Concord Young Professionals Network (CYPN) introduces you to the “Young Professional of the Month,” Carolyn Herrick. Each month, the CYPN Steering Committee recommends a young professional in the community it thinks readers would enjoy getting to know better.
Carolyn Herrick
Where do you live? Bow
Where do you currently work? Homebody, a new home décor store and baby boutique on Main Street!
Tell us a little bit about opening your store. Prior to opening Homebody, I worked as a Mechanical Engineer. I enjoyed my job, however, I always had a tug to explore my passion in home décor and gifting. I love to bake, host, decorate, garden and pretty much anything that involves making the space you live feel more like home.
Four years ago, my mother-in-law passed away from breast cancer. She was young, vibrant and a huge part of my world. It was a heartbreaking wake-up call to remind me that life is short. Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed, and if I wanted to move toward my passion, now was the time. My husband Cody was all in. And so began our journey to become entrepreneurs. After years of planning, reading and working with mentors, I decided to take the huge leap from that stable engineering job and become an entrepreneur. With his background in finance, there was a perfect place for Cody to join me on this journey. Cody manages our bookkeeping, along with MANY other duties that come along with operating a brick-and-mortar business.
I created Homebody because I wanted a space that felt warm and welcoming, while providing ideas and inspiration to help other people make their spaces feel like home. In addition to home décor and gifting, I recently launched our baby boutique when I became an aunt for the first time. I struggled finding unique, fun, and practical gifts for my niece and nephew. It has been a blast bringing fun brands and baby gifting ideas to Main Street.
Last book you’ve read? I love biographies of self-made entrepreneurs. It is eye-opening to read about the struggles and failures that so many entrepreneurs faced before they became successful. The last one I read was Believe IT, which was written by Jamie Kern Lima, the founder of IT Cosmetics.
What is one of your life goals? I have always dreamed of having a flower farm!
Where did you go to school? I went to the Bow School District K-12, then Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) for a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering.
What’s your favorite part of your workday? Opening the store in the morning is my favorite part of the day. I have always been a morning person, so I love arriving early, lighting a candle, turning on music and setting the vibe for the day. There is always an anticipation of not knowing who I will meet or see during the day. Being at Homebody has reconnected me to so many past co-workers, friends, and teachers.
Why do you choose to live in the Greater Concord area? Cody and I both grew up in Bow, so naturally, Concord was our go-to spot for errands, shopping and date nights. I have always loved New Hampshire. Concord is such a convenient location, being just an hour from the White Mountains, from the ocean, the Lakes Region, and Boston. The Concord area has a small-town feel while also being so close to all the major conveniences.
Homebody is located across from the State House, the center of New Hampshire’s political scene. There is always something going on!
What’s your favorite memory in Concord? Midnight Merriment! I have great memories going each year with my friends. This year, it was such a unique opportunity to experience it from the business side. I was blown away by the turnout, and the enthusiasm (and patience) of everyone that came through Homebody.
Join CYPN for an Earth Day hike and trail clean-up on Saturday, April 23, from 10 a.m. to noon! Meet new friends and get outside for an easy hike along the Merrimack River in East Concord. We’ll be collecting debris, trash and recycling from Sewalls Falls Park Trails. Learn more by visiting concordnhchamber.com/CYPN. Email events@concordnhchamber.com to sign up for CYPN email updates.
