One of the metro’s latest coworking areas prides itself on hospitality — however completely happy hour comes as a bonus.
“When folks order DoorDash or GrubHub — we’re bringing that to your workplace with additional plates and napkins. ‘What sort of soda would you like? What sort of snacks would you like?’” mentioned Dawniel Richards, normal supervisor of Serendipity Labs’ newly opened location inside Creative Planning Plaza in Overland Park.
Such an strategy places Serendipity Labs — which is a part of a global versatile office community — forward of the sport as corporations start to have a look at a return to officing and the COVID-19 pandemic begins its decline, Richards added.
• Founding Year: 2011
• Headquarters: New York City
• Founder: John Arenas
• Locations: 30+ throughout the U.S. and U.Ok.
• Funding raised to date: $98.3 million (per Crunchbase)
“An area like it is a profit as a result of we provide so many alternative choices. You can have your individual workplace — and you’ll are available twice per week. We customise that plan for you.”
Free of the largely one-size-fits-all mannequin many coworking websites adopted pre-pandemic, Richards mentioned, the area has discovered its viewers simply off I-435’s south loop with entrepreneurs who get pleasure from their residence workplaces, however can’t at all times make the chaos of basement and bed room workplaces work.
“They need a totally different possibility and it doesn’t have to be day by day. … We don’t need to give somebody one thing that they don’t need. It’s not like, ‘Ok, you’re locked into this workplace,’ however individuals are solely going to be right here twice per week.”
While a handful of native entrepreneurs within the Pipeline Entrepreneurs community and fellowship have discovered a house at Serendipity Labs — maintaining its vitality alive with after-hours drinks and brainstorming periods within the area’s luxe and comfortable frequent areas — bigger corporations have discovered the Johnson County website a handy place to plant satellite tv for pc workplaces.
A Membership Promise
“Every member will get my cell quantity they usually get to contact me in the event that they want one thing — and it doesn’t matter if it’s day or night time,” Dawniel Richards mentioned. “Somebody had a Zoom name beginning at 5 a.m. I used to be like, ‘If you may’t get within the constructing you name me and I’m going to be there.’ I don’t know that each place presents that, however that’s how I do enterprise right here.”
“I have a look at day by day like an occasion. Everyday you’re participating members wherever they’re. You’re going to have one of the best and also you’re going to have a terrific expertise and your friends are going to have a terrific expertise too.”
“[We have a] metal firm they usually simply have a few of their IT division and one among their VPs right here. … We need to give them one thing that’s going to work for them — and provides them one of the best deal too. Everybody is attempting to have a look at what the transition [back to work] appears to be like like,” Richards mentioned.
Beyond officing, the coworking website’s dedication to hospitality runs the gamut from fresh-brewed Thou Mayest espresso and fruit water to an onsite mail sorting facility and HIPPA- and Department of Defense-certified WIFI.
A Starbucks and on-site cafeteria are additionally obtainable to members in one other of the Creative Planning buildings straight subsequent door.
Click here to e-book a tour or study extra about Serendipity Labs and its further facilities and COVID protocols.
“We’re very engaged with our members — something they want,” Richards reiterated, detailing her concierge position as every thing from a greeter of friends to IT professional to Keurig assembler.
“We’re getting to know our members and it opens up conversations. … We’re not the most cost effective — and we don’t declare to be. But we would like to totally have interaction each member.”
Serendipity Labs hopes to attain the broader Kansas City-area entrepreneurial neighborhood as nicely, she mentioned. Its group is actively envisioning what occasions may appear to be when the world is totally functioning, Richards mentioned.
Serendipity Labs, Overland Park
Work to have fun native artists within the area is already on canvas, she added.
“Every three months we modify out the artwork, and that’s [all] native. We hope to have artwork openings, stay music, various things as folks [receive] vaccinations.”
Art by Annie Glotzbach was on show for the month of March.
Despite the pandemic and its city Johnson County location — simply out of bounds of entrepreneur-dense Kansas City and its once-lauded energies — the area is already 35 p.c occupied, Richards mentioned.
“I feel Kansas City is on the middle and [the amount of interest] makes numerous sense,” she mentioned of immense innovation and entrepreneurial exercise within the area — a spot she herself relocated to from Los Angeles.
“People are leaving Los Angeles. They’re leaving among the coast cities that possibly have extra excessive COVID restrictions or increased price of residing. … Kansas City is that this hub and Kansas City is rising. I feel it does converse to one thing particular that’s occurring right here — and it makes probably the most sense to be right here, since you’re sort of within the middle of all of it.”
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