Anne Kirby started her first design and marketing company in 1999. After feeling the effects of social isolation, she acknowledged the need for a collaborative community and started a social networking group called The Creative House of Lancaster in 2007. Anne founded her thriving coworking space called The Candy Factory in 2010 after identifying the need amongst members for a shared collaborative workspace. Eventually moving into a larger space in 2014, the Candy Factory now inhabits 14,000 square feet of space in the historic Lancaster Storage Company.

Anne also opened a second location called Rock at POD 2 on the Rock Lititz Campus in January of 2017. Her coworking spaces focus on connecting members and building relationships while providing the means to grow personally and professionally. Additionally, Anne recently opened a social enterprise cafe called Perkup & Co. which employs disadvantaged city youth in collaboration with The Mix at Arbor Place. As well as running these three companies, Anne also facilitates an all women’s group called Kick-Ass Female Entrepreneurs and manages an online promotional platform called DO. Which looks to connect Lancaster, York, and Harrisburg businesses.

Anne actively speaks locally to organizations like SCORE, Cultivate Lancaster, and others on the topic of coworking and cultivating community.