sandra says she and her collaborators are doing fine; they have monthly meetings, support each other, and buy products. They have established not only a professional relationship but also a friendship. Sandra says if it were not for the ladies, the store would not be what it is; she reminds them that this is a team effort, and they are all owners working together.
