It’s been almost 7 years since Jena Nesbitt and I bonded at Portland Startup Weekend over the fact that we were having a hard time finding our place in the creative community here in Portland, Oregon. Little did I know, that conversation was going to turn into something that would shape who I am today in such a profound way. That something was us founding The Creative Roundtable (tCR), where we’ve been offering support and guidance to creative entrepreneurs ever since. 

We started as an accountability group held weekly with several of our friends at NedSpace (thank you Mark Grimes for all the support throughout the years!) which grew into meeting many more talented creatives and helping them along their creative journey every single week. We knew something special was happening with our weekly groups, so we started doing monthly public events to make the tCR more accessible. Our first ever meetup event had over 80 people at it, we grew to over 2,800 members in 18 months and are currently just under 6,500 members. 

What happened in between all of those years was my growing confidence in who I am as a creative, an entrepreneur, and a leader. I found myself growing with Jena, as we nurtured this community we built. 

I walked into this journey craving a vision and direction in my life, searching for a place to feel seen and to be part of a supportive community. I had no idea it would lead to me finding not only myself, but my family away from home, a community that has supported every one of my endeavors (like opening Bark City BBQ with my husband), been there when times were tough and has taught me so much about what it means to be authentically yourself through it all.

There aren’t enough words to sum up what the last 7 years have meant to me. What all of you, who have been part of this journey, have meant to me. I cannot thank you enough for making this community what it is today and what it will continue to become.

It isn’t without tears in my eyes to say that I’ve made the difficult decision to step down from The Creative Roundtable. I know this is the right decision for me, but know it isn’t easy to walk away from. But trust that the community is in the hands of one of the most passionate, creative, and lovely people in my life, Jena. She will continue to walk alongside this community, as she has all these years, and facilitate bringing all of you together.  Join her this Thursday at the monthly tCR event, register here. I will be sure to swing by meetups, events, and whatever amazing thing Jena will grow this into it in its next life.

I don’t know what the next chapter looks like for me, but I am making space for whatever it may be.

Thank you all for being part of my life for so many years, please be in touch and maybe I’ll see you at Bark City BBQ!

Stay Creative. Stay You.

Jehn Glynn Keskin