Last September, Allovus expanded into the upstairs studio in our Gig Harbor building. With the company continuing to grow, the newly acquired and updated space provided the room to accommodate everyone. More room means more studio space, more space for entertaining, and perhaps the most needed element—more conference rooms. Our old studio had a limited number of spots employees could go for meetings. This addition of the upstairs studio has added three new meeting spaces and created four new conference rooms downstairs.

Having so many new conference rooms in the office can cause confusion when trying to plan meetings and schedule rooms. Lately, we’ve been referring to the rooms by their location or size. For example, if someone says “Let’s meet in the downstairs room,” the next question is inevitably, “The small room or large room downstairs?” Some people used made up names. For instance, one room has been dubbed “the Quicksand Room” after a day of back-to-back to back meetings. As you can imagine, a system for distinguishing the rooms and alleviating confusion needed to be put in place.

Initially, the plan was to name each conference room after mountains around the state of Washington. The Allovus studio has a gorgeous view of Mount Rainier (serving as the inspiration for the theme). Other mountains featured were Mount Adams, Mount Baker, Mount St. Helens, and a few more iconic peaks. But after a few weeks, the names weren’t sticking. Trying to remember which room was which proved to be too difficult since they were all so closely related. Next, the theme was Pacific Northwest trees. Spruce, Alder, Cedar, and Elm were all ideas for naming for the rooms. Yet again, nothing stuck. After much frustration, Hayley decided to have a brainstorm/voting session within the office to come up with a better theme. Ideas ranged from National Parks to famous Seattle landmarks to all-out random names for each room. Still, no one was psyched about the choices.

Finally, a few days later, an idea came to Hayley that everyone fell in love with. She saw the sign, literally, sitting on her desk. The sign? A black, wooden plaque that reads “Well behaved women seldom make history.” Hayley got to work reading through a book that served as another source of inspiration – a goodnight book entitled Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. This book has biographies of famous women of all ages and accomplishments in the form of a bedtime story. And so, the idea for the conference room names was born.

“Our conference rooms are named after extraordinary and rebellious women in history. No matter the importance of their discoveries, the audacity of their adventures, or the width of their genius, they were often belittled or forgotten. May these brave pioneers inspire you and impress upon the generations to live lives full of passion, curiosity, and generosity.” – Hayley Nichols

Virginia Woolf once said, “For most of history, Anonymous was a woman.” Their achievements and accomplishments were erased, not acknowledged, and even claimed by men. By naming our rooms after even just a few of these brave women, we hope to carry on their legacy. By sharing everything they have accomplished, even with only a few people, their life’s work will live on.

The conference rooms will bear the names of these nine women:

Harriet Tubman – Freedom Fighter. Rescuer. Hero.

Quotes:

• “Always remember you have within you the strength the patience and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”
• “I had reasoned this out in my mind, there was one of two things I had a right to, liberty or death; if I could not have one, I would have the other.”
• “Every great dream begins with a dreamer.”

Ellen DeGeneres – Comedian. Advocate. Inspiration.

Quotes:

• “Find out who you are and figure out what you believe in.”
• “We need more kindness, more compassion, more joy, more laughter. I definitely want to contribute to that.”
• “The world is full of a lot of fear and a lot of negativity and a lot of judgement. I just think people need to start shifting into joy and happiness. As corny as it sounds, we need to make a shift.”
• “Don’t worry about what people say about you. Let the naysayers nay. They will eventually grow tired of naying.”
• “It is failure that gives you the proper perspective on success.”

Ruth Bader Ginsburg – Judge. Justice. Equality.

Quotes:

• “We should each be free to develop our own talents, whatever they may be, and not to be held back by artificial barriers.”
• “Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”
• “If you’re going to change things, you have to be with the people who hold the levers.”
• “My mother told me to be a lady. And for her, that meant be your own person, be independent.”

Jane Goodall – Primatologist. Observer. Educator.

Quotes:

• “Only if we understand, will we care. Only if we care, will we help. Only if we help, shall all be saved.”
• “The least I can do is speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves.”
• “Lasting change is a series of compromises. And compromise is all right, as long your values don’t change.”
• “Change happens by listening and then starting a dialogue with the people who are doing something you don’t believe is right.”
• “Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference.”

Grace Hopper – Scientist. Curious. Decoder.

• “If it’s a good idea, go ahead and do it. It’s much easier to apologize than it is to get permission.”
• “It is often easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.”
• “You don’t manage people; you manage things. You lead people.”
• “The most damaging phrase in language is: ‘It’s always been done that way’.”

Helen Keller – Activist. Determined. Pioneer.

Quotes:

• “Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.”
• “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”
• “Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.”
• “Knowledge is love and light and vision.”

·   “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart.”

J.K. Rowling – Storyteller. Imaginer. Philanthropist.

Quotes:

• “It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all.”
• “Anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve.”
• “Failure means a stripping away of the inessential.”
• “You will never truly know yourself, or the strength of your relationships, until both have been tested by adversity.”

Oprah – Businesswomen. Voice. Listener.

Quotes:

• “You get in life what you have the courage to ask for.”
• “The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams.”
• “Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another steppingstone to greatness.”
• “Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.”
• “Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.”

Virginia Woolf – Writer. Feeler. Strength.

Quotes:

• “I like the unreality of your mind; the whole thing is very splendid and voluptuous and absurd.”
• “For most of history, Anonymous was a woman.”
• “You cannot find peace by avoiding life.”
• “Odd how the creative power at once brings the whole universe to order.”