By Nan Price, Content Manager, MetroHartford Alliance
As Director of Small Business Development at the Hartford Chamber of Commerce (an initiative of the MetroHartford Alliance), Shannon Mumley enjoys curating Hartford experiences that encourage others to engage with, explore, and embrace the city.
Why Hartford?
SHANNON MUMLEY: In 2012, I started working at the University of Hartford and I needed a place to live that was close by and inexpensive. I settled in the West End and I never left. I love the community so much, I’m in the market to purchase a house in here.
How have you become a part of Hartford and how has Hartford become a part of who you are?
SHANNON: Living and working in Hartford, I knew I wanted to be involved in an impactful way. A cool thing about Hartford is, it has a lot of different cultures. It’s super-diverse. So, no matter who you are or whatever you’re interested in, Hartford enables you to become a part of it and build on your interests in many different ways. I became a member of HYPE (Hartford Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs) and I’m involved in Leadership Greater Hartford, the West End Civic Association, KNOX, and Hartford Decides, which enables me to have a voice, make an impact, and engage with our micro communities here in Hartford.
What impact do you hope to make in the Hartford Region?
SHANNON: Now that I’m working with the Hartford Chamber, it’s like the best of all worlds for me, because I have an impact on the communities and the businesses together. My goal is to highlight more businesses in every community to ensure they’re successful, especially during and after COVID-19, and then attract more businesses and more people to experience Hartford. I want them to see what I see and explore and to embrace Hartford like Hartford has embraced me.
What makes Hartford unique?
SHANNON: There’s a lot of opportunity in Hartford—more than people think. So,  if you want to make waves, you can. You can jump in and people are excited and ready to invest in you. Hartford’s ready. You can make an impact and make change in Hartford. And I’m excited to see the change.Â
How do you tell the story of Hartford?
SHANNON: I’m telling the story of Hartford in a few different ways. I do it by curating people’s experiences based on their interests. After eight years here, I know Hartford well enough that I can find something that will attract anyone. And then, once they experience Hartford, it retains people, which is great. That’s why I love Hartford.
Over the past couple of years, I’ve organized the Discover Hartford scavenger hunt with a few of my friends. It engages the community and local business owners all at the same time and encourages groups of friends to explore Hartford and experience Hartford’s neighborhoods in a different way. So, I’m telling the Hartford story that way—through helping people experience and fall in love with Hartford.