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30 T o say that sisters Jodie Hastings and Shelly Slater have led rapid-fire, do-it-all lives is an understatement. Both are mothers with young children; both lead ambitious and fruitful careers. Hastings had a long tenure as a lawyer, while Slater is a former reporter and anchor for WFAA, who went on to build a successful communications consulting business after leaving her full-time TV gig. Now, the pair adds entrepreneur to their growing list of job titles, having opened a co-working space in the Dallas Design District in March: The Slate. Nationally, the co-working trend is on fire, from mega brand WeWork (Dallas and Fort Worth both have hubs) to The Wing, a female-only work and community space with locations in New York, London, West Hollywood, and beyond. There are exclusive, industry-specific work and social clubs such as New York and Beverly Hills' Spring Place (ideal for fashion and media types) or NeueHouse, a collaborative workspace intended for artists, entrepreneurs, and creatives. In Dallas, though, the Slate sisters saw a gap — ours was a market totally lacking the kind of well-designed workspaces that run rampant in larger cities. Furthermore, there was nowhere that thoughtfully served the city's growing base of female entrepreneurs. Enter The Slate. Here, the motto is "female focused, but not female only." It is a refreshing and inclusive ideal, given the cultural zeitgeist surrounding modern feminism and the #metoo movement, which often leaves gentlemen out of the conversation. Translation? The Slate is designed and equipped with female- focused amenities that are often overlooked in traditional workspaces — though they have those, too, with large and small conference rooms, permanent desks, and movable office furniture. The Botanical Mix keeps a fridge fully stocked with flower arrangements of all sizes, should a busy working mom need to grab a hostess gift en route to dinner. There is a social-impact boutique, which carries quick gifts from socially conscious businesses. (See: children's books from Dallas' Tiny Bee Gift Co.; candles from Texas–based Calyan Wax Co.; and jars of honey from local Bonton Farms.) A favorite spot, no doubt, is the Wellness Room, a private, soundproof space in which people can meditate, have a good cry, or scream — because some days, that's just necessary. (A back door makes for easy exits on days one doesn't feel like facing a crowd.) Dallas artist Alli Koch was tapped to do a series of wall illustrations in the kitchen, and local art advisor Jennifer Klos spearheads an art program of rotating works. For those in the business of podcasts and on-camera appearances, there is a full film and television studio with equipment rentals, plus a state- of-the-art podcast room. Programming takes an entrepreneurial bent, too, with panel discussions such as "How To Grow Your Digital Reach" and "5 Ways to Not Fail While Scaling Your Business." Since breaking ground on the chic space, The Slate has been signing up members — and it isn't just small businesses. We're told those habiting The Slate range from large financial firms and corporate execs to independent business owners, nonprofit types, and entrepreneurs. Sign us up. The Slate, 2403 Farrington St., 214.446.6031, theslateproperties.com. A CLEAN SLATE BY CHRISTINA GEYER. PORTRAIT MISAEL RODRIGUEZ. INTERIORS JESS BARFIELD. The Slate Jodie Hastings and Shelly Slater