Filling the Gaps with Megan Fehling: How Entrepreneurial Spirit Can Enhance Your Community
If you’ve ever explored Boston’s local events, you’ve likely experienced the work of Megan Fehling, the visionary behind Original Markets, Fenway Flea, and Found Boston.
At our latest WeLearn workshop, we were thrilled to welcome Megan Fehling and learn how she’s reshaping the city’s community spaces.
A Berklee College of Music graduate and passionate advocate for building community, Megan’s journey began with a powerful realization: her community needed more spaces for young adults to gather, connect, and create.
“Don’t be ashamed not to know the right answer to things.” — Megan Fehling
After the pandemic left a lingering sense of emptiness in public spaces, Megan saw an opportunity to merge her passions for fashion, music, and the Boston community in a new venture: Original Markets.
Reflecting on her early days, she described standing on the streets of Cambridge, handing out cardstock flyers to advertise her brand as grueling. While the idea took time to gain traction, Megan’s persistence paid off, and her markets have since become beloved community hubs.
Megan emphasized that authenticity and confidence in your brand are just as crucial as staying updated with social media trends and consumer behavior. While it’s important to adapt to changes, she explained, staying true to your core values and vision is essential to long-term success. She also encouraged focusing on your unique goals rather than getting distracted by competitors, as clarity of purpose ultimately drives growth.
Megan left the WISE community with some key takeaways for making an impact in their own communities:
- Identify the gaps — Recognize what’s missing in your community and use that as a starting point for new ideas.
- Get personal — Understand and prioritize the needs of your audience, especially those from underrepresented groups.
- Stay persistent— Don’t lose confidence in your idea. Perseverance and passion will help you overcome obstacles.
- Spread the word — Take a creative mindset to marketing. Use multiple channels to connect with your audience.
At the heart of Original Markets is Megan’s mission to create a lasting impact. For her, these markets are more than just a place to shop; they’re spaces where consumers can buy sustainably and small businesses can collaborate and support each other.
We wrapped up the workshop with an interactive activity led by Megan. She challenged WISE attendees to brainstorm ways to address unmet needs within their own communities.
After an initial individual brainstorming session, we split into small groups to further develop our ideas. From a 24/7 coffee shop and study space for students to a platform where college students offer salon services to their peers, the WISE community embraced the activity with enthusiasm, inspired by Megan’s mission-driven approach.
Want to learn more about Original Markets? Visit Megan’s website or check out her markets in Cambridge and Fenway. And if this workshop sparked your interest, follow us on Instagram @northeasternwise for updates on our future WeLearn events.
— WeLearn Team💚
